2003 BF40A Honda 40hp tilt/trim issue

[Northerner28]

The tilt/trim will not tilt or trim up or down when the motor is on the trailer or in the water while off or idling. It will tilt/ trim up and down when the motor is planed out. It started by being a little sluggish on the trailer. I thought maybe the battery was getting low but it would start fine. I charged the battery and that didn't make a difference.Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[ahicks]

Dirty connection is the most likely bet IMHO. Are both sets of trim controls acting the same (the set on the motor and the set on the control/dash?

 

[Northerner28]

Dirty connection is the most likely bet IMHO. Are both sets of trim controls acting the same (the set on the motor and the set on the control/dash?

Yes, It's a tiller. Neither controls, tiller handle or motor controls, work the tilt/trim when out of the water. It's a tiller. I didn't try the controls on the motor while I was planed out. Tiller controls work while planed out. Would that be dirty connections on the tilt/trim switch? Or relays, I don't know if it has relays? I haven't checked oil level for cylinder yet. Some YouTube videos have said to try to fill the reservoir with 30 weight oil?

 

[ahicks]

If it works at all, the oil level isn't the trouble.
The fact that the relay is working "while on plane", tells me there's nothing wrong with that either. There could be an issue in the wires leading too or from it, but the relay itself is likely fine.

Have you gotten around to checking your battery out yet?

 

[MattFL]

You could also leave the motor in neutral, give it some revvs and see if the trim works better. If yes, then that implies that the alternator/generator on the motor is powering the trim and for whatever reason the battery isn't supplying enough power; as mentioned above, maybe a bad connection or weak battery.

 

[Northerner28]

If it works at all, the oil level isn't the trouble.
The fact that the relay is working "while on plane", tells me there's nothing wrong with that either. There could be an issue in the wires leading too or from it, but the relay itself is likely fine.

Have you gotten around to checking your battery out yet?

I charged the battery and it starts the motor easily. Unfortunately the boat is 80 miles away. The next time I'm there I will use a different battery and see if that makes a difference.

 

[Northerner28]

I charged the battery and it starts the motor easily. Unfortunately the boat is 80 miles away. The next time I'm there I will use a different battery and see if that makes a difference.

I was able to tap on the tilt/trim motor housing and the tilt/trim worked fine. Is that an indicator that the motor may be going bad?

 

[ahicks]

It sure sounds like it. Is the motor casing corroded? I've seen holes rusted right through them.

 

[Northerner28]

It sure sounds like it. Is the motor casing corroded? I've seen holes rusted right through them.

Nothing that I can see.

 

[ahicks]

Well, next time it's on one of it's "I'm not going to work" kicks, assuming you can hear the relay clicking when you push the up or down buttons, follow the wires up from the motor and disconnect them at the round connector near the relay. Put a test light or voltmeter across the 2 wires from the relay and confirm you have power available. If you do, the problem is the motor. If not, and the relay is clicking, you may have one of the few relays that I know of that need to be replaced.

 

[Northerner28]

Well, next time it's on one of it's "I'm not going to work" kicks, assuming you can hear the relay clicking when you push the up or down buttons, follow the wires up from the motor and disconnect them at the round connector near the relay. Put a test light or voltmeter across the 2 wires from the relay and confirm you have power available. If you do, the problem is the motor. If not, and the relay is clicking, you may have one of the few relays that I know of that need to be replaced.

Thanks for your advice and helping with this issue.