Tohatsu M55B Power Tilt - stuck?

[Jim Hawkins]

Had this old motor given to me. Wrestled it up onto the motor stand after it had laid outside for a few years, evicted a rat and thought I'd see what it's status was. Primed both cylinders, wrapped a rope around the flywheel, gave it a pull and lo and behold it fired and wanted to run. I was all set on parting it out and now, well you know.

First thing after running it for a couple minutes I saw I needed a new impeller. I loosened the bolts on the lower section to make sure they weren't frozen then I went to tilt the motor up to drop the bottom of the motor. I loosened the bolt at the bottom of the tilt pump but the thing still didn't move. I've never worked on a tilt before and need to figure out how to get the motor to tilt.

I"M NOT CONCERNED WITH FIXING THE POWER TILT., just want to get the dog gone thing to tilt manually. here's a picture...

 

[Sea Rider]

Don't work with tilt/trim engines. Wild guess : There should be a purge valve that diables the hydaulic system so to work manually, check. Other option, if draining all the hydraulic fluid from the cylinder, will probably release the tilt system, so to tilt manually.

Happy Boating

 

[Sea Rider]

Ooops, double post.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Thanks. I removed the bolt at the bottom of what I assume is the pump motor and what came out was the needle from a needle valve. No fluid came out. Maybe thats all that can be done and I need to take hammer and pry bar to it? I don't know, I thought someone here would.

 

[Sea Rider]

Pvanv or Tohatsu Guru definitely have the final tech answer...

Happy Boating

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Well then Sea Rider, here's to hoping they chime in before I do something stupid.

 

[pvanv]

See figure 20 on page 33 of your owner's manual at http://www.tohatsu.com/tech_info/own_man_pdfs/Toh55B_70A.pdf
You probably opened the wrong screw. And you only need to turn it about 1 turn -- no need to remove it. However, there is a distinct possibility that your tilt bracket is frozen up from rust. If so, brute force and some heat may be required to help you force grease into the tilt bracket bearings.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

Thank you pvanv, your post came literally mid swing with the sledge. My unit looks different from the manual. Here's a picture of the unit from the side that faces the transom. I loosened this bolt all the way out and it was a needle valve.

And here's a view standing starboard looking port

I loosened this bolt between the 2 lines also but no good.

 

[pvanv]

Unfortunately, I've never come across that particular pump. I can tell you this though: The one when you are at stbd looking port accesses a spool valve; not what you want. The first (stainless) one is a metering orfice; also not the winner. Did you try popping the cap off of the one next to the stainless orfice bolt? That likely covers the manual release. BTW, the fluid level is checked at the plug on the side, about 1/2 way up. Have you verified whether the bushings are seized, or if the hydraulics are holding you up? Did you apply power to the pump to see if it turns at all? Being that rusty, the pump motor may be shot... but you might get lucky.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

I tried putting power to the pump but my guess is it's shot. If the pump is shot I'm not going to spend the money to fix it so I'm just going to start removing parts until it either moves or I know the problem is the pivot is rusted fast, in which case torch etc.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Jim Hawkins]

pvanv, while I have your attention,

On the Strbd side of the motor is a little thing with rubber hose connected to it. If I read the parts diagram correctly it is a check valve. When I run the motor it spurts out bursts of air and fuel out a hole on the face. What can you tell me about this thing?

 

[pvanv]

It's a lubrication recirculation tube. See the diagram:

 

[Jim Hawkins]

OK, thanks. At least I know what it's called now.