Jo was right again, except . . .
 

I have just installed a full hydraulic steering system like Jo has been telling me to do since I bought the boat.

Works great, no more rolling!!!!

Only one problem with this set up:

I am using the stock pump and stock cap. The cap keeps releasing the air in the system which is good, except it also is dripping fluid all over my freshly cleaned bilge!

What can I do to eliminate this problem? I know that I should also install a reservoir tank and need to plumb this to the cap somehow.

Please advise on how to correct this situation. My boat is too clean and nice to have red fluid floating around in the bilge!!

Thank you -

Kirk

Kirk,
If you have the small yellow plastic caps that are standard on mercruiser reservors there is a solution. Turbosonic makes a replacement cap that is vented but will not leak. They are available in different colors and are 13.95ea. I bought three from Eddie Marine.909-945-2830.They seem to work fine. I am assuming this cap is the same as the merc trim caps but it may not be.?
Greg

Donzi,

I appreciate the input, but the leak is from the Power Steering pump cap. I have the caps you mention on my tabs and trim pumps, they work great.


Anyone else know how to stop the steering pump from leaking with the hydraulic helm?

It shouldn't leak once all the air is bled properly from the system. What system do you have?

You need to remove the cap and then weld the power steering cap adapter where you removed the stock cap. Then you run a hose from this welded fitting to the new reservoir tank. Try and mount the tank as I as you can. I mounted mine on the bulkhead just behind the rear seat.

Cp sells a good cap for this......You do need a resovoir bottle though

My understanding is you only need a bottle when you have a dual system.

At least that is what I was told from WPM. Mine was a single ram system and I didn't have one and it never overflowed.

Also my ITS full hydraulic system used the standard PS bottle and pump and nothing more. I guess the need for a bottle depends on the design of your system. You would think that the would tell you when they sold it to you.

The system
 

Its a Marine Machine System. Actually the boat had a semi hydraulic system when I bought it. It had dual MM rams, I just added the hydraulic helm unit and the hoses for the conversion to complete hydraulic.

The bilge is really messy, maybe I'll go out a couple more times and try to get the air out of the system. It also tends to overflow when the engine is not running and you turn the wheel.

Scott at Extreme in Miami did mine a few years ago. He's located beside the Pantera Factory. You need to have that cap welded on. I've attached a PIC of what it should look like.

PS Cap
 

CP Performance sells a cnc machined billet cap with o-rings -
It fits on the stock ps pump and doesn't leak .
Call Scott at CP for one - Its a lot easier than welding your standard ps pump.

I have an Imco full hydraulic helm with dual pistons. Standard GM pump and cap with no leaking. You may have overfilled the pump or still have air.

I have a single ram partial system. My PS cap leaks too. It leaks down onto the alternator which slings it all over the place. I think I am going to a full system over the winter. I've been watching that "Hydraulic Steering for $500" thread and that has got me curious.

Do you have to have dual rams for a full system?

How much did it cost to go from the partial to the full system?

Same here.

The boat came with dual Marine Machine Rams and the stock steering set up.

I added:

(4) hoses from Napa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 280.00

Helm unit was given to me by a friend . . . $ 0.00

Did the work myself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 0.00

Having a Pantera that drives straight . . . . Priceless!!