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Author Topic:   Teleflex Helm Pump Seal Replacement

jimh posted 07-10-2004 09:02 AM ET (US)
Please use this message thread exclusively for questions or comments about the Reference Section article
Teleflex Helm Pump Seal Replacement
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/teleflexSeal.html
Dick posted 07-10-2004 10:06 AM ET (US)
Jim
Very well done.
Dick
jimh posted 07-10-2004 12:12 PM ET (US)
Teleflex is a great company to work with. They have very strong customer service and support. And their products are excellent!
RCS posted 07-11-2004 09:11 AM ET (US)
Nicely done Jimh. Thanks for taking the time to put that together. So far so good on my 1988. No leaks yet. On a related subject, is the helm housing cast aluminum? Mine is flaking paint pretty bad and I'm wondering how much sanding and priming, if any, I have to do if I paint it.
I took my steering wheel off a few days ago to get ready to paint the housing. I had to drill a very shallow pilot hole in the end of the steering wheel shaft to keep the puller from sliding off. Looks like you did the same.
erik selis posted 07-11-2004 09:34 AM ET (US)
Very good article Jim. Good pictures and very straightforward info.
Are the pictures taken from the helm of your 22 Revenge?
The SeaStar website linked to the Teleflex site is also a very nicely built website. Great info and graphical overviews.
Erik
Eagleman posted 07-11-2004 11:35 AM ET (US)
jimh,
My steering pump hasn't started leaking yet when it does I'll feel comfortable doing the pump seal replacement. Congrates on the new boat,it looks very nice. See you in a couple of weeks!
Eagleman
jimh posted 07-11-2004 11:59 AM ET (US)
Between LHG and I we have four Boston Whalers with hydraulic steering with Teleflex helm pumps from approximately 1986-1990. I believe all four boats have had their shaft seals replaced in the last year or so due to leaks.
The picture were taken aboard my 1990 REVENGE 22 WT WD. The fourteen previous years have been kind to the teak in the cockpit.
The helm housing appears to my eye to be aluminum. Flaking paint my be a result of a little spilled fluid and a lot of time in the hot sun.
jimh posted 07-11-2004 12:45 PM ET (US)
Between LHG and I we have four Boston Whalers with hydraulic steering with Teleflex helm pumps from approximately 1986-1990. I believe all four boats have had their shaft seals replaced in the last year or so due to leaks.
The picture were taken aboard my 1990 REVENGE 22 WT WD. The fourteen previous years have been kind to the teak in the cockpit.
The helm housing appears to my eye to be aluminum. Flaking paint my be a result of a little spilled fluid and a lot of time in the hot sun.
John O posted 07-11-2004 01:04 PM ET (US)
Thanks Jim for the information. A picture(s) is worth a thousand words.
rtk posted 07-12-2004 04:44 PM ET (US)
An excellent reference. I just checked the fluid level in my helm the other day, it is low and appears to be leaking a little from the helm. I was considering replacing the helm since it is around eight years old. I will replace the seal instead, thanks! I had no idea it was that basic of a procedure.
Rich
jimh posted 07-12-2004 10:55 PM ET (US)
Update: added Teleflex part numbers for the seals and notes about their usage in various years.

At the price of the Teleflex hydraulic fluid, about $15 a bottle, a new $7 seal will pay for itself in a hurry.
Abalonehunter posted 07-13-2004 03:43 PM ET (US)
Couldn't have been a better time for me, the seal is shot on my brother's 76 Outrage, I ordered the seal today and then saw the article. Perfect timing, thanks Jim.
Buckda posted 12-21-2004 12:40 PM ET (US)
Jim -
I removed my wheel this weekend and am faced with being unable to remove the cover plate that covers the seal - unlike your photo, my cover plate "hugs" the shaft, and cannot be removed because of the raised key on the shaft.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
jimh posted 12-21-2004 08:17 PM ET (US)
I key may be removable. Look closely at it to see if it is a separate piece that can simply be taken out to allow the cover to be removed.
