I bled the steering system on our 2011 R29 yesterday and the process could not have gone smoother. I found a cool tool - basically some brass quick disconnect fittings and clear tubing - called Bubble Purge G2 and sold by Outboard Specialty Tools (outboardst.com). There are very good youtube videos that clearly show how this works.
One tube with quick disconnects attaches to the port and starboard bleeder valves on the cylinder and when you open the bleeder valves, steering fluid bypasses and allows you to pump fluid through the system without movement of the rudder. Another length of tubing with brass fitting attaches to bottle and another fitting that screws in to the port on helm allows for filling the helm pump. As you fill the pump, air bubbles are displaced rise up in to the bottle and fluid from the bottle drains down into the helm pump. Once the pump is topped off, you slowly rotate the wheel in one direction and air bubbles work their way through and vent up into the bottle, while fluid flows via gravity to the helm. Then you rotate wheel the other way to vent air from the other side of the system. I spent about 20 minutes rotating back and forth until I was satisfied all the air was out. You then close the bleeders and remove the quick disconnect hose from the cylinder. Whole process took me about and hour and I did not spill/leak a drop of oil.
I also first checked the entire system (helm pump, Garmin autopilot pump fittings and cylinder connections) for leaks - there were none.
Once I got air out by turning wheel as described above, I also operated the autopilot pump in both directions to make sure there was no air hidden there and then went back to a few more turns of the wheel in both directions and did get a few more air bubbles work through and up to the bottle.
This same tool can be utilized if you want to do a complete flush and refill/purge which I intend to do in the near future.
