Hynautic Steering Issues, Mushy and Noisy?

[John3325]

Hey everyone,

Finally got the Sceptre in, ran great and even clocked it at 34 knots with the twin DT140s going WOT. Very impressed for a hull I think is mostly powered with twin 150s and up.

Steering system is a three line Hynautic system, with the "standoff" ram that mounts to the side of the trim and tilt tube (essentially sticking far starboard off the starboard engine). System does have a reservoir with the air valve mounted on top. It is a pressurized system (25 - 30 psi).

While I was cooking across the water above 30 knots, it was extremely hard to turn to port. So hard, that it actually felt like I had to turn the wheel a few times to even get the engines to start turning to port. At first I figured the tougher steering turning to port was attributed to non-counter rotating engines, but after getting it close to WOT and experiencing that I think my system may have issues.
At all times and speeds, the steering is noisy and feels for lack of a better word, "mushy".

My system is holding fine at 25 psi, and the only place I have found a trace of fluid is around the two relief valve nuts on the reservoir which is probably from the system being original and normal wear and tear/rust. And when I say a trace, its is a greasing more than a leak.

My best guess is the system was never bled correctly, and I have air in the system. My gameplay today is to go out to the boat and do the following:

1. Depressurize the system
2. Top off the reservoir with SeaStar Hydraulic fluid (recommended fluid)
3. Pressurize the system and bleed at the ram bleeders or crack open the connections on the steering ram.
4. Once air is bled, tighten up the connections and pressurize to 30 psi.

Anything I am missing here? Anyone else experience this sort of thing with their hynautic system?

Thanks for the help guys.