How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

bob johnson

Rear Admiral
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
4,304
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

Ok, that makes sense, now I understand that. So let me ask this since you seem to be one of the more knowledgeable ones here: is there a way to get my motor down into the position I need it in, without taking the TNT system completely off? If I leave it on, but release the pressure to hopefully get it lowered, by draining the fluid in the reservoir, am I still going to have the same problem in reverse since there is now no pressure on the TNT unit? I guess I was mistaken in thinking that TNT was an option and not mandatory on this motor. I have a merc that is not equipped with TNT and it stays in place ok in reverse, and is not bolted down (meaning we can manually raise and lower it anytime we want to). Is there something different with this 115 Johnson maybe?

I doubt i am one of the more knowledagble guys here....guys arent on all the time and they dont see every thread...

the motors that come new with NO TNT feature have a lock lever that is engaged when the motor needs to be used in reverse.

I have never had a motor like yours... I would think after all the valves you released the unti should have fallen to its lowest point....unless you only THINK you are releasing the valves...or the valves where clogged and while you might have unscrewed them...the fluid didnt drain...

even if your unit had fallen after you released the valves, you would have to re tighten to prevent the motor from lifting in reverse anyway....you need the valve tight to keep the unit locked in place.

i think you may have to remove the unit and trouble shoot....those electric motors are easy to find.

it is likely the unit seaized and then the motor burnt up....it doesnt take much to birn up those motors...thats why you dont stay on the button once you are all the way up or down!

bob
 

bob johnson

Rear Admiral
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
4,304
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

I have a Johnson 115 HP motor that is equipped with tilt/trim, but it does not work. The motor was checked out and found to be non-functional. I don't know why and I really am not too concerned with it, because we are going to take it off the bass boat it is on and put it on a pontoon, where we will not need the tilt/trim feature. But my question is this: For now, til we decide to swap boats, we want to use it on the bass boat, but the pressure from the pumps I guess will not allow the motor to go down all the way so that the prop is positioned where it needs to be. We tried draining the fluid out of the cylinder on the right side, and lots of fluid came out, but the hydraulic plungers???? (don't know that that is the correct name for them) won't go in anymore to allow the motor to go down any further. Is there anything I can do to release the pressure on those. I just need the motor to go down just one or two more notches.
View attachment 174850

in this picture you could easily get your spanner wrench and open those cylinders the pins are coming out of and see if they are frozen...of course you wouldnt be able to lower the unit and retighten....youd have no access...

i think it is best to remove and diagnose on the bench...get it working properly and reinstal

bob
 

whataday

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
48
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

I believe that is what I'm going to end up doing. Remove it and figure it out once I get it off. Thank you all of you for your advice and help. It's because of folks like you that a guy like me can enjoy the water. Have a great weekend .......
 

whataday

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
48
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

Hi Guys, I'm back and still trying to fix this TNT unit. I posted ealier before I went to the parts store, but I don't see my post so I must have hit something wrong. So this is what is happening now. Before taking it off, I decided to check the relay, which actually is a solenoid, not a relay. Found some corroded wires so I cleaned them (actually cleaned all of the wires really good). After cleaning them, I now have motor sound when pressing the down button, but nothing pressing the up button. The marine shop said it was probably a bad solenoid. I am able to bypass the solenoid by using a wire and touching the 2 large screws on the top of the solenoid, which does give me sound from the motor. So I went ahead and got a new solenoid, got a matching one from the auto parts store since the marine shop can't get one in stock til next week. Then got 2 tubes of fluid and started refilling the hydraulic reservoir. Squeezed in some fluid til it started coming back out, then let the motor down manually til it hit the plungers, then lowered it the rest of the way with the down button, then tried to raise it (by bypassing the solenoid since the up button isn't working), then repeated that about 4-5 times to get the air out. It goes down no problem, but still won't come back up. I raised the motor manually and locked it up, and using my wires to bypass the solenoid, raised it using the TNT motor, and the hydraulic plungers are coming out, and look to be coming out as far as they can, but with the weight of the motor on them, they won't come out to raise the motor. I am noticing when I raise it manually, the hydraulic cylinder in the center between the TNT motor and the cylinder on the starboard side, comes up a lot, which is what I'm guessing gets the motor up into trailering position, since those two other plungers can only come out so far. Initially when I started this thread, I was wanting to know how to disable the whole system to get my motor down where it should be, but now that I have discovered the TNT motor is not bad, like I was told by the first marine shop, and I have it going down, I don't wanna quit. I want to get it going up now. So, does anyone have any thoughts on why it won't go up now? To repeat myself, it will go down, and when I use a wire to bypass the solenoid, I get motor sounds where it should be going up, but the hydraulic plungers are not going up (coming out) with the weight of the motor on them. The 2 plungers in the center are coming out if I give it some assistance, and they will hold it up when I let go, but they will not bring it up without my assistance. Thoughts???? Thanks,
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

You may want to stick with one post as it's less confusing !!
 

whataday

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 12, 2012
Messages
48
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

You may want to stick with one post as it's less confusing !!
I wasn't sure how to change my thread title on this thread so I figured my new thread would get attention to the question at hand since the actual question changed during my working on it. Wasn't trying to confuse anyone or take up any extra space. Just trying to find some answers to get this thing going. If someone will tell me how to delete my last post I'll be glad to do that. Sorry
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: How do I disable the tilt/trim on my Johnson 115 HP motor

You may want to to send a PM to JB as he is a moderator on here. He could probably do it. No prob tho as I said, it's just confusing.
 
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