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Old 10-05-2016, 09:26 PM   #1
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Any idea where my air/hydraulic steering resevoir might be located ?

The manual says it is aft near the rudder quadrant and steering hydraulic cylinder...in this case under the cockpit. But damned if I can find it. Curiously the rudder hydraulic cylinder has what appear to be quick change air fittings at each end of it, then hoses go up to an aluminum manifold block that has a couple of adjustment screws on top and then the hoses take off from there to go forward into unknown territory.

Have looked at both flybridge and lower helm stations....nothing there but the steer box itself and hoses going off into the unknown.

I ask as I need to move the boat tomorrow ASAP and have rudder movement only at the lower helm. At the flybridge, steer wheel will move rudder if turned clockwise but will do nothing but spin freely if turned counterclockwise. So figure I need some air or hydraulic fluid but can't for the life of me figure out there to put either.

In theory I could hook up a bicycle pump to the QC fittings at the cylinder itself but there is no pressure gauge to know if I am doing any good or harm...plus these are not shown in the Viking manual.

The manual shows what appears to be a round resevoir with air connection, pressure gauge and cap to fill hydraulic fluid but I simply can't find anything like that except two on bulkhead in the engine room and those are probably for transmission engagement.

Thoughts ?

============================

(on edit)

Now I see what I thought were QC air fittings are for bleeding....d'oh !

http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/si..._HC5349-01.jpg

So where did Viking hide my steering reservoir ?? Even the blueprints show it back near the rudder cylinder but it just isn't there.

Here's what it should look like according to the Viking manual....the relief valve is apparently the aluminum manifold block i mentioned...but no reservoir or pressure gauge to be found back there anywhere.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...owtos/728b.jpg


Is it possible one or both of the Hynautic units in the engine room that I assume are just for transmission engagement only are somehow tied into the steering system as well ? Seems unlikely.
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Old 10-06-2016, 12:37 AM   #2
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Ask Viking.

Post a picture of the two units in your ER. Most likely one is for your steering.

What is the color of the fluid in each unit?

And those "adjustment screws" on the block are most likely the bleed screws.
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Old 10-06-2016, 04:10 AM   #3
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You may not have a reservoir other than each helm pump itself. The fittings on the ram are bleed screws the block is probably a balance valve. Look at the helm pumps for a 5/8" or so threaded cap, either in front of or behind the dash, this is the fill point.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:05 AM   #4
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Bertram were in the habit of locating the Hynautic reservoir in the engine room. Made a lot of sense as access for topping up and pressurising was much better.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:13 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt.Bill11 View Post
Ask Viking.

Post a picture of the two units in your ER. Most likely one is for your steering.

What is the color of the fluid in each unit?

And those "adjustment screws" on the block are most likely the bleed screws.
Viking won't know, they will try and pawn it off on the designer, Lazarra and he won't be available. There are two Hynautic units similar to below pix in engine room....I figure one for each engine tranny shifter as they are both in the same relative position to engines on bulk head...plus they have plenty of pressure according to gauges and plenty of fluid according to the tube.

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Old 10-06-2016, 06:15 AM   #6
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Bertram were in the habit of locating the Hynautic reservoir in the engine room. Made a lot of sense as access for topping up and pressurising was much better.
Yes, I'm thinking now I need to look harder for a third Hynautic somewhere in there as that does make the most sense for where it should be.

Any of you know what sort of fitting is needed for a bicycle pump to increase the air pressure ? And if oil is low would automatic transmission fluid work just to go 10 miles or so ?
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Old 10-06-2016, 07:48 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Dune View Post
Yes, I'm thinking now I need to look harder for a third Hynautic somewhere in there as that does make the most sense for where it should be.

Any of you know what sort of fitting is needed for a bicycle pump to increase the air pressure ? And if oil is low would automatic transmission fluid work just to go 10 miles or so ?
The fitting is just a standard tire fill. For a bicycle pump no other fitting should be necessary.

ATF will work for the steering. But it's usually easy enough to find Seastar fluid at a marine store or marina.

