minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

[madman2021]

ive got one of those old black and white colored minn kota auto pilot powerdrive 42 lb thrust trolling motors. like an idiot i bought mine used off of ebay in so called perfect working order just got out the shop. yea... BULLSH1T. well didnt get a refund so im stuck with it. anyway... the motor has a loss of power, and doesnt even turn on till u switch the remote to at least speed 5. its slow to come on, and has very little thrust. also sounds like the motor is grinding. also sometimes the auto pilot has a mind of its own. i fish in a river with a pretty good current, so the auto pilot is a nice feature when it works.
what could i possibly do to fix this motor?
whats been "so called" fixed on this motor by the previous owner:
compass replaced
all seals replaced
remote replaced(looks pretty dam old to me [Ex sun faded])
turning motor replaced.

 

[madman2021]

Re: minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

bump

 

[madman2021]

Re: minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

anyone??

 

[Silvertip]

Re: minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

The grinding you hear is the first thing to investigate. Turn the prop by hand. You will feel a slight jerkiness as you turn the prop but it should turn freely. If it turns rather hard and/or you feel the grinding the motor bearings have tightened up (age) or water has made its way into the motor and the bearings have become pitted. Likewise, intermittent operation can be due to water getting inside and affecting the commutator/brushes. It is also possible the brushes are simply worn down. Can't help you on the auto-pilot but intermittent operation of the motor might also impact the auto-pilot. As for the slow start, that is a design feature that prevents the motor from jerking you off your feet at startup. But then "slow start" is a rather meaningless term so your definition may be different than mine. As for the speed 5 only operation, the aging foot pedal may be to blame but speed control is controlled by the control board in the motor housing. The switch on the foot pedal merely selects which speed is used. Intermittent operation can also be due to an intermittent connection in any of the cables. Over time, stresses on the cables where they go into the foot control, into the motor housing, can and do become frayed. Just because the outer sheath looks good does not mean the inner conductors are ok. So -- you have some things to look at. However, unless you are electrically savy -- this motor may need the attention of a service facility.

 

[madman2021]

Re: minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

when i turn the prop by hand it doesnt grind, but i do feel the resistence of the magnets. the slow to start condition i have, turn the speed down to say 5 and hit the button, it spins 1 or 2 revolutions then stops then wait 2-3 seconds and it starts to move and you can hear the grinding.

would it be cost efficient to repair the motor at a local shop? or just go ahead and bite the bullet and buy a new one? ebay has the new v2 55 lb thrust without autopilot for $436 shipped and $700 for an autopilot one. i love the auto pilot when bass fishing in a bayou and fishing for stripers in the river current and fishing the offshore oil rigs.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

It sounds to me like you are having problems in the motor housing, correct? If so, pull the motor apart and see what everything looks like inside, bearings good, brushes moving in-out, brush holder not melted, wiring in good condition. The motors can be rebuilt and it's not all that expensive if you do it yourself, but having a shop do it might cost too much. I rebuilt my Vector 70's motor and it was less than $100 for everything. Make sure you get all the seals and replace them, I just shot-gunned it and replaced everything in the motor, only reused the housing and end cap.

fish307 dot com has good prices on MinnKota parts and you can download the parts manual from there too.

(READ THIS) Mark the motor with a pen/paint/marker before taking it apart as the magnet housing has to go back the same way it was removed, if not the motor will spin backwards. (don't ask )

 

[madman2021]

Re: minn kota 42 auto pilot intermitten problems and power loss

well i think im just gonna take it to a shop. im good with cars and engines. electronics and motors are not my thing. if it too much money to fix, then ill use it the rest of the season as is and bite the bullet and buy a new one. buissness is starting to pickup now so a new motor in a few months wont be a problem.

any suggestions on which? minn kota or motor guide or other? must be above 40 lb thrust, with auto pilot, and preferably wireless remote compatable. im pretty sure minn kota is the only one that offers this.