280 outdrive lift slowing down

[PiratePast40]

Noticed last fall that the lift motor was really slowing down once the foot actually contacted the outdrive. It's been a gradual decrease. Yesterday, after de-winterizing, noticed that the amount of current it was drawing, actually slowed the engine down.

I'll go ahead and clean all connections, but wondering if the root of the problem is the motor going bad, or at least in need of new brushes. I have a spare unit with a good motor, and wondering if it makes more sense to just replace the existing unit or spend time troubleshooting it.

I've searched through all the threads on this that I could find but couldn't find anything specific on this issue. Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[Don S]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

Lift the drive by hand and see if the pivot bushings are binding. Corrosion builds up between the plastic bushing and fork and makes the drive harder to lift. It will also drop a lot slower. With no corrosion the drive will fall like a rock. Corroded, it just slowly goes down, or you have to push it down, but yours isn't that far along yet.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

Just went out and tried it - drive moves up and down by hand freely.

 

[Don S]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

Then it's probably connections or a failing motor.

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

That's what I was thinking so I'll start with cleaning all the connections. Was hoping there was some magic solution that didn't involve getting on my hands and knees in the back of the boat. :grumpy:

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

Sometimes the worm gear in the tilt unit gets gummed up.
It's a 76 and if it's the original motor it could be tired.

 

[captmello]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

If you haven't seen them, Iboats sells a couple rebuild kits for some of those older motors.

Volvo-Penta Power Tilt and Trim Motor Brush Repair Kits - iboats

But, I have to ask, why so early on the summerizing? There's still snow on the ground, and the lakes are still hard. Its gonna freeze tonight, better at least put a light bulb in the bilge.:blue:

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

I've allready ordered the brush kit, but thanks.

Snow on the ground??? We can see snow up on top of the mountains, but it's getting up to 70 in the daytime here in the Willamette Valley!

I grew up south of you near the Quad Cities in Iowa and had relatives in Rochester, Minnesota. I really don't miss the bone chilling cold, although I do get up to Redwing once or twice a year. We had a "Ski Minnesota" postcard on the refrigerator and they had the same one with "Ski Iowa" on theirs. You probably know the one: :lol:

 

[PiratePast40]

Re: 280 outdrive lift slowing down

Motor was in pretty bad shape. Extremly dirty and oily inside with wear marks and missing varnish on the stator and windings. Opened up the spare unit and everything looked pretty good. Grease was still soft. Pushed some grease back into the bearings and installed the unit in the boat. Now have a 2 wire motor instead of the old 4 wire and it works fine. Glad I bought the spare unit on ebay a few years ago. Was only $65 at the time.