Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

It's an old 72 Mercruiser; i just got the boat after it had been sitting a while, and the fluid reservoir was empty. I filled the reservoir with appropriate fluid, tested the trim/tilt and it worked fine; it raised and lowered, it sounded good when i noticed a hydraulic line going to one of the cylinders was leaking. I replaced the hydraulic line, and re filled the fluid, it worked fine for one raise and lower, then the motor started sounding weird like it was was straining too much and it slowed dramatically; i looked at the pressure gauge on the console and the needle is in the red. I loosened every line that i could find, and i get no drop in pressure, and the motor is still very sluggish. I don't know what to do from here, thanks in advanced!

Don S · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

There is no pressure gauge for the trim pump pressure on the instrument panel.

What gauge was you looking at that was in the red? Picture ??????

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

The lettering on this guage reads "Full Power Trim"

blouderback · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

I don't think that's a pressue gauge. I think that's the trim gauge. The green is the "safe" range to be in, as far as having the outdrive trimmmed up or down. The red is the trailer position, and you shouldn't run the motor with the drive in this red area. It's raised up too high and puts undue stress on the ujoints.

As far as your problem, I betcha you have air in the hydrolics and need to bleed the system.

Another retired guy · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

That gauge shows the position of the drive. The red zone indicates the drive is fully up in the trailer position. The pump noise will change because the drive is fully up.

Don S · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

blouderback said:
I don't think that's a pressue gauge.

I KNOW it's not a pressure gauge and works as described by blouderback.

If you were trying to crank the engine over with the drive full up and it was binding things, you should really consider pulling the drive and checking for damage. Since you just got the boat, it's also a good idea just so you can check things out before you use it.
Everything in there could be rusty and the reason it turns over slow.

Another retired guy · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

When you say " the motor is still very sluggish" I assume you're referring to the trim pump motor?? It sounds as though the drive is up as far as it will go so the pump will slow down as it can't send any more fluid into the pistons. What happens if you trim the drive down, then back up?

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

I have not tried to crank the engine, well not while working on the trim. Right now the drive is in it's lowest position

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

At the moment the trim will not raise; it's in the lowest position now, and will not move; however the sylenoids engage, and the trim motor turns (but slowly) when you push the up button.

Another retired guy · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

jodie said:
I have not tried to crank the engine, well not while working on the trim. Right now the drive is in it's lowest position

There is a conflict in info here. You say the drive is down but the gauge shows it up! Does the drive move at all now when you operate the up/down switch ? And does the gauge move at all?

Edit. Sorry posting at same time - questions answered!

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

Thanks for clarifying what the gauge actually is, I feel stupid, but I'm learning. Thanks. Anyway seems as though this gauge and my pump thinks that the trim is all the way up, when it really is not?

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

When I oust the up or down button, the gauge moves slightly then stops moving, and the drive does not move at all

Another retired guy · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

jodie said:
Thanks for clarifying what the gauge actually is, I feel stupid, but I'm learning. Thanks. Anyway seems as though this gauge and my pump thinks that the trim is all the way up, when it really is not?

Ok. As I've never worked on my trim system I can't suggest anything but hopefully someone else can jump on here and help. When you took things apart, do you recall if the drive was up or down at the time?

Don S · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

Probably a defective trim sender, they go bad all the time.

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

What's the function of a trim sender? Forgive my ignorance, thanks!

sschefer · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

I haven't worked on one of those in a long time. If I remember, there is a manual release that you can use to raise and lower the unit by hand. Doing that once should do the trick.

Don S · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

It tells the gauge where to point.

Bondo · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

jodie said:
It's an old 72 Mercruiser; i just got the boat after it had been sitting a while, and the fluid reservoir was empty. I filled the reservoir with appropriate fluid, tested the trim/tilt and it worked fine; it raised and lowered, it sounded good when i noticed a hydraulic line going to one of the cylinders was leaking. I replaced the hydraulic line, and re filled the fluid, it worked fine for one raise and lower, then the motor started sounding weird like it was was straining too much and it slowed dramatically; i looked at the pressure gauge on the console and the needle is in the red. I loosened every line that i could find, and i get no drop in pressure, and the motor is still very sluggish. I don't know what to do from here, thanks in advanced!

Ayuh,.... Ya don't have the controller in Reverse do ya,...

The reverse lock can cause that sorta thing,...

I once Blew the side outa a ram hot-wirin' the pump to raise the drive, 'n the reverse lock had shut off the oil flow,...

It also labored the pump, Just before the side Blew outa the ram...

jodie · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

Where would this manual release be located? I checked and the gear is in neutral.

Don S · Sep 17, 2012

Re: Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

IF you have one it would be on the pump. This picture shows where it's at.

Tilt/Trim pressure guage reads "way too much pressure"?

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