Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

[Lubeboy]

So first let me say, I love working on my boat all weekend, fixing one thing and developing a problem with another!

Trim Sensors on alpha 1

Took off one on right (assumed to be trim level indicator), but when I took off the left one (assumed to be trim limit switch?), I broke one bolt, the broke off extractor tip in it when trying to remove broken bolt.

THEN, when right was off, we moved bellhousing and broke the sliding part inside the right one!

So I have left one with no mounting bolt and right with no sliding part in it.

Was hoping to take sliding part from left, put in right and bolt right one.

then leave left off?

Can this work for one water trip until I can get another sliding piece?

 

[indy440]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

you can run without the sensor but you'll have to solder the two limit switch wires together so your trim button still works. Just be careful not to trim it up too far. Its very bad for the drive to be under load at high trim levels...

If I run mine up too high I get a howling from what I think is the prop starting to ventilate.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

Was hoping to take sliding part from left, put in right and bolt right one.

then leave left off?

Can this work for one water trip until I can get another sliding piece?

Do NOT leave the left (port) one off, that could cost you a LOT of $$$ If you trim it too high while running. I do not think the parts are interchangeable from one to the other. There should be two screws holding the trim limit sensor on, What I would do is simply put the sensor in place and use it as a guide to punch, drill and tap new holes for the screws. Place them close to the old ones, and reposition the switch in the pivot bolts and readjust the limit switch to give the correct maximum up (21 3/4 inches center to center on the cylinder bolts for an alpha 1).

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

i run without trim limit not that tough. alot of boaters do it tilt up so your bow starts bouncing then back down a little.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

I don;t have either working... am going to get the indicator switch working, but honestly, with a little paying attention, it's not hard to gauge when you're in the right place... I would get it fixed if I were you, but I wouldn't let it keep me off the water in the mean time.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

Both of my switches have not worked in two years. You get use to where the boat rides well as mentioned earlier I trim up until the bow starts to bounce a little and then trim back down a tad. I usually start from idle with the trim all the way down and then get on plane then start trimming up. When the bellows need to be changed is when I will replace both switches because it requires the gimble ring to be pulled.

 

[indy440]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

I replaced my old switches without pulling the drive. I just cut the wires, soldered them, and covered them with silicone and then a heat-shrink tube.

It did not work. DO NOT do it this way, its a waste of 75 dollars.

They each worked for a short amount of time. The indicator worked for maybe 30 minutes, the limit switch for maybe a few hours...

 

[bigskiohio]

Re: Can I boat without trim limit sensor?

still dont know why mercruiser moved them from inside boat to out side.