Steering problems

[msea]

I have a problem with my steering on a Birchwood 290 with 2x Volvo 160 D3 engines, the steering is hydraulic supported by an pump from one of the Volvo engines when I first start up the engines the steering is fine after approx 1 hr the steering then starts to tighten up so bad at in time I require both hands to turn the wheel. In the past I thought it was due to continued turning of the wheel however I have since found it tightens up even when the wheel is no being turned with the boat sitting on its moorings. I have bled the hydraulic steering twice and removed air on both occasions, all fluid are at the correct level.
Has anyone got any ideas.

 

[omega2]

Can you helm hard over lock to lock without engine assistance? if so I wonder if your hydraulic pipework is correctly fitted to either the steering ram or the pump.

 

[DAKA]

I have a problem with my steering on a Birchwood 290 with 2x Volvo 160 D3 engines, the steering is hydraulic supported by an pump from one of the Volvo engines when I first start up the engines the steering is fine after approx 1 hr the steering then starts to tighten up so bad at in time I require both hands to turn the wheel. In the past I thought it was due to continued turning of the wheel however I have since found it tightens up even when the wheel is no being turned with the boat sitting on its moorings. I have bled the hydraulic steering twice and removed air on both occasions, all fluid are at the correct level.
Has anyone got any ideas.

Do you have an auto helm system that could be sticking ?

Try pressing auto +10' -10' and then standby

 

[msea]

Hi Omega2 thanks for the reply yes I can the problem has only started a couple of months ago, I intendto take another look this week end.
Thanks
Colinl

 

[msea]

Hi DAKA, I thought of that so I disconected the Auto helm, unfortuntly it made no difference
Colin

 

[PCUK]

It's clearly something to do with the power steering side like when the engine stops in a car. Belt slip due to slack in the adjustment or damp? Got that on the old Defender when going through floods!

 

[msea]

Hi PCUK, checked the belts all look ok however I will check again thanks for the reply

 

[DAKA]

Hi DAKA, I thought of that so I disconected the Auto helm, unfortuntly it made no difference
Colin

When you say disconnected , do you mean electronically or mechanically ?

If the latter then ignore my post but if the former please reconnect it and try above fault diagnostic.

 

[msea]

Hi DAKA, only electronically, thanks I will give it a try this weekend.

 

[DorsetPete]

steering...

Had a similar problem a few years ago and it turned out that the piston in the steering ram was made of plastic and water contamination in the hydraulic fluid, which was ATF, had caused te plastic to swell...

My problem was constant so certainly different to yours but worth bearing in mind.

Cured the problem by taking the ram apart and having the piston skimmed down a little on a lathe...
Even refitted the same 'O' rings which were fine...

Good luck...

 

[msea]

HI DorsetPete, thanks for the info gives me another option to look at.

 

[Assassin]

If you are displacing air at every bleeding it is obviously sucking it in somewhere, so check all joints and connections very carefully.

If you have flexible hoses in the system these can become porous with age, they might not let fluid out, but act like a flap valve and let minute quantities of air in, which builds over time.

If the internals of the pipes delaminate, which they do periodically, they also allow a flap of rubber to drop inside the pipe, this acts like a flap valve and only allows a free flow of fluid one way. Once the fluid direction changes it virtually prevents it moving, so it will need to stand to allow the pressures to equalise again, then appear fine until the flap moves.