Tilt/Trim

[Twainer]

Got to the lake last weekend & I had no up or down. Checked all of the fuses I could find & couldn't find a blown one. Where would be the next place you look?
The boat is a 2011 Crownline 18 SS. 4.3L with the Alpha One Gen 2 outdrive. Switch is in the throttle/shifter handle.

 

[Bondo]

Got to the lake last weekend & I had no up or down. Checked all of the fuses I could find & couldn't find a blown one. Where would be the next place you look?
The boat is a 2011 Crownline 18 SS. 4.3L with the Alpha One Gen 2 outdrive. Switch is in the throttle/shifter handle.

Ayuh,..... At the trim pump, 'n it's connections to the battery, then it's connections to it's switches,.....

 

[Twainer]

Ayuh,..... At the trim pump, 'n it's connections to the battery, then it's connections to it's switches,.....

Great! That's where I will focus on next.

 

[Twainer]

Okay, so I have tested the trim switch up towards the dash of the boat. I had continuity when the button was pressed. I also tested it towards the back of the boat at the trim switch connector. Everything was good there to. I have done continuity checks on all of the fuses, they are good & I had 12V on both sides of the large 110 amp fuse. I also did a voltage test on the solenoids themselves. This was a little challenging due to some black rubber like material being sprayed on the connections. I assume this is to prevent sparks & corrosion. While depressing the trim up button I placed the volt meter on the blue/white wire & ground & got nothing. Did the same on the other solenoid, trim button down while touching the green/white wire & ground. Wouldn't it be pretty rare that both solenoids are bad at the same time? I guess I am not 100% convinced this is my problem but the only other possible problems would be the motor or trim stops. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Twainer]

Okay, so I have tested the trim switch up towards the dash of the boat. I had continuity when the button was pressed. I also tested it towards the back of the boat at the trim switch connector. Everything was good there to. I have done continuity checks on all of the fuses, they are good & I had 12V on both sides of the large 110 amp fuse. I also did a voltage test on the solenoids themselves. This was a little challenging due to some black rubber like material being sprayed on the connections. I assume this is to prevent sparks & corrosion. While depressing the trim up button I placed the volt meter on the blue/white wire & ground & got nothing. Did the same on the other solenoid, trim button down while touching the green/white wire & ground. Wouldn't it be pretty rare that both solenoids are bad at the same time? I guess I am not 100% convinced this is my problem but the only other possible problems would be the motor or trim stops. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kenny nunez]

Have you tried jumping over the solenoids? This test will determine whether the solenoids or the motor itself. Those small solenoids are not as good as the earlier large ones and are mostly the problem.
If the solenoids are not the problem then the brushes are stuck in the motor. It is not hard to disassemble the motor and free up the brushes and clean the commutator segments. Sometimes the springs that keep the brushes in place are rusted or broken, replacements can be found at hardware store spring assortments.

 

[Twainer]

Have you tried jumping over the solenoids? This test will determine whether the solenoids or the motor itself. Those small solenoids are not as good as the earlier large ones and are mostly the problem.
If the solenoids are not the problem then the brushes are stuck in the motor. It is not hard to disassemble the motor and free up the brushes and clean the commutator segments. Sometimes the springs that keep the brushes in place are rusted or broken, replacements can be found at hardware store spring assortments.

I recall doing this to a starter solenoid years back so I took a screwdriver across the two large terminals & got nothing. Not 100% sure on that test though. As stated before there was a coating of material all over the terminals & wire ends so I can't say for sure if I had a good enough connection for a true test.

 

[Twainer]

I jumped from the battery to the motor & the motor works in both directions. I also ran a jumper across the terminals on both solenoids & got nothing. Not even a click. So I am about 95% sure my solenoids are both bad. What would cause me to lose both of them at the same time? I am hoping that after I put the new ones in I don't have a repeat of this situation.
Thanks all

 

[kenny nunez]

If there is no current present at the battery side of the solenoid then either the fuse or there is a break in the battery to the fuse wire.

 

[Twainer]

If there is no current present at the battery side of the solenoid then either the fuse or there is a break in the battery to the fuse wire.

No I have battery voltage after the 110amp fuse. I am not getting anything on the motor side of the solenoid. I also bypassed the solenoid & went from battery to motor & it works in both directions. Unfortunately I am going to have to wait a week to get my new solenoids through Amazon. I might run by the local boat repair shop to see if he has a couple lying around he can sell me. I have heard it's not wise to use a starter solenoid off an automobile, otherwise I would just run down to the auto parts store.

 

[Bondo]

I also ran a jumper across the terminals on both solenoids & got nothing. Not even a click.

Ayuh,..... Maybe I'm misreading this, but, did you jumper across the solenoids, from the battery terminal on the solenoid, to the solenoids load terminal,..??..??

 

[Twainer]

Ayuh,..... Maybe I'm misreading this, but, did you jumper across the solenoids, from the battery terminal on the solenoid, to the solenoids load terminal,..??..??

While they were still wired up in the boat I took voltage test from the ground & then touched the other lead to all posts of the solenoid. One side had voltage the other none. After I jumped wires from the battery to the motor & found it worked I put the battery jumper wires on the large posts of the solenoids & got nothing. No noise, no click, nothing. Hopefully that better explains what I did. My wife tells me I am not a good communicator

 

[Bondo]

I put the battery jumper wires on the large posts of the solenoids & got nothing.

Ayuh,..... Sounds like the solenoids aren't getting good battery power,....

Clean all the connections from the battery, to the solenoid's battery posts,...

 

[nola mike]

While they were still wired up in the boat I took voltage test from the ground & then touched the other lead to all posts of the solenoid. One side had voltage the other none. After I jumped wires from the battery to the motor & found it worked I put the battery jumper wires on the large posts of the solenoids & got nothing. No noise, no click, nothing. Hopefully that better explains what I did. My wife tells me I am not a good communicator

So you
1. have voltage at one of the large posts on each solenoid (good wiring from battery)
2. none at the other with the switch depressed (= bad solenoid if you get 12v to the small post with switch depressed)
3. motor works when jumped directly (good motor)
4. motor doesn't work when voltage applied to either large solenoid post (bad wiring/connections to motor if motor works)
5. motor doesn't work when large posts jumped (bad wiring/connections to motor)
6. you get voltage to one of the small solenoid posts when switch depressed (?)

Either you have BOTH 2 bad solenoids AND bad wiring from there to your motor or you've tested something wrong.

Solenoid should only click when you jump to the positive small terminal.

Everybody's wives tell them they're not good communicators.

 

[Twainer]

Well my wife is a therapist so I am doomed! No matter what I say or how I say it, it will be wrong!
So after putting two new solenoids in, my trim still did not work. Went back through all of the test. It wasn't until I did the jumpers from the battery to the motor that I found a ground did not get put back on the battery after lay up. I could spin the motor jumping straight from the battery but when I tried jumping it back by the solenoids, nothing. Traced the ground back to the battery & sure enough it was disconnected & tucked out of the way. It was driving me nuts! Still don't know how I had enough of a ground to get a 12V reading on the front side of the solenoids.
Anyway thanks for all of your help & suggestions.