Trim issues?

[Bayflite73]

Some of you know the issue I'm having already but here's the low down.

When Jason and I were trying to load my boat in Red Wing this year I found that while I could trim down I could suddenly not trim up. A problem when trying to not leave your i/o drive on the boat ramp! He showed me how to switch the wires on my trim solenoid to get the job done and thought it was a shot solenoid. The folks at West Marine in Stillwater agreed so I ordered one. I replaced it the other night and then took my 73' V-174 Bayflite out on Square lake today and lo and behold I still can't trim up! Could the pump be shot as well even though it can trim down just fine?

Any one else had this issue? Oh and the old solenoid had the number 25661 on it if that helps at all for a 140HP Mercruiser i/o drive. The West Marine folk found that same number in their ordering catalog before I could pull the picture of it up on my camera.

Thanks and I'll see some of you on the 10th!

[Rich_V174SS]

If you have a trim limit sensor on the port side of your outdrive then the wires going to it could be broken. In which case by pressing your up and trailer buttons together you may be able to raise the drive. Whenever I've had this happen on a customer's boat (and even my own) I would just connect the two wires together inside the boat and eliminate the limit function altogether so only the "up" button raises the drive the full distance.

[n0ukf]

If switching wires makes it go up, the problem shouldn't be in the pump. I'd look at solenoids (like you tried already), limit switches, wires and control switches. And any fuses that might be between.

[Jason]

I was looking into this a little before work this morning in my mercruiser manual. If it's not the solenoid then it has to be a broken wire somewhere, bad switch, or there is a reverse lockout switch that may be bad too. I think the reverse lock out switch broke on my boat and I just bypassed it. I thought at the landing though we we had my test light I checked to see if both wires were getting voltage and it seemed to be good and that's why I assumed the solenoid. I could swing by Thursday around 4 to help you out if you need it.

[Jason]

Here is a wiring diagram. Sorry, the blue line on the LH side got cut off. I am not a scanning master.

1. Pull the blue wire off the solenoid. Have someone hold the trim switch in the UP position. You should get 12V here. If not we need to trace it backwards to find were the break is.
2. Follow the blue wire to the reverse lockout switch and check it at both side of the switch while someone holds the switch on the dash in the UP position.
3. Then to the limit switch and so on.

Since your down works you must be getting 12V to your control switch on the dash. Check to make sure the red jumper wire going from the DOWN switch to the UP switch is getting 12V too.

If you you have a bad limit switch or reverse lock out switch I would just bypass it. I did on mine some time ago. If you bypass the limit switch then you can trim up past where you need to hold two buttons which on mine makes life a lot easier as my controls are toggles.

[Bayflite73]

I was looking into this a little before work this morning in my mercruiser manual. If it's not the solenoid then it has to be a broken wire somewhere, bad switch, or there is a reverse lockout switch that may be bad too. I think the reverse lock out switch broke on my boat and I just bypassed it. I thought at the landing though we we had my test light I checked to see if both wires were getting voltage and it seemed to be good and that's why I assumed the solenoid. I could swing by Thursday around 4 to help you out if you need it.

Jason, that would be awesome actually! Honestly I probably won't have any time to go look at it before then, but that's super cool of you to help so much and going so far as scanning the manual? Extra brownie points for you!

Thanks!

[Jason]

Josh, you are pretty close to my work. I'll stop by tomorrow after work. Roughly 3:45. Will that work? Thanks for sending me your address. Looks like you must live REALLY close to Gregg (Hyperacme).

[Bayflite73]

3:45 might be a little tight actually. I'll be at an office in St Paul (University and 280) vs my main office in Spring Lake Park, until 3:30, but I should be able to sneak out a little earlier than that!

[Hotwired]

I have a trim related issue also.  The trim was sluggish at best on my Step Dad's old Shell Lake boat here at Ottertail.  I topped off the fluid in it and the drive now goes up and down using the trailer button on the old switch but not the trim.  Stuck trim sensor?  Is this the location of the sensor or is this something else? I was thinking the sensor was on the outside of the transom on the side of the gimbal housing.  But the only wires I can see connect here.

[Rich_V174SS]

That's probably a reverse lock-out switch so you can't raise the drive when in reverse. The trim limit sensor is supposed to be located on the drive on the port-side of the gimbal ring. If those wires are broken/disconnected then you will only be able to raise the drive with the trailer button. Connecting the trim limit wires together will bypass the limit function.

What's the hydraulic cylinder at the top of the transom in your photo? I've not seen one of those before.

[Hotwired]

I am not sure what that is.  I will have to look at it again.  I was thinking it was part of the trim but do not know.

[Jason]

I have seen those cylinders on other boats too. My 140 does not have that. No idea what it's for either.

No rush Josh, I can work late too or find something to keep me busy.

[Bayflite73]

You guys were right on the money! Jason and I checked everything again and lo and behold it was the reverse lock out switch. We bypassed it like it seems about half the guys in the group have and it works like a dream!

Can't thank you all enough, especially you Jason! Looking forward to seeing those of you joining us on Saturday!

[dorelse]

Yep, bypassed mine too...glad you got it figured out!