steering ram size(cubic capacity)

[dstephe]

 Needs some help.

 

  Trying to figure out an auto pilot for my 2000 penn yan . I need to figure out the cubic capacity of the steering ram. So far I figured out that it is a mercruiser power steering15293-c ram . Would anyone know the cubic capacity or how I can figure it out.  

 

Thanks for your time and help!!!!!!!!

 

[L&M]

I'm not sure what A/P unit your thinking of installing but the ram you are referring to will not have a bearing on what  ever unit your going to install. That ram part# is the power steering actuator that makes up the M/C'r power steering system. I think you are probably looking at a straight hyd type system & they are asking what size hydraulic ram is already on the boat, whether it be a straight inboard or outboard with dedicated hydraulic steering, not an I/O, cable over hydraulic system that you have on your Penn Yan now. 

[dstephe]

thanks for the reply L@M. You are right. I am all new to this boat thing. You would not have any suggestions on an auto pilot that would work on my boat . And any sugestions on were to order one.

 

Thanks for your time and experience!

[lrg355]

To figure it out you need to know the diameter of the piston and its stroke (travel).  If you can find out that info it is easy.  Volume  of the cylinder would be  (pi) 3.1416 x radius squared x stroke.  Sorry but I don't have scientific abbreviations on this keyboard.   For example, if the cylinder diameter is 1 inch and the stroke is 10 inches then:  Radius is .5 inch  so  3.1416 x (.5 x.5) x 10    to continue .5 x.5 is radius squared which is .25.   So 3.1416 x .25 x 10 = 10.785 cubic inches.

  To prove it on a very common volume that everyone hears about, Take a 350 cubic inch Chevy engine has a 4 inch bore and a 3.48 inch stroke.  So 3.1416 x 2 squared x 3.48 is the volume of each cylinder.  3.1416 x 2 x 2 x 3.38 = 43.731 cu in  per cylinder. but there are 8 cylinders so 43.371 x 8 = 349.848 cu inches.  Chevy rounds it off to 350.

To convert to cc (cubic centimeters), multiply cu in x 16.387.  So 350 cu in x 16.387 cc = 5735.45 cc or 5.73545 liters and again they round it off to 5.7 liters.

 Of course you can do the total calculation in cc's if that is the data you have

 

Len