Seastar HH5271 helm pump fluid??

[Peetee907]

Looking to purge old fluid from my helm pump and cylinder. Can use any fluid meeting the 5606 hydraulic fluid spec. I see there ranges starting from 56060A through 5606H. Does it matter what is used or just meeting the 5606 spec is sufficient?

[flabum1017]

Looking to purge old fluid from my helm pump and cylinder. Can use any fluid meeting the 5606 hydraulic fluid spec. I see there ranges starting from 56060A through 5606H. Does it matter what is used or just meeting the 5606 spec is sufficient?

They are all interchangeable....

[BenKeith]

I just go out to the county airport and buy a gallon from one of the maintenance shops. A whole lot cheaper than SeaStar.

[David - WI]

I bought mine (Phillips 66 X/C 5606A) on Amazon; but the price has doubled now. https://www.amazon.com/Phillips-5606.../dp/B00GP3GDDE

It's cheaper from Aircraft Spruce now; even paying shipping. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...ickkey=3015741

[FUJIMO]

...dextron ll or 3 or 4 or... goes in everything. power or no power. works at all outside temps. affordable(well sort of). shows itself when you have a leak, cause its red. don't get any on your nice upholstery.

[BUZZIN' DOZEN]

This what I used, about $7-8 bucks a qt. AND has the milspec 5606 rating


"Thank you for contacting BOSS Snowplow. BOSS Fluid, milspec 5606 is a zinc free specially formulated fluid that is commonly used in aircrafts. It is not an ATF. In a pinch, ATF fluid can be used, however it is recommended to change it out as soon as possible. Extreme temperatures may cause ATF to thicken. If you do not have access to BOSS Hi-Performance fluid, there are generic snowplow fluids available. Your local NAPA store should have this. Be sure to get a fluid with a pour point of -50 degrees (blue)."

If you have additional questions, BOSS Service can be reached at 800-286-4155

Thank you.



Amy Mendini
906-776-3765
[email protected][/QUOTE]

[BenKeith]

If Dextron was that good, SeaStar wouldn't void the warranty when you use it. In the steering, it has to be very viscosity stable and who know what additives are in it that would damage the seals and components in the helm and cylinder. I've done enough hydraulic work to see what mixing and cheap brands of fluid can do,
Yea, they say you can use it in an emergency, but kiss warranty goodby if it still has one.
I'll stick with the 5606.
When I bought my Javelin bass boat used it was six years old and the cylinder was leaking on both ends. When I took it apart, it had red fluid in it, Dextron probably. I finally pulled the helm and cylinder after getting tired of bleeding and adding fluid every few months, resealed the cylinder and flushed and cleaned the helm, put it back together with 5606 and it has yet to leak a drop. That was 12 years ago

[JPEROG]

If Dextron was that good, SeaStar wouldn't void the warranty when you use it. In the steering, it has to be very viscosity stable and who know what additives are in it that would damage the seals and components in the helm and cylinder. I've done enough hydraulic work to see what mixing and cheap brands of fluid can do,
Yea, they say you can use it in an emergency, but kiss warranty goodby if it still has one.
I'll stick with the 5606.
When I bought my Javelin bass boat used it was six years old and the cylinder was leaking on both ends. When I took it apart, it had red fluid in it, Dextron probably. I finally pulled the helm and cylinder after getting tired of bleeding and adding fluid every few months, resealed the cylinder and flushed and cleaned the helm, put it back together with 5606 and it has yet to leak a drop. That was 12 years ago

I have watched the guys at Porta go thru this process of ATF eating the o-rings. They now use non-detergent motor oil in their pumps because of it. Bob Latham told us the same thing when he helped us change out a helm in the pits a few years ago. "use a good hydraulic fluid not trans fluid with the save the planet additives".

Joe

[FUJIMO]

...i've installed hundreds of brand new systems on hi-performance boats. mostly latham, mayfair/marine machine, teleflex/seastar, etc. bob latham, his wife kathy & his tech crew, which i all know personally, brett may, byng goode, don schwebb & crew, and on & on, took input from us to learn what worked over decades of racing & building world & national rigging champions... they ALL knew what fluid we used & never said it would be better to use anything different to me. ever. never had one single cylinder go bad on any of these expensive installs. manual hydraulic OR power hydraulic. i can count on less than one hand, how many helms failed right after install. all traced to poor hose assembly/debris. dextron ll, lll, lV, did not eat orings or seals or ever "overheat". dextron, or its equivalent, IS hydraulic fluid. these rare situational stories are/were due to other reasons & i asure you, that you will never know the truth behind them. and here's a tip for "really" cold temperatures that you wouldn't be using a boat in anyways...don't turn the steering wheel, or hit the ignition key to see if the battery is still good.

[Markus]

I don’t like ATF in Seastar steerings because it seems to expand and contract with temperature much more than the milspec 5606 does. At least did the variety we tried.

In Europe, the best fluid to use is the one used for Citroen hydraulics. It is like the milspec 5606 but better, cheaper and easier to find.

[TraceF3]

Phillips, Shell, or Royco aviation hydraulic. Under $30/gallon.

[Peetee907]

Thanks all. I've used the 5606A spec in an older Seastar. that was the Phillips 66 brand. Cost about $35/gallon. It was the new formulations of 5606 that I was questioning since they have gone up to 5606H now. I still have enough of the 56060A to purge and fill and newer Seastar unit but wanted to be sure the it is compatible with the seals.

[flabum1017]

There is also the Baystar fluid which is bio-degradable........ if you want to be green

[XstreamVking]

From what I have read the orig. 5605 is a petro. based product. it is now obsolete. The 5606a is a mineral oil based prod. The newer designations H to J now have changed to meet the ultra low temp requirement for the military. The snow plow stuff is the closest to original 5606 you can get I would guess. All the designations would be OK afaik. Each letter higher is a new latest and greatest variant. With mil spec they always want better as the aircraft operating parameters increase. Snowplows not so much....

[flabum1017]

From what I have read the orig. 5605 is a petro. based product. it is now obsolete. The 5606a is a mineral oil based prod. The newer designations H to J now have changed to meet the ultra low temp requirement for the military. The snow plow stuff is the closest to original 5606 you can get I would guess. All the designations would be OK afaik. Each letter higher is a new latest and greatest variant. With mil spec they always want better as the aircraft operating parameters increase. Snowplows not so much....

It's just like motor oil, the higher the letter, the newer the spec is. Basically the same stuff, just added packages for newer vehicles. With steering fluid, just as with motor oils, there are different brands that have different additive packages in them, but still meet or exceed the minimum requirements of of the designation. Some oils may have better corrosion protection than others etc.......