I recently purchased a 2000 Hustler 26 single 496 HO with dual ram power steering. After changing all fluids and filters it is obvious this boat was not run for a while (2 years). I bled the outside lines on the rams, the pump is churning, but the steering wheel feels the same (stages, hard to turn with engine on or off) supposedly no steering cable all hydraulic? (I am not a mechanic but none that I trust will give me the time of day til after Memorial Day. Any troubleshoots, suggestions?
Thanks, Alex

Did you start the motor without the pump being full of fluid? How did you bleed the system?

I had the boat hooked to hose turning steering wheel while another friend poured fluid into reservoir while another bled rear lines.

It should be very easy to turn the wheel while the motor is running, and difficult with it off. Does your drive have side to side play in it? With the motor running keep turning the wheel lock to lock to work the air out. You may have a bad pump if it doesn't get any easier. Also, if this is a new system having the lines crossed at the helm will make it very difficult to turn the wheel

At this point I would grab ahold of the drive (engine off) and see if you can move the drive side to side. If you can move the drive there is air in the system. Now, there could be air in the system for 2 reasons. 1- improperly bleed 2- you have a vacuum leak on the suction side of the pump allowing air into the system. If it's a leak on the pressure side it will leak fluid and make a mess. You do not need to run the motor to bleed the system. The Charlynn valve/helm pump is a pump and will bleed the system. Fill the reservoir and keep spinning the wheel in one direction until it stops. While doing this keep an eye on the level in the reservoir and don't let it run outto start . Once the wheel gets hard in one direction spin it the other direction keep repeating this until there is no play in the drive. Remember don't let the level go down in the reservoir this put air in the system and you have to start all over again. If there is a leak on the suction side it usually will not leak fluid because you have suction not pressure and it will suck air which will keep the system from bleeding properly. You should try and locate the filter (if it has one) (could be on pressure or return) make sure it isn't clogged. If the system is 100% bleed properly and the filter isn't clogged then you have a bad power steering pump. Hope this helps good luck.

all good tips but first, what kind of system do you have? you say you changed fluids and filters. how did you drain it and what filter does it have? if you hook the filter up backwards it will block the fluid. we have to assume it worked before so we need to determine what you did exactly and see if something was hooked up wrong, etc. to know what direction to go.

First you need to verify what system you have. You seem unsure. Full hydraulic or add on hydraulic???

Does the system have an external reservoir besides the one on the PS pump???

Full hydraulic Char Lynn on steering box. dual ram. It has a stock 496 pump with reservoir. steering is the same on or off. Did all the troubleshoot on this site for airlock. Pump not strong enough? Kind of has a grinding when turning wheel. Where is the check valve and power steering filter?[ATTACH=CONFIG]541219[/ATTACH]

yes seperate reservoir

Char-Lynn 261-1460-002 Eaton