Remember: everything gets assembled, so it has to be able to be disassembled!
Peter posted 12-21-2004 08:19 PM ET (US)
Dave, shoot a picture and post a link.
wwknapp posted 12-21-2004 08:19 PM ET (US)
Buckda:
The key is a separate piece in a milled slot. It comes out. Normally you can grab it with pliers and rock it out end for end. Don't rock it sideways or you will enlarge the keyway. You may also be able to slip a small blade screwdriver under one end to get it started. It's a tight fit. If that does not work, the slot is typically sloped at the ends and the key can be driven out up that slope. Remember if you get to doing that you are driving against the bearings in the helm.
Jimh:
Quad o-rings are available in a number of materials from the o-ring suppliers. They are not unique to Teleflex. Quad o-rings can probably be found pretty easily in a emergency.
There are also special picks designed just for the job of pulling that sort of seal. Come in sets of various shapes.
Walt
wwknapp posted 12-21-2004 08:48 PM ET (US)
jimh:
Just because something was put together is no indication it can be taken apart without damage. More and more we are seeing pop together or welded/rivited/glued together assemblies because it's cheaper for the manufacturer than a few screws. That can result in some pretty expensive throw away parts. It's a bit of a arms race, can we figure out how to take them apart and fix them faster than they can figure out ways to make it harder to do. I'm getting pretty good at these arcane things, but sometimes most of the repair time is in figuring out the latch order for the hidden latches. Just where to probe first. The actual repair inside is often nothing by comparison. (like replacing the battery in a iPod, for instance)
Luckily, the key on a shaft is not one of those things. Probably all the helms that take a 3/4" seal will have to have the key removed. Just a guess.
Walt
Buckda posted 12-22-2004 09:33 AM ET (US)
Thanks - I'll give that a try.
Peter - Look at JimH's helm...around the shaft there is a sliver ring at the base, and the seal is outside of that ring. Take away the silver ring and you have my unit.
If it makes any difference, mine says "Teleflex II, Canada" on it. It should be a 1986 era model, and has leaked for so long that the powder coated paint on the helm has begun to flake away as the fluid has seeped under the paint surface...probably over the course of many years.
I'll see if I can gently rock that key out with some needle nose pliers and a thin flat-head screwdriver, rocking it from front to back instead of side to side....and will post results here.
Dave
wwknapp posted 12-22-2004 03:28 PM ET (US)
Buckda:
The silver ring is actually a shoulder on the shaft. It's a 1" shaft on in from that point. May have been done so larger, and thus stronger bearings could be used. Or for some other design reason.
There is also a beefed up commercial version of this helm.
Walt
Buckda posted 01-03-2005 10:05 AM ET (US)
Task accomplished. Thank you for your assistance and advice.
The "key" came out with a firm tug on a pair of vice grip pliers clamped to it.
bcorbett posted 07-05-2006 04:01 PM ET (US)
I am having trouble finding the quad ring itself. Any suggestions?
Joe Kriz posted 07-05-2006 06:13 PM ET (US)
bcorbett,
You can special order the quad ring from Surplus Unlimited.
https://www.surplusunlimited.com/storefront.htm
They also take PayPal which is a nice feature if you have money in your PayPal account... :-)
I believe the quad ring was $3 or $4 plus shipping
edjones72 posted 07-06-2006 07:28 PM ET (US)
I have a 1989 Outrage 20 with a 200 hp Evinrude. The helm pump says "Morse Control" between the steering wheel and fill cap. I have a very slow leak from what appears to be the steering shaft seal. I pulled the steering wheel off to compare my helm pump to the one in the photos of the featured article. On mine, there is no cover over the seal. The seal is exposed. The shaft is 3/4" diameter. My question is: Can anyone tell me if the current teleflex parts listed in the article will fit my helm. I would like to replace the seal and upgrade the cap to the vented one. I looked for a model number but could not locate one. Any help would be appreciated.
Henry posted 05-31-2007 02:32 AM ET (US)
Does a 1988 17' Montauk have a helm pump which contains fluid that might leak?
