LeComble & Schmitt hydraulic steering

[thegun]

Anyone have any personal experience with LeComble & Schmitt hydraulic steering systems, particularly the manual pedestal pump type? I'm trying to figure out how to bleed the system, as there is a bit of valve rattle when the wheel is turned hard over and then released. I've read that the noise is due to bubbles in the fluid and would like to eliminate the problem. The procedure outlined for bleeding in the owner's manual is terse (and translated from the French) and seems to describe the bleeding procedure when the system is first installed and just before the hoses are connected. I'm thinking the procedure should be different in service.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. The manufacturer just referred me to the manual without comment.

[Splash Gordon]

The maintenance is exactly as LS describe. I know it's a fiddle. IMHO, if you want to make your system absolutely superb, fit a reservoir to the filler-cap: a windscreen washer-bottle's ideal. Fit it above the pump, and connect it to the filler-cap. When you refill the system while bleeding it, it'll allow you to keep the level of oil above the minimum level. When you bleed, don't be tempted to mess with the pipe-fittings, BTW- use the nipples that look like grease-points, and make sure the oil you use is ISO22 viscosity.

[thegun]

Thanks, Splash. In digging deeper, I've found that my system has a 'power pack' pump plumbed in. From the L&S web site, I gather this is intended for an autopilot. However, I have an entirely separate Raymarine autopilot. The two systems are not connected in any way. Anyhow, I'm not sure how the presence of the pump in the system affects the bleeding procedure of the L&S system. The pump has a bleed nipple of its own. I haven't yet determined if the pump is even connected to DC power. The plot thickens.