Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

Having some trouble figuring out how to top up my tilt and trim. I believe this motor to be a 1983 model yr. The T&T motor and pump house are mounted inside the boat. There are 2 rams to lift/drop the motor, and each ram has 2 lines. One of 4 hoses connecting to the housing/pump came loose and all the hydraulic fluid flew out...so now I cannot lower the motor. I can't seem to find the fill plug, etc, easily and can't find much on line about how to top this older system up. Can anyone give me any advice about how to refill this type of system?

Regards,

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

throttle2010:
Go to this link, http://www.mercruiserparts.com/selectModels3.asp?type_id=MERC , pick you engine (By which range your serial number is in), then select the power trim components and you can see which one is the fill cap.

Once you put in the correct fluid (Mine says to use SAE30) you will need to work the air out od the system. Slightly loosen the top line , run until fluid oozes out and tighten. You will need to do this on both cylinders several time each until you do not get any air.

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

Thanks for the great info BASSnKY!...I will check it out tonight for sure!!..wouldnt you know it...this happened just when the fishing got hot too!!

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

throttle2010:
I know how you feel. I have only gotten out once this year and that time, the lake I fish was 26' over summer pool. I launched from the parking lot. To top it off, I didn't catch anything AND lost a cylinder on the way in. Now I am waiting on a $4 part to come in to complete the repairs.

Food luck and good fishing!!!!

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

Hi BassnKY,

I had a lot of trouble finding the serial number of my motor. I found a few other numbers (Ram casting numbers for instance) but could not locate a serial number for the motor on the transom plate. I will try again tonight. I did some checking in the forums and saw one other person described the tilt/trim that sounds very similar to the one I have..he described it as a old type "A" mercury trim pump. Anyways he went on to describe that there is a finger twist knob on the front of the valve body that you can turn with instructions..."Reverse lock operation. to release turn knob full right, to engage turn knob full left. CAUTION - DO NOT run boat unless lock is engaged"...I have this sort of configuration...problem is I cannot see any sort of top up screw/plug etc in the aluminum valve body...maybe its on the back side or something....I'll post a couple pics tonight to help explain...

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

throttle2010:
If yours is the old type "A", you have the same as mine. Is it the same as the attached pic's?

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

Here are some pics of mine...very similar!..heres some of the pump and valve unit and one of the motor and rams etc.. I stuck the camera in the bildge area and snapped that photo of the pump unit and I see a screw with an alan key slot...would that be the fill?

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

oops..heres the pic of the motor and 1 ram on port side...

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

PTT fill is top right of resevoir, next to PTT motor casing. Near and under the red wire. Fill is straight slotted Stainless screw. Fill with 5W-30 motor oil, unless PO used ATF, and then use ATF.

Pump/resevoir are self bleeding. Cylinders must be bled manually. Fill her up, run her up and down a few times and refill resevoir. If the PTT works, it probably doesn't need to be bled further.

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

throttle2010:
You unit is VERY VERY similar to mine. Just 2 years older.

Chris is correct. There is a screw in the near/top/right corner that is the fill. However, I have the original owners manual for mine and it says to use SAE30. I don't know if yours would be any different but I would definitely check to make sure of what the PO used.

As far as bleeding the air out of the cylinders, after cycling the engine up and down 20-30 I still had a lot of slop in mine, But, once I bled the air out of the cylinders, it tightened up.

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

Guys!!.

You nailed that one down for me!!...I found the filler screw, topped her up with 5w30 (that was marked on the pump housing) and put the screw back in...used the in/out button and it went up and down on the first try!!!...I did it about a dozen times and topped her up again. Everything is GOLDEN!!...so going fishin' this weekend. Thanks for your excellent help as it was very difficult to find any meaningful info out there on the web.

regards,

Re: Tilt and Trim 90 HP Mec refill/recharge issues

throttle2010:
No problem. This is why these forums are here..

Good luck fishing. Catch one for me as I wont be able to get out until the following weekend... if my parts come in this week.