Volvo Penta 280 tilt trim issues

[tonka boat captain]

Hello All, First time on line with Iboats....Lets see how it goes!! I have 1976 Chris Craft Lancer,all summer (2015) boat ran great, last fall went to take it out for the winter and my lower unit would not go up...... So I hit the switch to raise it, nothing happens but I hear the tilt/trim electric motor running, when I push the switch to lower it , nothing happens, I believe that there is a relay that shuts the motor off so it does not harm anything, and the orange light is not lit up on the tilt/trim switch , So I've read in a few forums several different roads to take.......... 1. take the motor off and see if it's working properly, 2. pull the whole damn thing out,( which I've heard once the screws are out on the base) that they are a bear to pull out, do any of you boat captains have any other Ideas, please share your thoughts and wisdom and Experience.
John B.

 

[captmello]

The tilt has many pieces that can effect the operation. Its best to study how it works, then check the components to try to figure out whats wrong.
You mentioned the limit switch and light...the light comes on when the limit switch is disengaged. The limit switch is to stop the motor when the drive is fully down. There is no limit switch at the fully up position, the motor will continue to operate.

Welcome to iboats, btw.

 

[PiratePast40]

The problems that I've had were related to dirty connections. it's a good idea to take apart every connection and clean everything so that you have a good solid connection. Grounds as well as power. Even the quick disconnects should be taken apart and cleaned. Use degreaser, wire brushes, scotchbrite, sandpaper, or whatever it takes. The file on fingernail clippers works well for the disconnects. Make sure you take care of that before you tear into the snakes nest of wires inside the relay box.

 

[72fj40]

You have a great boat w/classic lines, we just got our 77 CC Lancer Overnighter, barn find, in the water last year after a complete repower. We had issues with our AQ280 tilt which ended up being the electric motor. 1st you need to download a free Volvo repair manual, it covers the tilt system. 2nd, If the motor works, look at the outdrive tilt plunger on the outside of the transom plate and see if the plunger moves when someone operates the switch, also make sure the release the plunger comes in contact with on the outdrive releases the catch & works properly. The shaft housing that the motor/switch is attached to, contains a cone type clutch in it, which maybe slipping. While diagnosing we removed the clutch tilt housing from the transom plate and took it apart, cleaned it up, and regreased it. Its a pretty simple system, once re-assembled, and installed, the clutch needs to be adjusted by tightening the upper part of the clutch housing until the tilt goes up, also the switch on the tilt housing needs to be adjusted properly too, Check for excess grease coming out of the hole where the switch connects and wipe it away. Like I mentioned, it's all in the manual and you can do searches on this site, for clarification.

 

[tonka boat captain]

Gentlemen, thank you for your quick response, ! Captmello thank you I understand about my tilt trim switch.... I didn't realize it was called a limiter switch.
piratespast I went through all the connections and everything seems clean and intact, I did have the top black cap off and it was very clean inside and all connections and relays seemed fine!!!!
72fj.........wish there was a first name I will download the manual tonight and follow your steps, I had thought that I heard take the motor off first, what the hell I know. I also didn't realize that part of the mechanics of the tilt /trim can be seen from the outside I will tear into this when the weather calms down and warms up ( 20 degrees tomorrow). Have you ever taken one out completely ? if so is it just a matter of pulling it strait out from where it goes into the lower unit?. I love the Lancer I do wish it was a inboard.
thank you all for your input, I do appreciate it, any other ideas please let me know!
Sincerely
Capt. John

 

[72fj40]

Yeah, we took the switch off, with the cover off 1st and left it hanging in the boat, then removed a bolt or 2 from the transom housing and then the tilt unit comes out from the inside of the boat. I seem to remember that the machine screws that hold the switch on go in from the bottom or something like that, so you cant see them and are easy to drop. Patience was the key.

Also besides downloading the manual, you can also find 4 component diagrams which shows all the parts in the outdrive and how things go together and gives part numbers. They are something like: upper gear box, intermediate housing, lower unit and connecting components. For us , these were real handy for sourcing parts and assembly.

Ken

 

[captmello]

Captmello thank you I understand about my tilt trim switch.... I didn't realize it was called a limiter switch.
Capt. John

The switch at the helm is the tilt switch, it does not function as a trim switch as the outdrive should only be tilted at idle speed half way up or when the motor is off for loading and unloading the boat. the limit switch is inside the black box on top of the tilt assembly. Sorry for the confusion. If it were mine I'd pull the assembly and go through it like 72fj40 mentioned. But the boat must be out of the water or it will sink.

