mecruiser trim motor

hope someone can help me with this problem and point me in the right direction. I have a 1975 Searay and am having trouble with the trim. when I hit the trim up switch, one trim cylinder goes out and the other one doesn't do anything. In fact when I tried trimming the out drive up yesterday the housing on the trim cylinder broke and I had to purchase another cylinder. I know both cylinders should go up and retract at the the same time when the up and down switches are pushed. This really has me stumped. Now I am thinking maybe there is something wrong with the trim cylinder pump and not directing the hydraulic fluid the right way. Any help will be appreciated. This is a pre alfa pump. thanks. Bill

Re: mecruiser trim motor

Sounds to me like you have the hoses crossed on one of the cylinders. Probably where they hook to the manifold under the drive.
What engine? Serial number for drive or engine would help.

Re: mecruiser trim motor

Don S said:

Sounds to me like you have the hoses crossed on one of the cylinders. Probably where they hook to the manifold under the drive.
What engine? Serial number for drive or engine would help.

Click to expand...

Hi Don. These are 3.0 ltr. engines. 1987. The serial no. is 418305. the trim did work before but now only one trim cylinder is going in and out. I have not disconnected the lines on the cylinder. these outdrives are 1975 and so is everything else on the boat including the trim pump. Both engines only have one solenoid each. I know the hydraulic fluid in the trim pump directs the trim cylinders (up/down)? could this be a trim pump problem? or is there something else that decides where the fluid goes? Thanks for the help my friend. Bill

Re: mecruiser trim motor

If the cylinders are not connected to the drive, one will always move before the other.
The pump just pumps out fluid under pressure through a pressure hose that is hooked to a tee (in the manifold under the drive) and goes to each cylinder.

Re: mecruiser trim motor

Don S said:

If the cylinders are not connected to the drive, one will always move before the other.
The pump just pumps out fluid under pressure through a pressure hose that is hooked to a tee (in the manifold under the drive) and goes to each cylinder.

Click to expand...

Hi Don. I know one will move before the other when the trim cylinders are not connected to the outdrive. I unhooked both trim cylinders from the outdrive and tied them up so they would be level. I hit up and only one cylinder would move. I too one of the cylinders off the other engine and put it on the other outdrive. Hit up and it wouldn't move either. I am wondering if bleeding the cylinder that won't move could solve the problem. Thanks. Bill

Re: mecruiser trim motor

You may have crosses hoses or a seized cylinder... This will determine which.

Keep the trim UP pressed until the first cylinder reaches end of travel. Does the pump 'load up' or the other cylinder start to move? If the pump loads up, then press the DOWN button and keep it in. Does the extended cylinder retract all the way and the pump load up, or does the other cylinder start to move?

Chris........