Sea star steering issues

[staylor]

Originally Posted by Fin Bender

There was a post back in May, with a very similar problem. It turned out to be a non-functioning vent. Here's a link to that post:
https://www.walleyecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=195442

In answer to the last question asked in this earlier string of posts- the altered cap worked fine until I sold the boat 2 years after I had the venting issue. This is why I suggested running with the cap loose to 008wagon's post here, just to see if he has a similar problem. I later learned that replacement fill caps are a fast selling item at the dealers. but I could not get a confirmation that these were for caps that got lost- or caps that were plugged up from swelling rubber after years of use.
Doug

[008wagon]

Thanks for the help . I think my main issue was over filling it . I checked the fluid last night it was down four or five inches in the hose . The hose is thirteen inches long so it should be fine now I think. Before it was filled clear to the bottom of the cap (dealership did that) .

[008wagon]

Is it possible I have the wrong cap? Mine is non vented There is no hole in it at all it is solid

[staylor]

..in the vented plug- which is used on all single station Sea Star helms. Only the lower helm on a dual helm system uses the non-vented plug. Your plug should be aluminum and plastic with the aluminum counter bored inside with a little round plastic section showing inside the counterbore. This is the relief valve which you can see if you pry the plastic top off the plug gently. Sea Star notes that if overtorqued the relief valve can fail. The correct part number is HP6126, and the plugs cost around 10 bucks each- or you can buy a 5 pack for 35 bucks or so.

On line auctions often have the non-vented plugs show up at a cheap price- like 5 bucks each. I suspect you have the vented plug- and most are unlabeled with no part number written on them- just to confuse the heck out of everybody.
Doug

[008wagon]

Any way to tell if this is vented or not?

[008wagon]

Few more

[008wagon]

One more

[008wagon]

It don't look vented to me . I called sea star they said it should be a non vented cap ? Is this correct my helm pump is a pro tilt hh6190 and at the motor it is a hc5345 this is I a ranger 1860 angler with a 175 pro xs. Thanks

[008wagon]

When I took the cap off this afternoon there was another gush of air . I'm guessing by what staylor is saying I need to buy a vented cap. Seems like there is a lot of pressure in the line even with the system at a lot lower fluid level

[staylor]

...and it is not correct for a sealed single helm unit with the 5345 cylinder. Use the vented cap with the P/N I listed in the previous post- which is far different internally than the solid aluminum plug you have. Just do a web search for the P/N listed and many sources will come up. I would leave the unvented cap a little loose until you get the vented cap.

The system you have can also be used with a dual helm system in which case one helm would be using a non-vented cap, and the helm at the highest level in the boat would have the vented cap. Perhaps the Sea Star person was confused between their single and dual helm uses- not that anyone can find very much on this in their manuals or at their web site- or by looking for part numbers on their parts.
Doug