Mercruiser Alpha 1 trim tilt

[dalauer]

Have an Alpha 1 which won't tilt down. Read the repair manual to figure it out and what I've come up with so far is the motor is running and pumping oil to tilt rams. Verified by removing hydraulic lines on both and ran motor. Oil was definitely flowing from the down lines(?) (there are two lines to the lower unit).<br /><br />No leaks are noticeable.<br /><br />Could the lower unit drive shaft be bound in some manner, preventing it from moving?<br /><br />Also, Should oil be used in the Oildyne/Singer (I think this is what I have) tilt motor or ATF fluid? The book says ATF but theres oil in the resevoir and the system, strange.

 

[johnkc]

Re: Mercruiser Alpha 1 trim tilt

the pump uses 10/40 or10/30 motor oil. if you think that the drive is stuck , wich is very unlikly, take the bolt off that attaches the trim cyls. at the aft end and you can lower the drive . then lay the cyls. on the drive and run the pump to see if the rams move . if only one moves that is the good one, the other one has an internal leak.

 

[johnkc]

Re: Mercruiser Alpha 1 trim tilt

went back and read your post again , when you had the lines un hooked did you lower the drive at that time?

 

[dalauer]

Re: Mercruiser Alpha 1 trim tilt

Thanks for the response. I only disconnected the hyd lines (one at a time) from the aft end. Not the rams themselves so the lower unit was never detached from them. It didn't move, at least not noticeably. <br /><br />It looks like the rams are held on with e-clips and not nuts. I'm assuming I can just slide the clip off and remove the ram that way?

 

[johnkc]

Re: Mercruiser Alpha 1 trim tilt

yes, remove the e clip and pull the pin then the drive should go down, then run the pump and see what happens.....

 

[dalauer]

Re: Mercruiser Alpha 1 trim tilt

I removed the cylinders from the lower unit by removing the E-clip and the pin holding them in place. Sure enough when running the tilt motor one of the cylinders moves properly and the other not at all. I'll need to rebuilt it I suppose. Anyone have any thoughts on where I can rebuild kits?<br /><br />Do I just need the seals?<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />DaL