trim hesitates engine

rogladite

Recruit
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
4
i see many people have had this issue, but not many solutions. has anyone resolved the problem of trimming boat that hesitates the engine and robs volts from the coil? thanks
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: trim hesitates engine

start at the ground cable connection at the block and clean all terminals back to battery
Trim pump motors are the #1 largest current drawing accessory on a boat so if you have poorly maintained wiring to the battery, starter and alt, the heavy load of trim will drop the voltage.
remover terminals from the starter and file both sides shiny. Then file shiny the sides of the nut and the washers. same deal at the trim pump cables back to the relay.
 

rogladite

Recruit
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
4
Re: trim hesitates engine

Thanks Howard,
i previously cleaned all the connections from the battery, engine grounds, each solenoid(mine has 5). i changed the coil, the wires, rebuilt and got alternator tested. still no change. i then changed to electronic points, new esa from cdi, new spark plugs.
the boat runs great, but bucks and cuts when the trim is activated. it's been very frustrating.
thanks
 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,603
Re: trim hesitates engine

do you have one of these:
16404F-p.jpg

all battery power goes through the connections on the back and they often look like a mess

year and model might help with some specifics... omc used a lot of different systems for trim
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,802
Re: trim hesitates engine

I had same issue. Was a loose/corroded connection at the starter.

Check the voltage at your ignition when you apply the trim. Measure once with the neagtive lead of your meter touching the block and then measure again with the negative lead touching the negative battery post. If the voltages are equal, the drop is in the postive side of the circuit. If they aren't you need to look at the ground connections.

When you hooked up your new ignition, did you power the ignition before or after the ballast resistor? You have to make sure it gets power without the drop of a ballast resistor.
 

rogladite

Recruit
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
4
Re: trim hesitates engine

do you have one of these:
16404F-p.jpg

all battery power goes through the connections on the back and they often look like a mess

year and model might help with some specifics... omc used a lot of different systems for trim

yes howard, i have a battery switch similar. i cleaned and reconnected those connections but no change.

it is an omc 185 stringer sterndrive, repowered with a 5.0 mercruiser (shortblock chevy). other than the engine, esa and ignitior points all else is original. it has the 2 wire trim motor, that i rebrushed and cleaned up. thanks
 

rogladite

Recruit
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
4
Re: trim hesitates engine

I had same issue. Was a loose/corroded connection at the starter.

Check the voltage at your ignition when you apply the trim. Measure once with the neagtive lead of your meter touching the block and then measure again with the negative lead touching the negative battery post. If the voltages are equal, the drop is in the postive side of the circuit. If they aren't you need to look at the ground connections.

When you hooked up your new ignition, did you power the ignition before or after the ballast resistor? You have to make sure it gets power without the drop of a ballast resistor.

thanks bruce, that gives me a couple of more things to check that i have not already gone through. i'm out of town tomorrow but will troubleshoot these items the next day.
thanks again!
 
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