I have been forced into this

[DangerNewb]

wtf?

Yeah, uncalled for....

Maybe Greg will delete the entire thread....

On topic of boats. Been working on my triple engine albatross. 10 months in and ran it once. All new fuel lines from tanks to the injector rails.

Steering was leaking at the rams and helm. Had rams rebuilt by local hydraulic shop. Bought a seal kit for the Capilano helm. Its was also leaking some. For some reason, previous owner had a rubber insert and undersized plug in the top hole thats used to connect to a second helm in a flybridge set up. They must have used electrical tape instead of the rubber insert somewhere along the way because when I opened up the helm, there was a 10 inch long piece of electrical tape inside!

Anyhow i reassembled it with all new seals. Need to put everything back on the boat and bleed the system and see how its working. Fingers crossed!!

[DangerNewb]

Anybody familiar with Capilano helms and why previous owner would have mickey moused the rear hole on top? I figured the threads were butchered, but they are fine. Just need another pipe thread plug to install. Maybe needed to vent?? Can't think of any other reason.

[XstreamVking]

Maybe they lost the plug and made a plug out of a wad of tape. Later on tape got caught up in moving parts. Got new plug said to heck with that tape and left it in.

[Onetime]

Anybody familiar with Capilano helms and why previous owner would have mickey moused the rear hole on top? I figured the threads were butchered, but they are fine. Just need another pipe thread plug to install. Maybe needed to vent?? Can't think of any other reason.

Rear plug is for a two station set up connects the upper and lower helm pump and is a compensating line.

[DangerNewb]

Rear plug is for a two station set up connects the upper and lower helm pump and is a compensating line.

Yeah, i understand that. Just curious why they had a rubber insert inside the threads, then a loose fitting undersized plug in there instead of the proper plug. Its a cat, so never had a second helm. Think the tape, at one time, took the place of the rubber insert. Then it worked its way inside.

Here's the tape and the jenky rubber insert and loose fitting plug.

[Jim Speros]

Do you have a hose from top of helm connecting to to vented cap on the dash? Maybe if the helm is positioned so high on dash there was not room for an elbow on top fitting and they used the rear fitting to fill instead.

[Onetime]

Really tough to figure out why previous owners did things. Maybe they got the helm used from a two station set up.
Set up correctly so it’s right.

Good point Jim.

[DangerNewb]

Do you have a hose from top of helm connecting to to vented cap on the dash? Maybe if the helm is positioned so high on dash there was not room for an elbow on top fitting and they used the rear fitting to fill instead.

No hose. And yes its hard to determine what other owners did. And yes, its a tight fit to access the front plug to fill. I wondered if they filled via the rear plug. Not ideal since the helm is tilted down when installed so rear plug is a decent amount lower. The front plug is raised up and clearly where intended to fill. I was pondering trying to get some help and maybe even fill and bleed without it being bolted to the dash so i can access the front plug. I know that would be a major hassle if possible at all. Would take 2 people at least to basically hold the helm by hand and turn the wheel, add fluid etc. Ideally would be nice to mount a line into the filler plug hole up to the dash with a cap. Then i can easily add fluid. Any suggestions welcome. For the dash fitting etc
Tks.

[Onetime]

From your picture looks like Jim is correct and they didn’t have the correct reducer fitting so used a piece of rubber hose. Not the right thing to do but if it’s being used as the fill port it’s not under pressure.

[Jim Speros]

I have a 1275 capalona helm in my boat. Ideally you add a fill vent hose kit to helm. It is available from teleflex. When mounted properly the hose kit attached to top fill port on helm. The hose gets positioned so that it gently sweeps up without a low air trapping belly. My fill fitting is mounted on the vertical part of dash above helm. The clear hose also allows you to see fluid. If the fill fitting is not above and about 8 inches or more in length it will not allow you to completely fill helm. The length and rise of hose allows an expansion and splash area so that fluid doesn't end up running across dash.

Its hard for me to make a suggestion in your case without seeing. Maybe some pix prove helpful.

[NICE PAIR]

I have a 1275 capalona helm in my boat. Ideally you add a fill vent hose kit to helm. It is available from teleflex. When mounted properly the hose kit attached to top fill port on helm. The hose gets positioned so that it gently sweeps up without a low air trapping belly. My fill fitting is mounted on the vertical part of dash above helm. The clear hose also allows you to see fluid. If the fill fitting is not above and about 8 inches or more in length it will not allow you to completely fill helm. The length and rise of hose allows an expansion and splash area so that fluid doesn't end up running across dash.

Its hard for me to make a suggestion in your case without seeing. Maybe some pix prove helpful.

Correct! The top of the helm is the resevoir, it is filled and vented from the top hole. (if dual helm install, you are just stacking the resevoirs)

With the vent being to close to the fluid level expansion and splash will spill oil on your feet and floor, if you plug it, the heating of the oil and expansion will cause leaks, air in the system can cause some problems also (sometimes where it shouldn't leak)

Thank-you Jim

[DangerNewb]

Thanks Jim and everyone. Ordered the HA5450 and HA5438 kits to mount a remote fill port and screw into the port for filling. Cap is vented.

[Instigator]

Yep

Great pump.

I have one in my Convincor and in both my Sonics.

Mine is mounted too close (typical issue) to the bottom of the helm to get to the plug.

Over filled after re-rig and as already stated, it overflowed and puked all over!

I did the remote fill kit too but only avail mounting location puts it lower than that port so still a PIA but works.

Wait, look, we’re actually talking about boats???

[NICE PAIR]

I hope no one catches us! I actually built a vented oil catch can. while I had my Capilano helm torn down, I guestimated the oil level and drilled a hole in the side of the resevoir and threaded it. I put a thread to hose fitting in it. ( I believe 1/4 hose) My original vent/fill hole was close enough to my flat dash that I made a cute screw down cover for a hole cut in my dash top. I ran a hose slightly up hill to an area that was higher than my helm and fastened my catch can at that point.after expansion, air slop, etc, the oil level found its way back to normal. I would pull the cute dash plate, remove the now solid (no vent plug) and check/top off oil. Typically no leaks - no oil loss.



Stock dash/vent fill right of wheel.


New dash/fill access thru cute cover.

[Onetime]

Close mounted 1250 Capilano to upper horizontal part of dash. No room for the Teleflex fill kit.

Machined a brass fitting that threaded into the helm and just came up enough to protrude the horizontal part of the dash. Machined the end that came through the dash shelf for the Teleflex vent plug. Powder coated the custom fitting. A little challenging to get the hole drilled in the exact location.

No leaks and works for filling and bleeding.

Did this set up on my 28 Skater and current single engine boat. Personally I think the Capilano helm is the best helm for non power hydraulic steering. Never had a problem with one and the variable ratio feature is nice to dial in the steering the way you want it.

Not the best picture of it but all I could find at the moment