steering lines

[JGORT]

Good afternoon I am replacing the floor in the aft cabin of our trawler. Under the floor I found the old steering lines that had been worked on by the previous owner and at this point were leaking so I removed them in doing so there was a considerable amount of water that came out I have a teleflex capilano 250 with a uni flow 50 valve. I purchased 3000 psi hydraulic hoses. Any thoughts from others out there before I put down the floor in that area. I read that the uni flow valve has 2 bleed screws which I found for bleeding the system. Please advise.
Thank you
Joe

 

[boomerang]

If uniflow valve you refer to is the bleed valve hynautic used on their pressurized systems, it's to get air out. If you have water in your lines, you need to purge the entire system. I'd use pressurized air to clear all of the lines and drain the helms and reservoir completely.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. J. As noted, water in your hydraulic system is NOT good. Mr. b's advice is sound. Clean, clean, clean.
Since you are replacing the hydraulic lines which are or will be under the deck (floor), give some thought to repairing/replacing them in the future. IF you can re-route them to an area that is more accessible or make provision for easy floor removal, any future work will be easier. Plan a
head.

 

[JGORT]

If uniflow valve you refer to is the bleed valve hynautic used on their pressurized systems, it's to get air out. If you have water in your lines, you need to purge the entire system. I'd use pressurized air to clear all of the lines and drain the helms and reservoir completely.

Will do I have a pancake compressor and will push air in from the top helm. The previous owner had a hose hooked to a funnel so he could add oil constantly but it was open to the elements

 

[JGORT]

Will do I have a pancake compressor and will push air in from the top helm. The previous owner had a hose hooked to a funnel so he could add oil constantly but it was open to the elements

And thank you for the quick response.

 

[JGORT]

Greetings,
Mr. J. As noted, water in your hydraulic system is NOT good. Mr. b's advice is sound. Clean, clean, clean.
Since you are replacing the hydraulic lines which are or will be under the deck (floor), give some thought to repairing/replacing them in the future. IF you can re-route them to an area that is more accessible or make provision for easy floor removal, any future work will be easier. Plan a
head.

I would love to run them through another location but I’m stuck like chuck on this one not much room.

 

[Bmarler]

And thank you for the quick response.

You shouldn’t need an open port to add fluid once the system is complete and bled. Close it up or you’ll have water in it again. I can’t believe the PO just had a funnel there to top up whenever he wanted. Where did the fluid go? Overboard?

 

[JGORT]

You shouldn’t need an open port to add fluid once the system is complete and bled. Close it up or you’ll have water in it again. I can’t believe the PO just had a funnel there to top up whenever he wanted. Where did the fluid go? Overboard?

Exactly the system was leaking and it should have been fixed. The bilge under the floor was nasty it was traveling forward through the engine room bilge to the bilge pump and since the water heater was bad and leaking they were mixing and being pumped overboard. I kept extracting water with my shop vac so I pulled the water heater and capped off the water line. We have found ourselves doing a lot of cleaning.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. J. NICE job on the bilge paint!!! I see your problem but I would still attempt to make SOME provision for future service. Looks like the only option is to design replacement flooring to be removable. Yep, NICE clean bilge. I like it!

Edit: Just saw the ER bilge...eeewww. Given the job you did on the other area I'm sure you'll have that...ahem...nasty zone looking factory. Atta' boy!

 

[JGORT]

Greetings,
Mr. J. NICE job on the bilge paint!!! I see your problem but I would still attempt to make SOME provision for future service. Looks like the only option is to design replacement flooring to be removable. Yep, NICE clean bilge. I like it!

Edit: Just saw the ER bilge...eeewww. Given the job you did on the other area I'm sure you'll have that...ahem...nasty zone looking factory. Atta' boy!

I was thinking about your advice and my thoughts are possibly making at least one half of the floor removable holding it down with fasteners to the other half thus allowing for access into the bilge. Hopefully never but doable.

 

[Bmarler]

I would absolutely make the center section of flooring have pull out hatches with flush pull rings. Having access to the bilge is very important to me. I would also consider running new bonding wires while you’re in there.

 

[JGORT]

I would absolutely make the center section of flooring have pull out hatches with flush pull rings. Having access to the bilge is very important to me. I would also consider running new bonding wires while you’re in there.

Definitely now that the floor is up and I have access I will be replacing all bonding wires and terminals.

 

[JGORT]

I would absolutely make the center section of flooring have pull out hatches with flush pull rings. Having access to the bilge is very important to me. I would also consider running new bonding wires while you’re in there.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL THAT RESPONDED AND GAVE ME ADVICE ON THE STEERING LINE ISSUE. THE NEW LINES ARE IN AND PURGED TESTED THE STEERING ALL GOOD. NEW BONDING WIRES ARE IN AND HATCHES ARE CUT.

 

[Bmarler]

Bravo! Feels good doesn’t it?

 

[JGORT]

Bravo! Feels good doesn’t it?

We were a bit nervous about what would be the outcome. Since we found water in the system bad lines in the bilge oil that had been leaking for who knows how long, but yes today I’m going to go get a plastic plug for the upper helm station since they had a pipe nipple connected to a hose and a funnel to add oil. I read somewhere to get a vented plastic plug but if I can not find that one then drill a 1/8” hole on the top to allow for the system to breathe. Any thoughts on that.

 

[Bmarler]

If the reservoir is in a sheltered location you can drill the top. On systems like that I prefer to vent to a small desiccant canister, but I’m probably overkill.
Many times the little plastic caps are hollow and have a square top for the wrench flats. You can drill the side on those for the vent hole.
Just like brake lines on your car, the fluid should be changed out on a scheduled interval. The water that forms will always collect at the lowest point in the system. I would think a five year service interval would be appropriate.

 

[JGORT]

If the reservoir is in a sheltered location you can drill the top. On systems like that I prefer to vent to a small desiccant canister, but I’m probably overkill.
Many times the little plastic caps are hollow and have a square top for the wrench flats. You can drill the side on those for the vent hole.
Just like brake lines on your car, the fluid should be changed out on a scheduled interval. The water that forms will always collect at the lowest point in the system. I would think a five year service interval would be appropriate.

I was unable to find the square top plug but got an octagonal one for the moment I drilled a 1/8” hole on the top but I will look for the square top one and replace. For now this one will keep the junk out of the system.

 

[Bmarler]

maybe a gasket under the cover plate would help?