Is this a trim ram issue? Popping and grinding noises from stern drive. pics and video attached!

[tank1949]

Video of the grinding noise

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Hey all so I have a 1998 sea Ray Seville w mercruiser stern drive. Trim up and down works just fine but all of a sudden one day I hear all this grinding noise up and down. Is this something a novice can fix? It kinda sounds like the trim ram? Thank you!

start by checking fluids in pump. If full and clear, disconnect rams near prop and manually raise and lower OD. Actuate the pump and listen for sound. I suspect one or both rams are sticking and need rebuilding.

 

[Bt Doctur]

You have a "Alpha 1 drive, not a GEN II type

 

[bronconation1]

You have a "Alpha 1 drive, not a GEN II type

Thank you!

 

[bronconation1]

So here is a Tuesday night update:
Took the trim limit switch apart by following this video. Super easy.

I noticed that my metal contact was super dingy, oily, kinda sticky etc. Stuck the metal contact in muriatic acid (be very careful around this stuff) and the metal contact cleaned up real good. I’m hopefully that the intermittent issue was due to all the sticky crap on that metal and therefore no good connection.

I also think that all the grinding noise was coming from those rotten bushings.

I need to do open it up again and I think smear a bunch more grease on the bushings. Do you guys think that is appropriate and if so what type of grease? I probably do need to buy new bushings tho if those are sold stand alone.

Here is a pic after it cleaned up.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

The zerk fitting next to the sender is for the bushing. Pump in some marine grease and move drive up and down. Repeat till some grease squirts out around the bushing.

Best fix would be to pull out the pins, one at a time, clean them up, grease the heck out of them and install per manual. Repeat on other side.

 

[bronconation1]

The zerk fitting next to the sender is for the bushing. Pump in some marine grease and move drive up and down. Repeat till some grease squirts out around the bushing.

Best fix would be to pull out the pins, one at a time, clean them up, grease the heck out of them and install per manual. Repeat on other side.

That is exactly what I did today. The pin here in this pic was really sticky and rough and binding on something. Greased the two pins at each trim tab and greased the bushings. Sprayed electric contact cleaner on that trim sender and all appears fixed! Will hopefully test this weekend! Thanks for all your guys’ help!!

 

[bronconation1]

Update:

Stern drive goes up and down 100% of the time now. I am positive my old worn out battery may have contributed to the sporadic issue of not moving up/down properly. Installed new battery and it works great now!

 

[tank1949]

Update:

Stern drive goes up and down 100% of the time now. I am positive my old worn out battery may have contributed to the sporadic issue of not moving up/down properly. Installed new battery and it works great now!

or bad connections!