SeaStar Solutions
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Old 10-06-2016, 07:59 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by boatpoker View Post
You may not have a reservoir other than each helm pump itself. The fittings on the ram are bleed screws the block is probably a balance valve. Look at the helm pumps for a 5/8" or so threaded cap, either in front of or behind the dash, this is the fill point.
X2

I have seen many boats with no other reservoir other than the help pumps. That is what Airswift has and if the fluid is low it will not steer from the upper helm.
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:17 AM   #9
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Viking usually uses the aluminum pressure tank shown above. Look in engine room,

Get the sea star fluid, don't use ATF unless you can't get the mil 5606 stuff.

Valve block in lazarrette is relief valve block. A little line from that block will lead to the tank. Follow it.

Do not pump air into the bleed valves on the rudder cyl.

Once you find the tank, fill to half with fluid then pump up. Hard to do with a bike pump unless you have two people, one to pump, one to move fast disconnecting pump hose. Better to bring a portable air tank charged with pressure.
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:28 AM   #10
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Your steering reservoir should look like this:
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:33 AM   #11
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If you have to use a bicycle pump to pressurize it, just over pressurize it so you don't lose to much pressure as you disconnect the fill connection and then bleed the pressure down to where you want it with your finger or a screw driver at the fill valve.
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Old 10-06-2016, 01:54 PM   #12
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Follow the lines from the two reservoirs in the ER. I suspect one is for shifting for both transmissions, and the other is for steering.
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Old 10-06-2016, 04:13 PM   #13
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If you have two tanks in the engine room, one will be for all the engine and shift hydraulic controls, and the other will be for steering. Engine controls will have green fluid, steering control will have red-ish fluid.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:20 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Ski in NC View Post
If you have two tanks in the engine room, one will be for all the engine and shift hydraulic controls, and the other will be for steering. Engine controls will have green fluid, steering control will have red-ish fluid.
That's what I figure.

But if both tanks are look like the one in the picture he posted and they both have green fluid in them then neither are for steering.
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Old 10-06-2016, 06:35 PM   #15
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Quote:
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Follow the lines from the two reservoirs in the ER. I suspect one is for shifting for both transmissions, and the other is for steering.
After the lines went to the starboard side forward only a mouse could follow them. We finally found it....in the stupidest place...behind a panel (that had to be unscrewed but at least the panel was labeled) in the master stateroom starboard side closet !!!

Gee, thanks Viking for not telling us that little tidbit ! Anyhow sure enough it was low on air pressure...hard to say what it was exactly due to idiotic 200 psi gauge..but would guess 10 lbs at most. Had plenty of fluid, (didn't trust sight gauges and used a wood dipstick), pumped in some air and now all ok.
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Old 10-06-2016, 07:05 PM   #16
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Your steering reservoir should look like this:
Yep, that was it exactly...except the engineers should be dope slapped for putting such a high rating pressure gage on something that only requires 25 psi. Or maybe that was only on mine.
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Old 10-06-2016, 07:59 PM   #17
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Glad you found it!

I had a problem on my Viking with mine steering. If the boat sat for more than 30 days, the wheel would only tighten up to port. Spinning the wheel back and forth would get it back to normal. Fluid was good. Pressure was good at the tank. SO WE THOUGH.

Started taking it apart (Pulled the fill cap) and the Pressure Gauge never moved off 25 PSI. As you can see, the pressure gauge was bad, Stuck and had a slight air leak. Replace the gauge and have not had another problem in five years. And yes you can replace it with a lower reading PSI Gauge
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:05 PM   #18
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Greetings,
Mr./Ms. pj. Welcome aboard.
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Old 10-06-2016, 09:04 PM   #19
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Dune I must say I aspire to someday have what you possess. A boat large enough to lose a mechanical system inside of.

Glad you found it Dune and welcome to the new member.
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Old 10-06-2016, 09:21 PM   #20
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Many times I have opened a reservoir to add fluid and the gauge read something way above zero. Tank at atmospheric pressure should read zero. Crappy gauges are common.
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