Power Trim and Tilt Unit

[25whaler]

Happy New Year everyone. Wanted some advise. I have 1986 johnson 150's and after had trouble trimming down the port motor last week. I was in NC for giant Bluefin. After a 9 hour tow from PA I was upset when I put the boat in the water. Motor would only trim up and not down. Trim motor would run when i put the trim button down but would not take the unit down. FLuid level was fine. No sign of water intrusion. I was only able to trim the motor down with the manual release valve but again it would stop at the rams and go no further. As a result the motor was trimed very high for running. My question is how hard is it to rebuild the unit?? (check valves etc) How expsensive?? Would I be better off getting a remanufactured trim unit and if so where do I get one? Motors are getting older so I dont want to go crazy with expense. Thanks in advance. P.S we were able to still fish just tricky with one motor trimmed up. No good news on the tuna however as we did not catch any.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Power Trim and Tilt Unit

With the unit in the tilted up position, standing in back of the engine, you will see on the left rear portion of the PTT unit a large sloted screw. That screw is actually a valve.<br /><br />In back of that valve you will find what is called a "Shuttle Valve". The older units did not have a spring on each end of this valve whereas the newer units did. The purpose of this shuttle valve is to move one way or the other, depending on which mode (Up/Dn) is being used, which in turn opens the valve you are looking at or the identical valve on the other end of the shuttle valve.<br /><br />With the shuttle valve removed. you'll be able to see the back side of the other valve within the hole. Should this shuttle valve stick, which happens, the unit can not operate in one mode or the other.<br /><br />This may not be your problem but it's one that could cause what you speak of. Note that the PTT fluid level can only be properly obtained when the unit is in the completely tilted up position, something you probably already know.... but just in case.....