Can you tell me the exact size or other identifying information for the puller shown in the article so that I can buy the right tool? Thanks.
Plotman posted 05-09-2009 10:43 AM ET (US)
You can get O-rings in the appropriate size for ~$11 for a pack of 100 from McMaster Carr.
jimh posted 05-09-2009 01:36 PM ET (US)
I do not recommend use of standard O-rings for the seal. As mentioned in the article, the proper seal ring is a dual-edged O-ring. You can generally get standard O-rings from any local hardware store in single unit quantities for less than a dollar.
jimh posted 05-23-2009 09:30 AM ET (US)
Boston Whaler owner David Thickens has some very useful information regarding the O-rings used as a seal in these Teleflex helm pumps. He writes (in an email he sent me):
"I thought the following might be useful to folks who are trying to source o-rings locally.
"O-rings come in [ASE] standardized sizes in what are called "dash" numbers. The larger O-ring is a dash 214. The smaller is a dash 210. When buying o-rings, if you tell your supplier you are looking for a "dash 214 quad O-ring" you will get exactly what you need. Teleflex says the less expensive buena-n material is just fine.
"I found them for 70-cents each at a good local hardware store, or about $15 for a pack of 100.
"Here is a link to the McMaster part:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#90025k346/=1zfzku"

I included this information in the main article.
Tom W Clark posted 04-01-2010 01:38 PM ET (US)
If anybody would like to have a 1" (Dash 214) Quad O-ring to replace the seal on there SeaStar helm, I have 98 of them available that I would be happy to share.
jimh posted 04-01-2010 07:31 PM ET (US)
Tom--Many thanks for the kind offer. Perhaps I could send you an SASE and you could mail me a spare seal for my boat. Thank you.
Tom W Clark posted 04-01-2010 09:15 PM ET (US)
Jim -- That is a fine idea, please do so. I'll send you two.
Anybody else who has a Teleflex SeaStar helm manufactured before 1990 should feel free to contact me as well.

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Author	Topic: Teleflex Helm Pump Seal Replacement
jimh	posted 07-10-2004 09:02 AM ET (US) Please use this message thread exclusively for questions or comments about the Reference Section article Teleflex Helm Pump Seal Replacement http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/teleflexSeal.html
Dick	posted 07-10-2004 10:06 AM ET (US) Jim Very well done. Dick
jimh	posted 07-10-2004 12:12 PM ET (US) Teleflex is a great company to work with. They have very strong customer service and support. And their products are excellent!
RCS	posted 07-11-2004 09:11 AM ET (US) Nicely done Jimh. Thanks for taking the time to put that together. So far so good on my 1988. No leaks yet. On a related subject, is the helm housing cast aluminum? Mine is flaking paint pretty bad and I'm wondering how much sanding and priming, if any, I have to do if I paint it. I took my steering wheel off a few days ago to get ready to paint the housing. I had to drill a very shallow pilot hole in the end of the steering wheel shaft to keep the puller from sliding off. Looks like you did the same.
erik selis	posted 07-11-2004 09:34 AM ET (US) Very good article Jim. Good pictures and very straightforward info. Are the pictures taken from the helm of your 22 Revenge? The SeaStar website linked to the Teleflex site is also a very nicely built website. Great info and graphical overviews. Erik
Eagleman	posted 07-11-2004 11:35 AM ET (US) jimh, My steering pump hasn't started leaking yet when it does I'll feel comfortable doing the pump seal replacement. Congrates on the new boat,it looks very nice. See you in a couple of weeks! Eagleman
jimh	posted 07-11-2004 11:59 AM ET (US) Between LHG and I we have four Boston Whalers with hydraulic steering with Teleflex helm pumps from approximately 1986-1990. I believe all four boats have had their shaft seals replaced in the last year or so due to leaks. The picture were taken aboard my 1990 REVENGE 22 WT WD. The fourteen previous years have been kind to the teak in the cockpit. The helm housing appears to my eye to be aluminum. Flaking paint my be a result of a little spilled fluid and a lot of time in the hot sun.
