Alcanboats Forum

SIOUX has a HYNAUTIC steering system. I wonder if any one else has this system? It has worked very well over the years. I have an autopilot connected, and of course, another helm station on the flybridge. This year, for some unkown reason, the air pressure tank [needed to keep hydraulic fluid in the line] has developed a slow leak. The system needs a minimum of 20 PSI to do its job. We have put diapers under all the hydraulic fluid connection points and are reasonably certain there is not a fluid leak. Today, I used a child's blowing bubble liquid, with a brush, after having pumped up the system to 40PSI. Not one bubble appeared.
Anyone got any thoughts what to try next?

Brian - SIOUX

Brian,

I do NOT have a HYNAUTIC steering system, but I have worked on one . . . .
You appear to have done all the right things in carefully checking for a hydraulic leak.
There is a relatively small volume of air in the pressure tank and I would do exactly
as you describe in checking for air leaks with a soap solution.
But . . . you are looking for something very small . . . .one air bubble every 10 minutes
would bleed this tank down in a week or two.
If the hydraulic fluid is not coming out anywhere, it HAS to be loss of air pressure.

. . . . just my "2 cents worth"

Rob