Here's a thread I started when I did mine.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...315009-volvo-penta-275-tilt-mechanism-rebuild

 

[boatingmark]

Good info chaps! Welcome to the forum John.

I too have the same problem, mine is also a 280 drive!

The motor sounds but nothing seems to happen, the switches seems ok, uncertain about the relays (would these stop functionality though?)

Ive had a look inside and cant see any reason why it wont turn the worm gear, also attempted to pull the assembly out completely but it wont budge!

Be good to see how you get on

 

[tonka boat captain]

Gentlemen , thank you for the help. I'm sorry that it took so long to get back to you all. so here is where I am at, checked all connection ( cleaned and made sure all had a good good connection)took the motor off and bench tested it .... it ran great, nice and smooth!!.Ken , Piratepast 40 Ken and boatingmark thank you for the good info. One thing happened today when I hooked up the battery the orange light came on so I tried to lift the motor and nothing happened..... and I never got the light to come back on. I guess my next move is pulling the whole thing out unless you guys have anymore ideas ! here are a couple of pictures of what I have
Hope this works
Sincerely
john

 

[tonka boat captain]

I guess it did not work......very sorry. so anyway that's where I'm at.
John

 

[boatingmark]

Ok John, please keep us updated, be good to know how you get on, Id love to get mine sorted as well!

 

[72fj40]

Tonka, it sounds like you need to pull the hole tilt assembly, you can pull it with the black box on it or not. If the motor works in both directions and the plunger doesn't move, then the clutch is probably slipping or the motor is not engaged in the gear.

 

[tonka boat captain]

Well Guys, I'm down to pulling the whole trim/tilt Assembly. got the last two hex screws out and tried to pull ,guess what happened?.......
......not a damn thing, the thing wont budge. they say your suppose to hit it from bottom up, well there's about a 4' space to hit upward. can not get enough power to crack a hard boiled egg! Do any of you guys out there have any ideas? it seems like one dead end after another ?

thanks again for all of you, for all your input to this matter,
Captain John

 

[tonka boat captain]

Alright 72, I heard the if you take the motor off you can stick a screw driver in there and turn the gear? I did that and it turned easily for a few turns
then got a bit tougher, going in both directions...... if I reverse the power wires on the motor will that make it go in reverse, is that something I need to check!!
boatingmark I will keep you all informed on my progress..........if you guys were my neighbors I'd buy you all cold one.
thanks
Captain John

 

[captmello]

put a chunk of wood between the foot of the lift and the arm on the outdrive that the lift engages. now push down on the outdrive. that will put pressure on the assembly. you can also try turning the housing with a pipe wrench, or channel lock...don't break anything!

 

[72fj40]

I'd get that unit out and take it apart. If it's anything like ours was it will need to be cleaned up and regreased and adjusted. I thought you mentioned the motor worked? I'd do what Capt. Metioned. Ours was not stuck. Good luck. Ken

 

[tonka boat captain]

Hey Ken, thanks again. yes the motor does work.......you had mentioned the motor going in reverse, I will need to check that by reversing wires.
So the goal is to get the damn thing out.,and then when I do get it out, tearing it apart and finding parts for it as needed.
Captmellow, thank you, is the foot where the piston drops down? and starts to raises the motor.

 

[72fj40]

I'd be surprised if you had to buy anything except maybe a seal for the end of the housing. The trickiest part was putting the ball bearings back in the cage they ride in. If the cage is OK, then grease will retain those. The shaft you see on the outside is the foot/piston. Look at captmellow's link he referenced in a previous post, he shows the breakdown of the actual parts. We didn't have to purchase anything, except a motor. It just needed to be cleaned and greased, then adjusted, Assemble the way it comes apart, and reference the manual.

 

[tonka boat captain]

Het guys, well I took a pipe wrench to it and
Got it to turn left and right ..... But not out!
Are there any other screws, bolts I'm missing ? I put a pry bar and used all my weight standing on it, nothing. I'm thinking of trying a come along , get some pressure pulling up an rotate it left and right.... Would JB80 help?

 

[tonka boat captain]

Great news, got the tilt /trim out everything looked great ..... the bearings all the gears looked great..... the problem is the long shaft or piston, seems to be seized
cant get it to budge any ideas?