mercury Tilt and trim problem

[Cotton12]

I just got a used basstracker with a 50 hp mercury motor (88 or 89). I took it in for some minor work and the mechanic said that the tilt motor would not go down. He said that he could fix the trim and tilt which I think consisted of rewiring and replacing the solenoids. After picking up the boat the very next morning all the wires were melted and burned up. It ended up blowing the tilt motor. I am trying to find out what could have been the cause of this. The mechanic first said that it was a short that occurred in the tilt down circuit which is color coded green on the power tilt motor wiring. He also said that the wiring for the solenoids had no bearing on the internal short in the motor. My question is does anyone know anything about this that can provide me some information as the validity and what could have caused this. He originally said the motor worked fine. If there was a short in the motor and not by his wiring why didn?t the motor blow before. I could use any help or information on this.

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: mercury Tilt and trim problem

"Up" solenoid on my trim was out when I bought it, but I replaced it myself w/ an $8 one from Advance Auto.

I don't know why that motor would've shorted like that. However, for you to have melted wires, that means that something shorted out, so it makes sense.

Positive is switched through the 2 solenoids to the trim motor. The only way the motor could get power is through them, when they are energized (they have a spring that opens the contactors when not energized).

Of course, he could be right also, and the motor shorted out. A new trim motor can be had on ebay for less than $100 shipped.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TILT-TRIM-MOTOR-Mercury-Mariner-Mercruiser-17649-87282_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1075Q7c39Q3a1Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c240Q3a1318QQ

Was everything melted when you picked it up, or did it blow up the first time you used it? Did you check his wiring?

 

[Cotton12]

Re: mercury Tilt and trim problem

Thanks for the information and response. I had not taken the boat out at all. I had picked up from the shop that evening and was getting ready to go the next morning and that was when we saw all the wires melted, etc. When he did the testing he said that when he bipassed the solenoids and went directly to the motor it worked just fine. It went up and down with no problems. I didn't check his wiring. We took the boat directly back to the mechanic and he told us all the wiring was fine. He didn't cross anything. How much wiring would the mechanic have done. Would his wiring involved going directly to the motor itself. I hope this makes sense?

 

[Joe_the_boatman]

Re: mercury Tilt and trim problem

So the mechanic worked on the motor, and it's ruined when you pick it up? Sounds like he should've let you know that something got fried, and that it's not ready to be picked up yet. Seems odd he'd let you drive off with it in that condition.

Either way, you'll need a new motor. Try to find a cheap one, and maybe another mechanic to install it for you if you can't.