1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

[Kid Krappie]

The tilt/trim went out on my last fishing trip. When I trim up, the motor doesn't move or click, but when I trim down and trailer I hear a clicking noise. What could possibly be the problem? How should I start to troubleshoot it?

(Motor is a 1982 50hp mercury with hydraulic tilt/trim)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

How many solenoids does the pump motor have? Sounds like the pump motor armature might be bad.

 

[Kid Krappie]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

How many solenoids does the pump motor have? Sounds like the pump motor armature might be bad.

It has two solenoids.

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Obtain an inexpensive automotive electrical tester. Turn the key to the On position and go to both solenoids and check for 12volts DC on the Red wires (large posts on solenoid), there should be 12 volts on both. Turn the key Off and remove the Blue wire from one solenoid and the Green wire from the other solenoid (the blue and green wires from your electrical harness, not the pump motor wires) Make sure the wires are clear and not touching anything! Turn the key to the On position, have an assistant push and hold the Trim Down button and check the Green wire for 12 volts, it should have 12 volts. Now have your assitant push and hold the Trim Up button, there should be 12 volts. If all the above test check good, turn the key off and reconnect the wires. Now disconnect the blue and the green wire that come from the pump motor. Turn the key on and push and hold the down button, you should have 12volts on the small post of the solenoid where you took the green wire loose from and repeat this step for the other solenoid using the Up button and small post where blue wire was attached to the solenoid, both small posts should have 12 volts. If theres no 12 volts at the small posts, that solenoid is bad. If all the above steps have 12 volts, then the armature is bad. This procedure is checking your button controller and the solenoids. Good luck!

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Kid, mid paragraph i left out one thing...when your assitant pushes the Up button, the 12 volts should be on the Blue wire and no voltage on the green. Blue wire Up for sky/ Green wire down for Ground.

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

One other thing too, Kid...when you are performing the "UP" tests, make sure your motor is in the full down position, or do NOT forget to use the "up" and "trailer" button together. Remember, the trim limit switch will not be closed if the motor is too far up so you may have to use the "trailer" button also...follow me?

 

[Kid Krappie]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

One other thing too, Kid...when you are performing the "UP" tests, make sure your motor is in the full down position, or do NOT forget to use the "up" and "trailer" button together. Remember, the trim limit switch will not be closed if the motor is too far up so you may have to use the "trailer" button also...follow me?

Come to think of it.... the up button was clicking before I put the motor all the way up. I'm going to try that tomorrow when I get back from school as well as clean all of the connections. I really appreciate all the info. Thank you so much. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[mke039]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

On both of my Mercs, when the trim motors click or do nothing I have always found that the motor itself is the problem.
I take the motor apart, take the armature and lightly rest the ends on my left and right index finger and run it over the bench grinder which is fitted with a wire wheel attachement. The armature spins in my fingers and the corrosion is taken off perfectly even. Be careful when you are done because the armature can spin so fast that it acts like a gyro. It will jump in a direction 90 degrees to the force applied, which means it will launch itself onto the floor if you try to stop it too quickly!
Putting the motor back together is a little tricky because the brushes must be spread around the top of the armature as you replace the top of the motor.
But....it works like a charm. In my opinion this should be done once every couple of years.

 

[Kid Krappie]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

What is the armature?

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

The armature is an electro-magnetic energy source. It is located inside the round housing on top of the pump reservoir. The wires coming out of the top of the pump are connected to brushes inside, which distributes electrical current to the fields of the armature. Simply put, the armature is what drives the pump gears moving hydraulic fluid.

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Kid, heres a few things to think about: The trim limit switch has no effect on the "down" cycle, only the "up" cycle, next you could have a compound problem...you said that when you trim up, you have nothing, and when you trim down, all you here is clicking...It is possible that the trim limit switch has failed on the up cycle...stuck in the open position...and the solenoid on the down cycle could have went bad...all in the matter of a day...do not be discourage, do the tests i told you and report back...

 

[Kid Krappie]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

I put the motor in the down position and the up trim still does nothing. I'm going to clean the connections and follow the steps.
Also.... is there a way to put the motor on battery power and see if it works.

Here are some pictures..... I have different colored wires than you guys are telling me.

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Yeah, you do have a newer type wiring system, but it still operates the same, no problem! Lets break it down like this: Good pics BTW...That big red wire thats attached to that white block, key on...should have 12 volts, that white terminal block is a "circuit breaker"...still with key on, 12 volts on white block and 12 volts on both large inside solenoid posts (the ones with the connector bar between them...should have 12 volts there, if not then the breaker block is bad. If you have 12 volts at the center solenoid posts the breaker block is good. Now, each solenoid has 2 small wires (one black and one another color) forget the black...that is the ground wire for the solenoid (chances are great that its ok) the other small colored wire at each solenoid is your signal wire from your controller...thats the ones we're interested in! What color are they? Those other 2 large wires on the solenoids go to the armature, what color are they?

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Kid, i've been looking at your pics...the solenoid on the right in your pics is the down solenoid and the solenoid on the left is the up solenoid...I see a small green wire going to the small lower post on the right solenoid and a blue or purple with white stripe wire going to the small lower post on the left solenoid...when you push your down trim button, you should have 12 volts on that small green wire that went to the lower small post of the solenoid on the right...pressing the up trim button should put 12 volts on that colored wire with the white strip that went on the small lower post of the left solenoid. Verify that!

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Kid, I see something else in your pics that seems unusual...2nd pic, in the middle and slightly left, i see a white looking wire (it's crossing the red wire with the bluish/purple stripe...does that wire originate at the pump wire connector plug? And where does it go...wheres it start and where does it hook up to?

 

[Kid Krappie]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

Change of plans...... I just found out the part it needs is going to be 4-5 hundred bucks. I don't have that kind of money right now. I don't have any problem manually raising/lowering the motor, but I am worried that the motor may come over the stern when I and going and hit me with the tilt/trim not working. I have a question... do you guys think I will be okay using this motor without the tilt/trim working?

Thanks Anthony

 

[monk-monk]

Re: 1982 Mercury tilt/trim problem

What....? What part is bad that costs 4-5 hundred bucks?