Mercruiser will not trim up/down

[MH9371B]

Engine is 1995 Mercruiser 3.0LX in a 1995 Sea Ray 195 bowrider.

On my last trip, I had an ignition problem and could not start the boat (no clicks, no power to starter). I found that the fuse in the dash underneath the key was blown.

However, after replacing this fuse and having the engine start successfully, my engine will not trim up/down. During my troubleshooting for the previous problem, I had been checking to see if the emergency cutoff wire had come loose, which it hadn't, but I was looking through a lot of wires down there. Previous to discovering the blown fuse the engine would trim up/down just fine.

Have I blown a trim fuse as well? The clymer manual indicates a 20 amp fuse and a 110 amp fuse and neither of these are blown. I think I remember reading about a 50 amp fuse in previous forum posting.

 

[vipzach]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

I wouldn't trust everything you read in that clymers. I would be suprised if there was a 110 A fuse, but I am not certain if there is or not. Usually the 50A fuse is the main one for everything. It looks like a red button, mine is towards the rear of my engine compartment. If it was blown, I think you would not have power to anything except what is hooked directly to the battery.

You need to find out where the tilt motor gets its power from and work from there. Does it click or just dead?

 

[vipzach]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

OK, ignore what I said up there!! You do have a 110A fuse. Here is a link to service manuel 14. On page 16, there are some tests to help you track down your problem. Hope it helps!!
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/14/14a5.pdf

 

[MH9371B]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

vip. Thanks for the VERY helpful link!

Here is what I see. I get 12v everywhere the diagram says I should. I also get full continuity at each fuse. I have hooked up the 12g jumper wire to the points indicated, and the motor does not run. So, obviously I am guessing I have a bad motor.

Here is my question, though. When i press the trim up/down switch on my throttle, shouldn't I hear a click from the solenoid? I hear nothing when the switch is pressed.

 

[tommays]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

Check the 20 amp fuse in the small black holder on the trim pump

And you have reached prime time for bad connections to start to affect things The trim pump has its own battery cables and the black ground cable on the frame can cause as many problems as the + cable


Tommays

 

[MH9371B]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

Thanks tommays, yes I have checked all the fuses for proper continuity and they all check out OK.

I'm just wondering if I should be hearing a click from the solenoid back there given the troubleshooting tips I took in my previous post.

 

[tommays]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

You need to use the guide and see if 12 volts is reaching the solenoid when you press the trim button


When mine got that old i found i had to remove clean and reseal EVERY connection

Both the small wires running the solenoids and the large wires carring the working current had issues in a saltwater boat

Tommays

 

[MH9371B]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

Thanks for all of the tips. When I tested, it appeared to be a bad solonoid. Like I had stated before, I was getting absolutely no click when I hit the trim switch. My voltmeter verified this to be true!

The unit was pretty old, so I replaced the entire pump/solonoid assembly. All is working perfectly now!

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

In your title, you said it didn't work up or down, that means you must have 2 solenoids that failed in the same way. I find that hard to believe.
I think you need to follow the Merc troubleshooting chart before you start putting parts into it.

Here is a link to the troubleshooting secton.
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/14/14c1.pdf

 

[MH9371B]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

Either way, I saved money by replacing the entire unit myself. I'm happy, and the motor trims up/down just fine now. So, I don't know why you're bashing me. Isn't the point here to be happy and have a good boating experience?

I'm happy that you're a boating mechanical expert. If bashing people that just want to save some money and learn along the way makes your boating experience happy as well, then by all means go right ahead.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

What bashing. Missed the part where you said you replace the complete unit. All I was saying is it's not a single solenoid that was the problem in both directions.
You may have had a broken wire, that may have caused the problem, and not everyone wants to replace the complete unit at big bucks for a bad wire.

 

[skiff68craft]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

What bashing. Missed the part where you said you replace the complete unit. All I was saying is it's not a single solenoid that was the problem in both directions.
You may have had a broken wire, that may have caused the problem, and not everyone wants to replace the complete unit at big bucks for a bad wire.

 

[skiff68craft]

Re: Mercruiser will not trim up/down

Hey Don ~ I'm jumping in later here ... same topic, i.e. trim/tilt problems. I need a HIGH PRESSURE TILT PUMP. My marina mechanic says my 1968 Mercruiser only has TILT, not a dual-purpose tilt and trim featue. I've been checking with Ebay, etc. ANY help would be appreciated! Thanks ~ Bill (Skiff68Craft)
bvmjbakeranywhere@hotmail.com