1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

madman960

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I purchased a 1985 Sun Runner. Has a 120 Mercruiser. One side of the motor lowers and the other does not. Wires are dry rotted. How do I replace the trim limit motors? Will post pics this weekend. Needs washed and waxed and upholstery cleaned. 18 ft cabin cruiser. Not sure if any other info is needed.

It is a Mercruiser outdrive. Not sure which model. Appears I need to replace the boot as well. Anything else I should replace while I am in there?

Bill
 

Bondo

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

I purchased a 1985 Sun Runner. Has a 120 Mercruiser. One side of the motor lowers and the other does not. Wires are dry rotted. How do I replace the trim limit motors? Will post pics this weekend. Needs washed and waxed and upholstery cleaned. 18 ft cabin cruiser. Not sure if any other info is needed.

It is a Mercruiser outdrive. Not sure which model. Appears I need to replace the boot as well. Anything else I should replace while I am in there?

Bill

Ayuh,.... Please explain what ya mean with the 2 hi-lighted statements, they don't make sense,....

A 120hp Merc motor, in '85 would have an Alpha 1 outdrive,...

'n if yer talkin' 'bout the Bellows(boot,..??), I'd do a full transom kit, All the bellows, the shift cable, 'n the trim limit switch/ senders,...
 

madman960

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

The port side lowers about half an inch. The starboard side does not move at all. The trim limit wires are completely dry rotted with wires showing. I am not sure why the statements are high lighted.
 

Bondo

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

The port side lowers about half an inch. The starboard side does not move at all. The trim limit wires are completely dry rotted with wires showing. I am not sure why the statements are high lighted.

Ayuh,... How does the portside lower, 'n not the starboard side,..??

It's 1 trim pump, 2 trim cylinders, 'n the drive 'tween the cylinders, 1 can not move, unless the other does,...

Post a picture, as yer explanation does Not make any sense,...
 

madman960

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

The port side barely moves. I figure it is because the starboard side does not move. The starboard side trim wires are rotted in half and not attached to anything. I have removed the starboard side trim limit switch. Port side is still attached somewhere behind the out drive. However, I did remove all the screws.

I thought I was going to replace the faulty wires until I took the limit switch off. That's when I started researching how to replace the parts.
 

Bondo

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

The port side barely moves. I figure it is because the starboard side does not move. The starboard side trim wires are rotted in half and not attached to anything. I have removed the starboard side trim limit switch. Port side is still attached somewhere behind the out drive. However, I did remove all the screws.

I thought I was going to replace the faulty wires until I took the limit switch off. That's when I started researching how to replace the parts.

Ayuh,.... Are the trim cylinders still attached to the drive,..??

If so, pull the aft pin, 'n cycle 'em,.... What do the cylinders do,..??

Up in the Mercruiser forum, in Don'S Adults Only section are factory manuals for yer drive, 'n motor,...
There's also Oceans of Merc info, explainin' what ya got, 'n how to fix it,...
Have a look 'round,,...
 

madman960

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

The cylinders are. I removed the 2 parts with wires. I believe they are the trim limit switches.
 

madman960

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

A mechanic friend of mine said to direct wire the switches to the solenoid. He says saltwater will destroy the trim limit switches. How do I go about doing this?

Thanks,

Bill
 

Bondo

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

A mechanic friend of mine said to direct wire the switches to the solenoid. He says saltwater will destroy the trim limit switches. How do I go about doing this?

Thanks,

Bill

Ayuh,..... Inside the transom, where those 4 wires come through,....

2 of the wires, for the trim Switch, just need to be attached to each other, on the pump-side, jumperin' the switch outa the circuit,...

The 2 wires for the trim Sender, just go to the gauge on the dash,... ignore 'em,...
 

thumpar

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Jun 21, 2007
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6,138
Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

Like Bondo was getting at there is only a sender (my Sunrunner has a sender but no meter) and a limit switch. Each one if for the drive not for each cylinder. There is also only 1 pump. Sometimes the cylinders will run at different speeds when not connected but should run together when everything is together.
 

madman960

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

Thanks Thumpar. Been in Daytona Beach. Going to work on it today or tomorrow.
 

madman960

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

I cut and spliced the wires in different configurations. No change in movement. The port side still moves slightly and no movement on starboard. Am I missing something?

Thanks.

Bill
 

Bondo

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Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

I cut and spliced the wires in different configurations. No change in movement. The port side still moves slightly and no movement on starboard. Am I missing something?

Thanks.

Bill

Ayuh,.... Ya gotta tell Us what ya did, 'n where yer at, as We have No idea what you've done,......

Have ya been to Don'S Adults Only section, downloaded the factory Mercruiser manuals, 'n Looked at the wirin' diagrams in there,..??
 

madman960

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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May 13, 2012
Messages
112
Re: 1985 Sun dance by Sun Runner

I rewired the trim motor. Still no change with the starboard side ram moving. Yesterday, I was looking at my trim pump for my Mercury 1500. Almost the same pump. I noticed it said fill om it in real small letters. So I checked the trimp pump on the Mercruiser. It had an F where it said fill on my other pump. I removed the screw. It was pretty much empty. Filled reservoir with West Marines trim pump hydraulic fluid. No change. My buddy stopped by so I had him bounce on the motor while I lowered it. It went all the way down. Now it works perfectly.

Can I purchase plain crews from the hardware store to put the trim limit caps back? Anything I should check before I put it in the water?

Thanks everyone.

Bill
 
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