jimh	posted 07-11-2004 12:45 PM ET (US) Between LHG and I we have four Boston Whalers with hydraulic steering with Teleflex helm pumps from approximately 1986-1990. I believe all four boats have had their shaft seals replaced in the last year or so due to leaks. The picture were taken aboard my 1990 REVENGE 22 WT WD. The fourteen previous years have been kind to the teak in the cockpit. The helm housing appears to my eye to be aluminum. Flaking paint my be a result of a little spilled fluid and a lot of time in the hot sun.
John O	posted 07-11-2004 01:04 PM ET (US) Thanks Jim for the information. A picture(s) is worth a thousand words.
rtk	posted 07-12-2004 04:44 PM ET (US) An excellent reference. I just checked the fluid level in my helm the other day, it is low and appears to be leaking a little from the helm. I was considering replacing the helm since it is around eight years old. I will replace the seal instead, thanks! I had no idea it was that basic of a procedure. Rich
jimh	posted 07-12-2004 10:55 PM ET (US) Update: added Teleflex part numbers for the seals and notes about their usage in various years. At the price of the Teleflex hydraulic fluid, about $15 a bottle, a new $7 seal will pay for itself in a hurry.
Abalonehunter	posted 07-13-2004 03:43 PM ET (US) Couldn't have been a better time for me, the seal is shot on my brother's 76 Outrage, I ordered the seal today and then saw the article. Perfect timing, thanks Jim.
Buckda	posted 12-21-2004 12:40 PM ET (US) Jim - I removed my wheel this weekend and am faced with being unable to remove the cover plate that covers the seal - unlike your photo, my cover plate "hugs" the shaft, and cannot be removed because of the raised key on the shaft. Does anyone have any suggestions?
jimh	posted 12-21-2004 08:17 PM ET (US) I key may be removable. Look closely at it to see if it is a separate piece that can simply be taken out to allow the cover to be removed. Remember: everything gets assembled, so it has to be able to be disassembled!
Peter	posted 12-21-2004 08:19 PM ET (US) Dave, shoot a picture and post a link.
wwknapp	posted 12-21-2004 08:19 PM ET (US) Buckda: The key is a separate piece in a milled slot. It comes out. Normally you can grab it with pliers and rock it out end for end. Don't rock it sideways or you will enlarge the keyway. You may also be able to slip a small blade screwdriver under one end to get it started. It's a tight fit. If that does not work, the slot is typically sloped at the ends and the key can be driven out up that slope. Remember if you get to doing that you are driving against the bearings in the helm. Jimh: Quad o-rings are available in a number of materials from the o-ring suppliers. They are not unique to Teleflex. Quad o-rings can probably be found pretty easily in a emergency. There are also special picks designed just for the job of pulling that sort of seal. Come in sets of various shapes. Walt
wwknapp	posted 12-21-2004 08:48 PM ET (US) jimh: Just because something was put together is no indication it can be taken apart without damage. More and more we are seeing pop together or welded/rivited/glued together assemblies because it's cheaper for the manufacturer than a few screws. That can result in some pretty expensive throw away parts. It's a bit of a arms race, can we figure out how to take them apart and fix them faster than they can figure out ways to make it harder to do. I'm getting pretty good at these arcane things, but sometimes most of the repair time is in figuring out the latch order for the hidden latches. Just where to probe first. The actual repair inside is often nothing by comparison. (like replacing the battery in a iPod, for instance) Luckily, the key on a shaft is not one of those things. Probably all the helms that take a 3/4" seal will have to have the key removed. Just a guess. Walt
Buckda	posted 12-22-2004 09:33 AM ET (US) Thanks - I'll give that a try. Peter - Look at JimH's helm...around the shaft there is a sliver ring at the base, and the seal is outside of that ring. Take away the silver ring and you have my unit. If it makes any difference, mine says "Teleflex II, Canada" on it. It should be a 1986 era model, and has leaked for so long that the powder coated paint on the helm has begun to flake away as the fluid has seeped under the paint surface...probably over the course of many years. I'll see if I can gently rock that key out with some needle nose pliers and a thin flat-head screwdriver, rocking it from front to back instead of side to side....and will post results here. Dave
wwknapp	posted 12-22-2004 03:28 PM ET (US) Buckda: The silver ring is actually a shoulder on the shaft. It's a 1" shaft on in from that point. May have been done so larger, and thus stronger bearings could be used. Or for some other design reason. There is also a beefed up commercial version of this helm. Walt
Buckda	posted 01-03-2005 10:05 AM ET (US) Task accomplished. Thank you for your assistance and advice. The "key" came out with a firm tug on a pair of vice grip pliers clamped to it.
