IMCO Steering question
 

I have IMCO hydraulic steering on my twin engine Baja 33 Outlaw. When you turn the steering wheel at idle speed in gear I can feel a jumping in the wheel. It feels a little like it's binding or something. I have pulled everything apart and checked to see if there was anything binding, and could not find anything. I checked both drives there are no problems with the gimbals. Any help of items to check would be appreciated.

are you sure it is full hydraulic maybe you have a cable helm?

I have the same setup and it does the same thing. I think it comes from a lack of pressure at low rpms. I think the stock GM pump is a little wimpy for the task IMO. I am going to replace my high pressure filter now that my motors are out. It is located on the transom and is a small silver cylinder.

It's definitely full hydraulic, no cable assist.

I thought about the filter also, I think I might call IMCO today and ask them their opinion.

Mine does it sometimes. Possibly air in the system. I don't worry about it, i've got more important noises and vibration to bother with.

You all have WPS.......wimpy pump syndrome.....

:D:D:D:violent-smiley-045:

I hope it is not terminal!:rolleyes:

The stock pump should be more than sufficient. I would say that you either have a dirty filter or a restriction in one of the hoses. The filter should be cleaned after the first run because no one cleans the hoses the way they should be when making them and little pieces of rubber get in the filter. You also have to be very careful when putting the hoses together because the fitting can roll over a piece of the hose when you insert it. That little piece of hose can come loose and restrict the hose or stay put and partially cover the inside of the fitting. Hope this helps, Eddie.

With the engines off, turn the wheel, it will still turn the drives but uses only the pump in the helm station and when I do this with my single pump set-up by shutting down the "pump engine" I feel the "notchieness" of the helm pump squirting fluid into line.