OMC Tilt Issue

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Mar 7, 2010
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Ok I have a bizarre problem that I'm trying to trouble shoot. I have a 1985 stringer 3.0 OMC that will not tilt down. I have gone all through the wiring, switch, solenoid, etc. I put a new tilt motor on it because it had the original and I thought it was bad. When the motor is off I can hit the switch and the motor turns strong in both directions. Before the problem was permanent the drive would sometimes fail to tilt down but would always come back up strong with no problems. I'm thinking that I may have sheared the pin on the worm gear shaft. When I hit switch on the motor both directions I can hear the coupler load both ways. If any one has any suggestions on where to start it would be greatly appreciated.
 

southkogs

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Welcome aboard!

Sorry - not quite following: if you support the drive up, and remove the quadrant gear and then hit the "down" switch; will the tilt gear outside the boat move or no?
 
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Mar 7, 2010
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Hi Southkogs,
I haven't tried that yet I'm going to start digging into it on Friday night. I have a strong feeling that it is not going to though.I did notice that when I replaced the tilt motor that the dead blow coupling felt like it was springing out towards the bow of the boat. Every picture I've seen shows it together and I feel that mine is separated. Is this normal? I'll repost once I get the gear off.
 

southkogs

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That hammer coupler is assembled while in it's seat, however when you pull the tilt motor off those couplers wanna' jump down into the bilge. So, if I'm following your description right it's probably okay. The motor tightened up properly when you put it on, correct?
 
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That is correct it tightened up fine and seemed like it all aligned correctly. I'm leaning to the fact that there is something in the worm gear now that I understand the drive better.
 

southkogs

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Couple of quick checks before you dive back into the rib-busting process of removing that motor: Do ya' have a good charge on the battery? And does the sterndrive raise and lower easily by hand if you remove the quadrant gear (good greased trunions)?
 
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The boat has two optima marine batteries on a switch with full charge. I haven't pulled the quadrant gear but that will be my first step to check the trunions. When I was diagnosing the electrical system I hooked up my power probe directly to the tilt motor to one of the batteries and grounded it where the solenoids ground. Put the probe on the green down wire and hit the power probe. It would build to about 4.5volts and then pop the breaker in the probe. I'm assuming it did this because the motor wasn't spinning and the probe recognized a high impendence scenario. I then pulled the old motor and did the same test with the motor out of the intermediate housing and she spun no problem. I still suspected a possibility of a bad winding and went ahead and replaced it (should have just had it load tested). Also that is what pointed me to the worm gear and mechanics of the drive. Sound like I'm on the right track?
 

southkogs

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Yes, I think so. You sound like you're a lot better with electrical stuff than I am. I would pull the quadrant gear and make sure the drive is moving easily next. Then from there, check that worm gear shaft.
 
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