Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

[mstan55]

Hello-

I have had some trouble with my trim & tilt single ram system. The unit would not trim out (up) under load. I had the seals replaced, and this helped, but still would not trim out under load. I decided I could live with this as long as it was not leaking.

Now after about 2 months after I had the seals replaced it is acting up again. This is the 'self bleading' type of unit, when the unit is trimmed out (up) all the way, and then I start to trim it back down, the seal at the top of the cylinder that is around the rod 'pops' out of place and the unit leaks a bunch of oil. I've tried to fit the seal back in place but then when I tilt the unit back down again it just pops right out.

If you could provide some guidance I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[mstan55]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt - added pics

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt - added pics

I've been trying to troubleshoot my Trim & Tilt, and still have problems with the seal popping out of place and the unit leaking. I've tried to bleed the system but nothing seems to work with keeping the seals in place.

Even though these are brand new seals, I'm thinking I might need to redoo the seals again (?) Shop charged me over $400 for this. They had issues opening the hydraulic cylinder.

Since they just opened the hydraulic cylinder, I'm hoping that if I need to open it that it will come off easier. Does anybody have suggestions on a tool to use to open that? You can see in my pictures that maybe they used a vice grip?

Or am I just doing something wrong with bleeding the air (?). I followed the steps:
1. unlock the manual release
2. raise the engine manually
3. support lower unit using blocks
4. lock manual release.
5. check the fluid level and add fluid until level
6. lower the engine , raise it, lower it, etc (using t/t motor)
7. tilt all the way up & check fluid again. Find lots of air pressure when I open the fill plug. Fluid that comes out looks foamy, so I wait for the bubbles to settle. Check fluid 30 minutes later and looks good & level.
8. lower the engine all the way down ** When the unit gets near the bottom, at this point the external seal pops off with oil leaking (see pictures).


Thanks again for looking-

 

[mekkamaz]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt - added pics

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt - added pics

If you took it to a shop, what about warranty?

 

[mstan55]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

When I picked it up from the shop and took it for a sea trial it did not leak. I used the boat all day and the seals looked good. Trimmed the engine up and down lots of times that day and seemed OK.

Brought the boat home and sat for about 2 months. Now it decides to act up, after the 30-day warrenty has expired. This shop I used is not local to me and is down at the coast over 2 hours away. Learned my lesson there...

I'm thinking about taking it to my local shop here close to town, but I was wondering if I could tackle all the obvious things myself before I sink more cash than I need to into the thing.

 

[mekkamaz]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

Get that cristal clear, I have rebuilt my t&t myself a lot of times, so can you post your model and serial # in order to check how can I assit you?

 

[mekkamaz]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

Can?t see the pics..

 

[mstan55]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

Hi mekkamaz-

Thanks for the help. I think I resolved the issue with the pictures not showing up in the post above.

Here is engine's info:

Model# - J50VLSIG
Serial# - G 04887623

Thanks again!

 

[Firstdog]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

I have a 1989 50 johnson and had the same problem had it repaired at shop let it set un till warr. was out mine had too much oil in it when it came down the oil didn't have any where to go and would push the seals out I let a small amount out at a time un till I got it right and it has been working fine every since not saying this is your problem I"M no expert. They charge me $587.00 to repair mine but I didn't know about this site then

 

[mstan55]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

Hi Firstdog-

Thanks for the feedback. I worked on it again today and I'm still having the trouble with the seal popping off. I wanted to make sure I did not have too much fluid in there, so I let some of the fluid out. After I let some fluid out the t&t wouldn't trim out anymore. So I started from square 1 with adding fluid, and trying to bleed the system. I'm convinced that this is my problem and I can't successfully bleed this thing. Very frustrating, and I'm feeling it in my back and neck tonight 'cause I manually lifted that thing about 20 times trying to make sure as best I can that the fluid level is correct and the air is blead out. Seal still pops off though so I'm still trying to figure this thing out.

Thanks again!

 

[mstan55]

Re: Need help with 2000 Johnson 50 HP Trim & Tilt

Here is where I am at with my trim & tilt. I think that I need a new cap assembly, which I have ordered. Notice in the pictures that the cap was not replaced when they re-did the seals. So now I need to get the old cap off. I'm looking to purchase a spanner wrench to hopefully get the cap off. If anyone out there is familiar with getting these caps off, could you take a look at this wrench and let me know if you think it should work?

http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-Adjustable-Pin-Spanner/dp/B003RZPLCW/ref=pd_cp_hi_2

Or would I need something more like this one:

http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/NNSRI...re=ItemDetail-_-ResultListing-_-SearchResults

Thanks!