Got a single Mercury V-6. Single Hynautic Hydraulic steering system.

Wheel goes round and round with out stopping. Motor doesn't turn.

What Happened?

Worked fine when I put it away. There is no Fluid anywhere.

The Resevior has an air pressure guage and air in it, which I have sinced drained out while trouble shooting.

Do I just need to bleed the system? Is the helm busted? The steering wheel shaft is turning with minimal effort. SOunds like I am turning something...

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chris

The helm should make a clicking noise when turned-worse with low or no fluid. The click will get quieter when the system is bled properly. If you aren't hearing the clicking then it is likely the vanes are sticking in. If this is the case you can get a seal kit and open the thing up. Take it all apart, free up and clean everything and look for broken parts. If everything looks good, reseal, refill, pressurize the system to 30 psi and turn many many times back and forth to bleed. If it is making a clicking noise then it may need to be bled-once again pressurize and turn, turn, turn.

I made the dummest mistake. Looked at the site guage and saw what appeared to be a full reservior.

Finally popped the top the other day and it was bone dry.

I filled it and did what you said. Works great now...

Only thing is I am not sure why it leaked out over the winter?

Maybe there was too much pressure and I blew a seal or something...

Oh well. Just another extra fluid container to bang around in my storage compartment all summer...