1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

broker142002 · Jun 18, 2010

i have a 1984 johnson 115hp motor. i just replaced the hydraulic hose and when i tried to use the trim and tilt i can only hear noise going down but it would not move. nothing happens when i try to go up. it sounds like power is stuck on, i need help with a diagram or somebody that is familiar with its wiring. thank you. i just bought the boat. thank you in advance

RRitt · Jun 19, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

got fluid topped off?

broker142002 · Jun 19, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

yes. i topped it off. and went to work the trim it sounds like it's stuck on down, i have to disconect battery to get it to stop, then reinstall the battery, tried the up on trim and nothing happens no noise. i am replacing the relays in the morning. thank you for your reply

RRitt · Jun 20, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

You may have one of those systems where down does not use any relays.

broker142002 · Jun 20, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

i replaced the relays, fluid topped off. i hooked up battery, the motor went down with no one pressing the switch then it got stuck going down like someone is holding the switch, had to disconnect battery, also it does go up.
the previous owner messed up the wires i have no idea were the go.
im looking for some diagrams that go from the switch on the handle to the relays on the back there are 2. then to motor i need to rewire it all over...
also they cut the wires on the tilt and trim that are on engine if i can get one of the 2 to work ill be happy.. email me if u like .. thank you in advance..

irish24 · Jun 20, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

The blue wire makes it go up and the brown or green makes it go down. For manual operation use a jumper pack and switch the leads. There also is a wire diagram on a sticker inside the black trim box mounted on the back of your power head.

RRitt · Jun 20, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

broker142002 said:
i replaced the relays, fluid topped off. i hooked up battery, the motor went down with no one pressing the switch then it got stuck going down like someone is holding the switch, had to disconnect battery, also it does go up.
the previous owner messed up the wires i have no idea were the go.
im looking for some diagrams that go from the switch on the handle to the relays on the back there are 2. then to motor i need to rewire it all over...
also they cut the wires on the tilt and trim that are on engine if i can get one of the 2 to work ill be happy.. email me if u like .. thank you in advance..

mercury does better trim wiring than OMC. Simpler to install, simpler to troubleshoot, uses generic $3 auto relays, and has much less than 1/2 the problems of OMC. You might want to take a look at some used Mercury/Mariner/Force trim wiring harness (they are all the same basic system). They are on Amazon/Ebay for 20-30 all the time and I think you can find brand new ones by Sierra here on iboats for $50ish.

emdsapmgr · Jun 21, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

The trim switch in the handle may have water in it, causing it to short out. Disconnect the trim switch wiring pigtail just under the control box and see if the trim motor quits running.

broker142002 · Jun 24, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

i still haven't checked the wiring on the trim switch, weathers been horrible.
i did take a look at the diagram on the relay covers, but to me it looks like there are wires missing maybe 2 the last screw on the right is empty looks like there should be ground wires but not sure to were??? ill be working on it all day friday any one with ideas can email me at
it goes right to my phone thanks in advance

broker142002 · Jun 25, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

i worked on the boat today, heres what i did.
1) rewired the tnt on the motor switch itself that one works .
2) i found all connections corroded on the relay block , replaced all the wires from tnt switch on throttle handle to relay block and to relays. tested motor moved up and down then my new wires got very hot and the new ends melted. i still think i have a bad ground somewhere but cant find it. any ideas

oldjohn · Jun 25, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

In a semi related vein... my son called me today about his 84 Evinrude 115hp, what fluid is used in the tilt/trim mechanism? Is it hydraulic fluid or transmission fluid?

RRitt · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

if red it is a certain strain of ATF. ATF works okay in EvinRude Johnson. Since OMC uses a lot of square inches the pressure never gets as high as a Merc. Under high pressure ATF causes orings to crystalize and eventually even crumble. The effect is still there but it is acceptably slow under OMC pressures. With 2000+psi common in single ram trims you can see ATF hardening in less than 10years and the seals usually give out in the 15 year range.

If tan then the fluid is oil. Hydraulic oil is the best possible choice of all fluids. It is engineered to maximize lifespan of rubber, to minimize foaming and air bubbles, and to absorb more transient moisture. Non detergent motor oil works well. It makes rubber last long time but doesn't do foam/moisture as well as HO.

If you ever do a full out rebuild and have the opportunity to choose your oil then go with H.O. The AW32 blend doesn't tolerate the shearing effect of pump gears as well as a pure ISO32 and therefore doesn't last as many years. However, the AW32 doesn't change viscosity as much in cold weather. If you plan to use your boat in very cold water or very cold weather then AW32 might be better choice than straight ISO.

ezeke · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

You cannot use small gauge wires between the relays and the trim motor or they will burn.

Regardless of the long range implications for your PT&T seals, the recommended fluid will work fine in the near term. Mine still work fine after 22 years and have never been resealed; I've never used anything but the OMC/BRP PT&T fluid.

Bob_VT · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

broker142002 said:
i worked on the boat today, heres what i did.
1) rewired the tnt on the motor switch itself that one works .
2) i found all connections corroded on the relay block , replaced all the wires from tnt switch on throttle handle to relay block and to relays. tested motor moved up and down then my new wires got very hot and the new ends melted. i still think i have a bad ground somewhere but cant find it. any ideas

The trim relay box has multiple ground points BUT only one ground wire coming out. If the T&T was getting stuck and running you have problems in the switch or in the relay (My bet is the relay is bad and iboats sells them).

ezeke · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

Click the thumbnail for the wiring.

broker142002 · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

what gauge wire do you recommend.
i bought new relays and installed them.
my tilt and trim button is working fine now,
i found a few diagrams but i dont think any of them apply to my boat,
were the relays are there is a 5 screw bridge instead of the 6 i keep finding online. HELP PLEASE

ezeke · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

12 gauge on the primary wires; 16 on the switch wires.

broker142002 · Jun 26, 2010

Re: 1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

ok thank you. ill rewire on sunday and report back status as soons as i finish..
thank you all

1984 johnson 115hp tilt and trim not working

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