bcorbett	posted 07-05-2006 04:01 PM ET (US) I am having trouble finding the quad ring itself. Any suggestions?
Joe Kriz	posted 07-05-2006 06:13 PM ET (US) bcorbett, You can special order the quad ring from Surplus Unlimited. https://www.surplusunlimited.com/storefront.htm They also take PayPal which is a nice feature if you have money in your PayPal account... :-) I believe the quad ring was $3 or $4 plus shipping
edjones72	posted 07-06-2006 07:28 PM ET (US) I have a 1989 Outrage 20 with a 200 hp Evinrude. The helm pump says "Morse Control" between the steering wheel and fill cap. I have a very slow leak from what appears to be the steering shaft seal. I pulled the steering wheel off to compare my helm pump to the one in the photos of the featured article. On mine, there is no cover over the seal. The seal is exposed. The shaft is 3/4" diameter. My question is: Can anyone tell me if the current teleflex parts listed in the article will fit my helm. I would like to replace the seal and upgrade the cap to the vented one. I looked for a model number but could not locate one. Any help would be appreciated.
Henry	posted 05-31-2007 02:32 AM ET (US) Does a 1988 17' Montauk have a helm pump which contains fluid that might leak? Can you tell me the exact size or other identifying information for the puller shown in the article so that I can buy the right tool? Thanks.
Plotman	posted 05-09-2009 10:43 AM ET (US) You can get O-rings in the appropriate size for ~$11 for a pack of 100 from McMaster Carr.
jimh	posted 05-09-2009 01:36 PM ET (US) I do not recommend use of standard O-rings for the seal. As mentioned in the article, the proper seal ring is a dual-edged O-ring. You can generally get standard O-rings from any local hardware store in single unit quantities for less than a dollar.
jimh	posted 05-23-2009 09:30 AM ET (US) Boston Whaler owner David Thickens has some very useful information regarding the O-rings used as a seal in these Teleflex helm pumps. He writes (in an email he sent me): "I thought the following might be useful to folks who are trying to source o-rings locally. "O-rings come in [ASE] standardized sizes in what are called "dash" numbers. The larger O-ring is a dash 214. The smaller is a dash 210. When buying o-rings, if you tell your supplier you are looking for a "dash 214 quad O-ring" you will get exactly what you need. Teleflex says the less expensive buena-n material is just fine. "I found them for 70-cents each at a good local hardware store, or about $15 for a pack of 100. "Here is a link to the McMaster part: http://www.mcmaster.com/#90025k346/=1zfzku" I included this information in the main article.
Tom W Clark	posted 04-01-2010 01:38 PM ET (US) If anybody would like to have a 1" (Dash 214) Quad O-ring to replace the seal on there SeaStar helm, I have 98 of them available that I would be happy to share.
jimh	posted 04-01-2010 07:31 PM ET (US) Tom--Many thanks for the kind offer. Perhaps I could send you an SASE and you could mail me a spare seal for my boat. Thank you.
Tom W Clark	posted 04-01-2010 09:15 PM ET (US) Jim -- That is a fine idea, please do so. I'll send you two. Anybody else who has a Teleflex SeaStar helm manufactured before 1990 should feel free to contact me as well.