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

[bronconation1]

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!

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Disconnect the rams from the drive at the outer end, That will separate the rams from the drive and eliminate the drive pivot pins as a possible source..

Does does sound like a bad ram (or maybe the bushings at the ram pivot points are super dry). They can be rebuilt, but are readily available new and used.

Redo your test with them disconnected and that should tell you what is going on with either ram.If they are quiet now, see if drive lifts up manually and is smooth.

 

[Scott06]

Grease the hinge pins. The two nipples on the gimbal ring by trim sender and limit.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Can be wahts stated above but can also be rusted U joints.
Remove the rams and lift drive by hand

 

[bronconation1]

Disconnect the rams from the drive at the outer end, That will separate the rams from the drive and eliminate the drive pivot pins as a possible source..

Does does sound like a bad ram (or maybe the bushings at the ram pivot points are super dry). They can be rebuilt, but are readily available new and used.

Redo your test with them disconnected and that should tell you what is going on with either ram.If they are quiet now, see if drive lifts up manually and is smooth.

Thank you very much! Is it important to retighten these trim ram bolts to a specific poundage? I’ll see if I can get these off and reply back.

 

[bronconation1]

Grease the hinge pins. The two nipples on the gimbal ring by trim sender and limit.

I’m not sure what the hinge pin looks like or how to get at it. Is this it?

 

[bronconation1]

Can be wahts stated above but can also be rusted U joints.
Remove the rams and lift drive by hand

I’ll give it a shot and reply back thank you!

 

[Scott06]

I’m not sure what the hinge pin looks like or how to get at it. Is this it? View attachment 384532

the grease nipple to the left and below your arrow - stick a grease gun on it and give it a few pumps...

 

[Bondo]

Thank you very much! Is it important to retighten these trim ram bolts to a specific poundage? I’ll see if I can get these off and reply back.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... Those are usually ny-lock nuts, so only tight enough that the shaft protrudes through the nuts abit,....
No poundage to say,....

When was the last time that drive was given a full service,..??..??

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... Those are usually ny-lock nuts, so only tight enough that the shaft protrudes through the nuts abit,....
No poundage to say,....

When was the last time that drive was given a full service,..??..??

Plus the shaft is shouldered, so tighten nut till it stops.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

I’m not sure what the hinge pin looks like or how to get at it. Is this it? View attachment 384532

That cap thingie is the trim gauge sender. The hinge pin is under it, screwed into the bell housing (the part that is lifted)

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Suggest getting the service manual for the drive that shows everything and explains how to service.

Looks to be an Alpha gen2 out drive. I have the manual if you need it.

 

[kenny nunez]

With the rams off the drive have you tried running them in with the pump?
If you still hear the noise then the packing glands on the rams need to be replaced. It is a easy job and the parts are not expensive.

 

[bronconation1]

Just greased the fittings and maybe helped a little but not much. Next step will be to take off the trim rams….. more update to come! Thanks to all I appreciate your support let me see if I can find that Alpha Gen 2 service manual.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Try searching like this"mercruiser alpha 1 service manual in pdf"

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Just greased the fittings and maybe helped a little but not much. Next step will be to take off the trim rams….. more update to come! Thanks to all I appreciate your support let me see if I can find that Alpha Gen 2 service manual.

Sent you a PM you may be interested in.

 

[bronconation1]

Saturday update: took the trim rams off (one side only) and noticed the bushings are really cracked and dry. So put some soapy water all over. When I trim up/down on that one there was no noise at all. So I put it back on the drive. Noise eliminated by about 75% so will take the other side off tomorrow and put some more soap on the port side trim ram bushings. Hopefully that is it. But…..

However I took the boat out today and noticed that the trim pump intermittently works. Sometimes it won’t work at all and sometimes it does work. Feel lucky it decided to work as we pulled out of the water. So now I got another problem with it intermittently working.

Sprayed some wd40 brand electrical cleaner all over the trim button contacts as well as prayed all over the trim pump wiring.

I hear maybe this might be a trim pump body valve issue?

 

[bronconation1]

Pic of the bushing

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Glad you got a handle on it.

I would get a new set of bushings. Not too expensive.

Those ones have material deposited in them. You can try putting some waterproof grease on them, but they are crusty old things.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Saturday update: took the trim rams off (one side only) and noticed the bushings are really cracked and dry. So put some soapy water all over. When I trim up/down on that one there was no noise at all. So I put it back on the drive. Noise eliminated by about 75% so will take the other side off tomorrow and put some more soap on the port side trim ram bushings. Hopefully that is it. But…..

However I took the boat out today and noticed that the trim pump intermittently works. Sometimes it won’t work at all and sometimes it does work. Feel lucky it decided to work as we pulled out of the water. So now I got another problem with it intermittently working.

Sprayed some wd40 brand electrical cleaner all over the trim button contacts as well as prayed all over the trim pump wiring.

I hear maybe this might be a trim pump body valve issue?

The manuals you downloaded have troubleshooting steps in them for the pump. There are quite a few things that can cause that, up to and including the wiring that runs to the switch in throttle / shift handle.