OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

[GregCC167Concept]

I have a 91 OMC 3.0 Cobra Sterndrive. Last year, I had my tilt/trim unit taken apart and resealed because of a droop problem. Worked find after that. Toward end of season had sporatic problems where it would sometimes not trim down and other times it would work fine. Pulled it out of storage this year and it's not working at all. Am told it probably got water in the motor and probably just needs a good internal brushing. Not sure how to even go about taking it apart or what I will need to put it back together. And I hate to take it to my mechanic and wait a month to get it back. Should be able to at least try this myself but not sure where to start. Anybody got any experience here that they would share with me in detail on here or by email exchange. Not afraid of greasy fingers and a basic set of tools but just not sure where to start and what to expect.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

what are the symptoms besides it doesn't run? can u hear the motor run, any clicking sound from the solonoids? have u checked the fluid? how bout the breaker? post back.

 

[GregCC167Concept]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

Now it absolutely makes no sound and does nothing at all. Last season it would click occasionally and not trim down. Other times it would make no noise and not trim down, but it would always trim up. The fluid is fine and all wires externally seem to be intact and dry. Someone told me they thought it probably got water inside at some point and that caused my intermittent problems last year and then by sitting all winter, it degraded itself enough to not work at all. But that it may be possible to "scrape the brushes" good with a wire brush to get it back in shape. Any possibility there?

 

[sea wolf]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

i suppose it's possible to have moisture in the motor but i tend to doubt it. before u start tearing that motor apart i would check the solonoids. there's i each for up & down. also check the fuses. there may be 2 of them, a 50amp. & a 20amp. should be on the starboard side of block.

 

[GregCC167Concept]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

I kind of thought it might be that too since it was clicking some last year. Now for my ignorance... What would I do to check the solenoids and how would I know I was looking at them? I see the block the wires are attached to on the side of the motor. Is that basically the solenoids? I assume there is a fuse somewhere as well that is directly associated with the motor but there is not one labeled as such at my fuse block under the helm. I know where the 50 amp block fuse is but if that was blown, my understand is that the motor wouldn't start and it cranked up and ran like a charm on the first try this year. Any help you can give would be appreciated. My main fear is I'll tear it up trying to fix it and then not be able to find replacement parts, only to find out there was basically nothing wrong with it to start with other than a little corrosion.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

the solonoids are bolted to the engine block on the starboard side, there identical looking so u can't miss em. there is no fuse under the helm for the solonoid motor. the fuses are on the starboard side of the engine, towards the rear. fish around, you'll find em. one fuse protects the wiring harness, the other protects the motor circuit. u can remove the solonoids & have em checked to see if their any good or not. if there not, toss em, they can't be repaired. i had to replace the up solonoid on mine 3 or 4 yrs. ago. i think i paid about $25.00 for it. this may not even be what's wrong with it, but it's worth checking out first.

 

[GregCC167Concept]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

Sea Wolf thanks so much! I went fishing for the solenoids and when I started tracing the wiring back to the black a coupler came apart in my hand when I just touched it. Must have worked itself loose. I just plugged it back in firmly and voila - tilt goes up and down like new! Saved me at least the cost of having somebody look at it and probably laugh at me behind my back all the way to the bank. Now if I can get this thing shifting with 1 finger like someone responded to one of my other posts, I will be a happy man. Bought this bought as a repo from a bank and it has nickled and dimed me for the past 2 seasons (it's a boat - what did I expect right?) but this year it appears to be in good shape. Maybe I can spend my money on gas instead of repairs for once.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: OMC Tilt/Trim - Help - Broken or what?

glad ya got it runnin greg. i got the same setup u got in an '87 starcraft, 19'. they can nickel & dime ya that's for sure! work on that shifter, that's one of my projests too, before it see water this yr.