Trim gage not working

[wr121599]

Several months ago, my trim set would go down but not up. Per this forum I cleaned the sending units and it began and still does work fine. At the time the trim gage worked. Now the trim adjustment continues to work fine. However, now the trim gage only shows up. I replaced the gage. Now, when I power the boat the gage drops from trim up only slightly. When I put the outdrive down fully, no movement of the gage. Any ideas what to do next?
Thanks

 

[tpenfield]

Greetings,

I see that this is your first post, yet you have been a member for quite some time. Let us know what brand of engine/outdrive you have, as the thread should go to the appropriate engine forum.

 

[wr121599]

My boat is a 1998 Caravelle BR with a Mercruiser 3.0L with an AlphaOne stern drive

 

[ScottinAZ]

My boat is a 1998 Caravelle BR with a Mercruiser 3.0L with an AlphaOne stern drive

chances are, that the senders have fully packed it in on you. Thankfully they arent that hard to change on the Merc outdrives, but its a job best done when you are doing the bellows. the through hull fitting is above the u-joint bellows and can be a bit of a bugger.....

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Try pulling the right side puck cover off, pull out the insert and clean everything up. Put it back together and see if it helps.

Those contact areas do get crapped up and that insert that has the contacts is replaceable.

Just a cheap fix / test sometimes.

 

[wr121599]

Thanks for your advice. My boat is in the water now and will not get it until after the summer. I will try and clean up. I did this a few months ago and the outdrive would raise and lower properly (It wasen't before cleaning)and the gage would read. The gage quit after it was in the water and in use. Any ideas why it would then quit working?

 

[tpenfield]

. . . The gage quit after it was in the water and in use. Any ideas why it would then quit working?

My idea is water gets into the sender unit on the outdrive. Another common thing is that the wires leading from the sender fray/break.

 

[ScottinAZ]

My idea is water gets into the sender unit on the outdrive. Another common thing is that the wires leading from the sender fray/break.

bingo. if you had it apart once to clean it, chances are, its goobered up again..... water has a bad habit of getting into places it shouldnt and raising havoc

 

[tpenfield]

I never liked the trim sender designs . . . a boat repair person's dream.

 

[ScottinAZ]

I never liked the trim sender designs . . . a boat repair person's dream.

I have to agree with you. Having to remove the entire outdrive and bellows to access the through hull fitting on the Merc outdrives to replace a failure prone part is as you say, a mechanics dream. Mine are new, and if they go belly up, will wait until the outdrive is off for other servicing to repair..... Then again, I am not as pedantic about the gauges as some folks can be.... same with the limit switch... Ill bypass it til the outdrive is off, and then fix it properly. Too much work to replace for such a PITA part

 

[dubs283]

I routinely replace mercruiser trim senders without drive/transom assy parts removed

It's actually easier with the drive installed

I'm a mechanic and I never dream about repairing boats, they are all nightmares