711C AP Unit Won't Hold a Steady Course

seaveepete

Furuno Super Fan
I installed the 711C on my boat just over a year ago and it worked great until earlier this summer. It will no longer hold a steady course and I've gone through the dockside initialization again because I thought it was due to my replacing the Seastar helm pump. That didn't help.
The symptoms are that the unit just continuously adjusts course even on completely flat water every 2 or 3 seconds. It is set on full automatic and this happens regardless of whether the unit is steering to a waypoint or just following a heading.

The constant "hunting" left and right makes the AP unusable right now so any tips are appreciated.
Thanks!
 
Based on the information I would say you still have air in the system.
Try bleeding it some more using the port/starboard buttons. We have often found that it can take quite some time to bleed a system so be patient.
 
I too am getting the same behavior. Mine was working fine for 6 months until I took off the steering cylinders and had them rebuilt.
I bled and bled but I get the same behavior as you and I also get the error during the rudder test: "Rudder speed is too slow to control the vessel" 2.2 deg/sec. I am guessing maybe air as well - did you ever get yours sorted?
 
Just to update my earlier post - I think I was getting the Rudder Speed is too slow because I did not do the test with the engine running to provide power steering - which is required when vessel is equipped with power steering per Furuno documentation. I did a master reset and reran dockside setup and seatrial and now my pilot is back to working.
 
Way back in the day when I was installing autopilots, I would often bleed down a vessel's steering system and then let it sit overnight, and re-bleed it again the next day.

This was surprising and efficient this method when bleeding out all those micro-bubbles that would collect after sitting for several hours. As a result, it helped remove a few more burps of air out of the hydraulic steering system and a more positive responding steering system.

Deep Blue - :)
 
Good idea - I'll try that as I'm going to be bleeding the system again soon because it appears I have installed a defective SeaStar helm unit - it's leaking from the top.

Thanks
 
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