New problem upper steering

[dfg4240]

Went to take her out and new something was wrong. No steering upper station. Wheel just turns and turns forever.
Lower station works fine.I didn,t see any leaks underneath. Where do I begin. Could be just fluid?
where do I look first
Dfg4240

[prowlersfish]

Check the fld and make sure it has pressure on it assuming you have hynautic . tank will be by the rudders

[dfg4240]

OK-you mean where the bilge area is?-open rear cover and I should see the cables going to it?
I'm not at the boat right now. I know it uses type "A" tranny fluid I think.
I hope it is the flluid. anyway it is a plus one for dual helms.
I took her out for awhile and came back in ok.
It's a lot different bringing her in and parking her into the slip from the lower helm.
I was wondering when I pulled her out and I knew something was wrong.
the boat was not responding and I used the console controls to get out of the marina. steering was a no go.
Well two times out now and two times there was a problem .
What's next.
Thanks Prowelersfish

[larryeddington]

Not sure but me thinks steering does not use tranny fluid, but the trim tabs do.

[Away On Busine$$]

What type of boat, what year! F32, 30 , 26. Do you have a shaft coming down from the bridge to the left of the helm at the lower station. If yes is it turning when you are using the upper station. If not your problem will be up top.

[dfg4240]

1978 F36- I looked under the upper helm and it is just a square box with three cables connected to it I think and no shaft that I saw.
I have the manual on the boat and it says type A atf or hydraulic fluid.I will make sure before I pour anything into her when I go there tomorrow.
dfg4240

[Away On Busine$$]

Sorry, but I don't have hydraulic steering, so I am not much help. Good luck.

[dfg4240]

think of all the fun you're missing

[Allen Sr]

I had the same problem a couple years ago. The pressure on the tank is low. Trust me when I say there is more problems than just that. The main seal blew out in my upper station this winter putting hydraulic oil all over the bridge and sides of my boat. Now I do have the hynautic steering on my F36. Good luck. I did get two years out of it before it finally blew out...........

[prowlersfish]

I believe you have 3 hydraulic lines at the upper helm not cables

You should use hynautic /sea star fluid not ATF ( atf is only for emergency use ) The Tank should be by your rudders linkage it will have a pressure Gage on it and a sight glass to check the level . relive the pressure be ore removing the cap . once you add fld (assuming its low ) pressurize it low and for leaks . work the wheel on top back and forth to bleed . I can email you a manual if you need it .(hynautic )

[dfg4240]

thanks prowlersfish
I did buy the hydraulic steering fluid but don't have the pump to pump it up but I will get one today.I read about turning the wheel back and forth about twenty to bleed it.the place to add the fluid is at an awkward angle and I want to get a small funnel to ad the fluid.there is a line on the reservoir that I can see.
I will go to the boat again today.
dfg4240

[prowlersfish]

Bike tire pump

Where are you adding fld ? if its at the helm it mabe a difrent system the what I am talking about ? ( or the helm pump has been changed

[dfg4240]

It is in the back like you said Prowlersfish.
Two covers on the cockpit.the first is for the generator and the second is the bilge area. tons of room there.
right under the cover towards the sliding door side is a plastic container the is shaped like an hourglass with the lower part having a fill plug and says hydraulic fluid and has an indicator line on it.(no fluid).
on the opposite side is the pressure pump or whatever you call it and it has these little windows I think and a fitting for a pump at the top and also a gauge on it which reads zero right now.
I found that I did have a bicycle pump in the garage and I will go down sometime today.
I would like to take you up on that manual and have you send it to me if you can. I can send you whatever you want for the manual.

I appreciate it.
dfg4240

[dfg4240]

What can I say Prowlersfish
thanks for the manual-this makes everything clear.
I will go tomorrow and do this.
I have been so busy lately-this will make things much easier instead of trying to figure it out.
This forum is worth it's weight in gold to guys like me.
thanks again.
dfg4240
By the way I did have a pump in the garage.

[ready123]

Went to take her out and new something was wrong. No steering upper station. Wheel just turns and turns forever.
Lower station works fine.I didn,t see any leaks underneath. Where do I begin. Could be just fluid?
where do I look first Dfg4240

sounds to my like you need to add fluid to the top steering unit and turn it back and forth many times while venting the air from it.... My system does not have any other fluid reservoir than each steering station and as it works OK at the lower helm you likely have just lost some fluid and it shows up at the upper helm first. Unless you have the Hynautic system....