hynautic steering reservoir???

[jwill3131]

Well where to begin... I don't know a whole lot about hydraulic steering for outboards so I'm hoping this can be resolved quickly. My question is on my '75 246 CCC I will be using a single outboard set up with a 225 johnson on a 29" bracket. It is a full rebuild project for me but was used by the previous owner with a 225 merc a year prior to me getting it so I assumed the hydraulic steering worked fine at some point. When I purchased the boat there was no motor on the back and the hydraulic hoses were unhooked hanging out the back with any other motor connections. So when I went to unhook the hoses from the helm to pull the console out I unscrewed them and let them hang there. I thought it was like the seastar systems I've seen and it would be hoses from helm to steering ram with the fill spot on the helm. Not so much. Attached to the side of one of the stringers under a hatch in the back was what I found out to be a hynautic steering fluid reservoir. I am not sure if I can bypass this for any reason and just go helm to steering ram or what exactly I am supposed to do. The steering ram I have for the motor is a seastar HC5345 model if that makes any difference. I'm trying to save money anywhere I can with this(which is not the case for the most part) but if the smartest thing to do is to just buy the seastar helm kit for the ram then I guess that is what I will have to do. Please let me know what you guys think. Thank you.

[seabob4]

If you have a Hynautic helm without a reservoir, you're going to need the reservoir in the boat.  Here's an old Hynautic install manual, see if your helm matches the ones shown...http://cworthy.net/boat/documents/Hynau ... Maunal.pdf

[Georgie]

I have old hynautic hydraulics on my 246CCC (dual station) as well.  Pretty sure you can't bypass the reservoir as it is needed to "pressurize" your system.  I plan to replumb w/new hoses, possibly replace the reservoir, and reuse the existing system as it currently does work (I'm planning a vintage restoration anyway).  Quite a few parts are still available for these things.  E-bay had a ton when I last checked, and you can always find replacement O-rings/rubber seals if you look hard enough.  Good luck!  

[GoneFission]

The HC5345 is a SeaStar cylinder, not a Hynautics.  I'm not sure you can use a SeaStar cylinder with a Hynautics helm/pressure setup...  

[jwill3131]

Thank you for the replys. Seabob, that link was very helpful to me.

The HC5345 is a SeaStar cylinder, not a Hynautics. I'm not sure you can use a SeaStar cylinder with a Hynautics helm/pressure setup...

yes that was one of the things I was wondering if they could be used together or if I would have to get the hynautic ram or the seastar helm.

[seabob4]

My opinion?  I'd ditch the old Hynautic and go with Seastar.  While Ryan is correct about parts still being available, they are dwindling.

[jwill3131]

I'm thinking that is the direction I'm going to go. It seems to make the most sense at this point.

[Georgie]

I'd ditch the old Hynautic and go with Seastar

Agreed.  Didn't realize you were missing the hynautic cylinder to go with the rest of the system.  Apparently I don't read well  

Since you have a seastar cylinder now, I'd update the rest of your system to match whichever TRUSTWORTHY components you have that are newest.

[GoneFission]

My opinion?  I'd ditch the old Hynautic and go with Seastar.  While Ryan is correct about parts still being available, they are dwindling.

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