1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

[cocobolo]

Our boat sits on the hard when the tide is out, and therefore the motor is always kept in the "up" position.
Yesterday, I went to check to see if everything was OK, but the motor had somehow managed to lower itself and was actually holding the weight of the back of the boat off the bottom! Ouch!
I dug a hole around the leg to provide room to tilt the motor back up, and when I tried that, all I heard was a faint click. No motor running, no motion at all.
So two general questions....is this fixable, and alternatively, can I raise the motor manually somehow?
Where we are, it is necessary to lift the motor in order to get to where the boat lives. We can only come and go on a high tide. If I have to lift it manually and paddle in the last short distance, that will be OK. But, of course, I would prefer to have the tilt working.
I will mention this...I always turn the battery switch off when the boat is tied up, but the switch was on yesterday when I discovered the engine down. There have been many visitors to the Island here this Easter weekend, so the possibility of vandalism does exist. Although we have not experienced such things previously. Thank you in advance for any advice.

 

[NYBo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

A dead battery is the most likely cause.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

On the stbd side of the stern bracket you should find a slotted screw. This is the release for your tilt. Open it no more than 2 turns and try to raise the mtr manually. If you get it up, then find the prob.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

A dead battery is the most likely cause.

Actually, that was the very first thing I checked. By coincidence, I had just redone the battery cables and checked the batteries about three weeks ago. The batteries spin the motor over quickly.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

On the stbd side of the stern bracket you should find a slotted screw. This is the release for your tilt. Open it no more than 2 turns and try to raise the mtr manually. If you get it up, then find the prob.

Thanks Vice Admiral. Getting dark here now, so I shall try that tomorrow. I shall let you know what I find.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

Vice Admiral boobie:

You're obviously a genius. Found the screw beneath a few barnacles, did the required two turns and the motor lifted without incident. So that part is good. But, of course, I cannot leave well enough alone...

There would appear to be two wires (green and blue) going to the motor which must run the hydraulic pump. I cleaned off around where they go into the pump, and they seem to be in good condition and run through some sort of a rubber grommet. Then followed the wires into the motor where they disappear behind what is likely some sort of electric control box.

Next I pushed the button to try and run the pump, (I had the motor about half way up manually at this point) and lo and behold the pump lifted the motor right up. Now I must add at this point that there was several seconds delay in the motor actually lifting, and this could likely be due to low fluid level perhaps. I'm definitely no expert here, just guessing.

OK, with the motor right up, I pushed the button to go down. Again several seconds delay before it started to move but eventually the motor got all the way back down again. BUT, and here's a new problem, the electric motor kept on running, even with the button off!

I pushed the "up" button, which temporarily stopped the motor from running. As soon as I released the "up" button, the motor would keep on running. So I shut the batteries off. Turning the battery switch back on immediately caused the motor to start again.

I have been checking on several of the related threads, and it appears that a lack of fluid might cause such a problem, although I really don't know. I haven't been able to loosen the big screw for the fluid, but as soon as I find my impact tool I should have that licked. I don't have any fluid here to fix that problem, so I will need to pick some up next trip to town.

Let me know if you think I'm on the right track, thanks.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

Two things I can think of. 1, it's low on fluid and you can use Dextron 2 or 3 ATF in it. 2, sounds like you got a sticky trim switch. When you fill it have the mtr all the way up, fill it and cycle it 5 times up and down.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

I'm almost positive it is low on fluid. I'll have to make a trip over to town tomorrow to get some Dextron.

Is there any way to dis-assemble the trim switch for cleaning or...???

 

[boobie]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

If it is bad all you can do is replace it. To prove it's bad find the wires from the switch in the control box and when it acts up unplug the connector. If stops you'll know for sure it's the switch.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

OK, thanks very much.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

Picked up the proper hydraulic fluid from the Evinrude dealer and inquired about the switch at the same time. I just need to provide the right p/n for the switch, as apparently there is more than one. The switch is definitely no good. Do I have to take off the whole front cover on the controls to access the switch? I was hoping I could pop off just the cover on the lever itself, but no joy there so far.

I did get some fluid in to the system, and it improves with each cycle,(manually!) so once the switch is replaced, it looks like it will be fine.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

Some news...but not of the good kind.

I took the control assembly off and took that apart. The switch is well embedded in the handle, and once you get that out, there are just a few more screws which finally gives you access to the switch. Removed the switch and disconnected the three wires (blue, red and green) which connect to the switch.

Then turned the batteries on with the idea of touching the red wire to the green or blue wires in turn to see if that would work. No...before I had a chance to do that the electric motor started to push the engine down.

So it is something other than the switch. What should the next thing be that I should look at?

I talked to the former owner of the boat (I've had it about 14 months or so) and he thinks that the electric motor was replaced about 4 or 5 years ago. Apparently, the boat went ashore off its' mooring in a storm and was flooded. That's about all he could remember. His insurance paid for the repairs.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

Well, I must be getting closer to finding the trouble. Today I put the control assembly back together and then tackled the control box (or whatever it is called) inside the motor cover right in front of the flywheel. Inside that box are several wires, most of which seem to have something to do with the smaller black plastic box affair which sits on the flywheel side.

Inside there I found two wires which had been obviously deliberately cut off with wire cutters, but which were still attached to the assembly with their terminals intact. I took those off.

I tried a test using the three wires from the up/down switch, and the motor went down no problem. It also wanted to carry on going down after the wires were pulled apart. After turning the battery switch off, I held the red and blue wires together and turned the battery switch back on. Up went the motor. So, we seem to be getting somewhere...oh, and I managed to get a little more fluid in to the system.

Now, if the inside black box is some sort of solenoid or other connecting device - which it seems to be - then it seems to me that this is where the trouble lies. Does anyone know what that internal black box is? Thanks.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

I just dug back through some older posts, and it might be some sort of relay. If the "down" relay is somehow stuck that would make more sense to me. Could that be the case?

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

its a relay. mine has 2 of them both 5 pin

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

should be a plug going to the box with 5 wires (i think) if you unplug and it works on its own the relay is either stuck or you have tracking in the relay plug that is making the relay active.

 

[cocobolo]

Re: 1987 Evinrude tilt trouble

OK that makes sense now. It looks like that relay could be two actually. I don't see any plug as such where the relay(s) are, all the wires just seem to come into the box individually. But I will look again very carefully. It looks like the relay boxes are just held in place with plastic clips. Perhaps there is a plug right under the plastic box...I'll look.

If the rain decides to stop anytime today I will have another look and see if there's a plug of some kind. If so, I will do your test...and thanks.