Re: sea star hydraulic steering problem
Drove a friends boat yesterday on a fishing trip. It's about a 2005 140 HP Outboard. I had to continuesly stear right to keep going straight. If I heald the wheel steady, the boat would wander off to the left. In one mile I turned the wheel about 3 full turns just to keep it straight. I was just constantly turning right like fluid was bypassing somewhere. What should I look for?
If the lock valves in the helm are working it will lock it (rudder position) wherever it was when you stopped turning the wheel. If the lock valves are leaking, it may drift---and generally will rotate the wheel as it does.
OR---If the piston seal in the cylinder is leaking it will drift even with a good helm.
You can remove the hoses from the cylinder and cap the cylinder fittings. Then apply steady steering force to the motor and see if it drifts, indicating a bad piston seal.
