OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

Hey guys, I got the boat running. I ended up with a regular 350 I bought from a guy for $300, it has a little cam it sounds like and an edelbrock aluminum intake. Engine runs good and sounds nice. Now I'm working on my electrical gremlins. I took all the solenoids loose and cleaned all the connections, now my tilt motor is working pretty good, but I have trim issues. I put a new motor on the trim housing, It was the cheapest one I found, $175 This may be where my problem lies.

Anyways it worked, but was slow when I first installed it, I trimmed it all the way up to test run my new motor and after the test run I was running the tilt and trim to see if everything was good to go. The trim wouldn't do anything, I can just hear the solenoids click. SO I took everything loose and hooked the trim motor to a spare battery so I knew it was getting good juice. Anyways still no luck. I helped the motor up to the low trim position using a pry bar while the juice was to the motor. It was very slow even with me helping it.

BUT, when inspecting stuff, I found that the bottom of the trim housing where the screw bottoms out has busted loose. I felt around and I don't think this is a big deal at all, seems it just keeps the weather out of the screw and bottoms it out. SO is my trim motor too weak, or is the housing screwed, or both?

And if I don''t fix it, where do I want to leave it so the boat performs the best? Is it worth fixing? I noticed the motors that may be better quality are about $250.

Thanks, Sam

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

there's probably a grease fitting on it that has never seen grease- but the broken housing was probably ice. The bilge fills with water, the housing fills with water, rusts and then winter comes and it freezes and breaks. Doubt there's anything salvageable, but I'd take it all apart and see I suppose. Probably all rusted.
Can just put it in the middle or set it nose high and get trim tabs or smarttabs.
Or look for good used stuff.

Try penetrating oil and grease maybe first.
#4 is the grease fitting

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

I greased it while the motor was out, but yes it was full of water when I pulled the old motor.

I may try to pull the mount, get everything clean and weld it up, If that doesn't work I'll just run it mid trim I guess.

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

Well, I tore it apart and welded it best I could. Then I epoxyed it mainly to seal it. Then I bolted the housing back together with huge washers that should hold it in place. Got it back on the boat and it works like new, for now anyways.....

Seems my Boat is fully functional now, I just need to replace the carpet on the floor, figure out how to build a new trapdoor for the hole where skis go, and redo the area over the top of the engine, sunbathing deck or whatever it is.
I think I can cut the carpet off the floor only and lay new carpet on just the floor. Try to get this thing lookin OK so I can get my wife to the lake then maybe do a resto next winter.

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

I would love to see some photos of what you did. Cant really picture it in head.

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

Nivekt said:

I would love to see some photos of what you did. Cant really picture it in head.

Click to expand...

Lucky for you I took pics while I was doing it to send my brother who is 1/2 owner of this POS, I'll see if I can get them on here from my phone.

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

This is while it was broken. You can see both pieces side by side.



Here is it before I reinstalled it. It looks horrible, but I need this thing to work pretty descent so I can get my wife onboard, she had a bad lake experience her frist time with my college roomates who put her on a tube and gave it hell like one of use was on it.


here is a descent shot of the boat. Its pretty stylist for an older boat. I'm thinking about building a wake tower, I have tube bending equipment, looks like all one is is a roll cage.

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

good job on the trim

unlike a lot of older boats, I think that one would look awesome with a tower.

Re: OMC mechanical Trim 1981 wellcraft 180 XL

Yes me too, I want to do a smallish tower, so I can still get it in a shop and it looks clean. I'm thinking of following the line of the windshield back as close as I can and then adding a brace up to it from about where the windshield ends. maybe 6 foot from the floor of the boat to the top of the tower. I know I will have to bend over to walk under it, but Its not like a lineman build guy like me is gonna do some major tricks. I think it will make knee boarding and skiing a lot easier too.
I have some sticks of 1.5" .095 wall DOM tube I use to build sand rail chassis, if its good enough to protect your life shurely you can ski from it! How big of a backer plate will I need to keep it from ripping the boat apart? I notice the factory ones use only large washers or a small plate. I'm thinking a 2X6" plate backer and a 2x4" plate on the outside. Is there any rules/guidelines to building and placing a tower? I understand it needs to be light and strong at the same time, I'm good to go on that I live light and strong.