Trim Sender Troubleshooting

[rinkman]

I am having trouble with getting my trim gauge to work. The engine is a 4.3 Mercruiser Alpha 1. I just had the sender and trim limit switch replaced. The marine mechanic said that the gauge was also faulty. I said I could tackle replacing it. I put in a new gauge connecting the power, ground and trim sender wires. When I go to adjust the sender after making sure the power is on, I can get the gauge to move. But when I try the tilt up/down on the controller nothing happens. Is there something I should check between the gauge and the sender? I tested the gauge (which is new) by disconnecting the sender wire and then also bridging the ground to sender connection.

 

[oldman570]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Make sure you have 12v+ at the relays or selinods for the tilt trim with a test light, also chech the ground there. Sounds as though some wire is bad or not conected right.
Oldman570

 

[rinkman]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Ground and 12V at the relay tests out. Sender works normally when removing it and slowly turning the gear by hand. The gauge operates smoothly without being jumpy. It does nothing when attaching it to the drive and operating the drive up and down. Could it be possible that it is the wrong trim sender? What makes the cam turn?

 

[Don S]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Your trim gauge and sender are not hooked to any relays, solenoids or the trim pump in any way.
Might try removing the trim sender from the gimbal ring and turning the pivot on the sender and see if the gauge moves. The key needs to be in the run position.

 

[rinkman]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Thanks. I removed the sender from the gimbal ring, turned the key to run. Had my son watch the gauge as I turned the pivot. The gauge works fine when I do this. When I screw the sender back on and move the tilt up and down nothing happens on the gauge.

 

[Jennifer "water-wolf"]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

This happend to mine last year!!! ....the fastener in the yoke under the trim sender came loose, and the head, with the internal spline that the sender fits into, was rotating in the yoke as the drive went up and down, and as such, not turning the sender. I used a hex allen that fit in the spline to tighten it up. I think it was 1/2 inch hex that fit. You don't need the Mercury spline tool to tighten these, a less expensive and locally available hex that fits into the spline socket will do the job. After you get the fastener tight, then just calibrate the sender..Lower the drive all the way with the sender slightly loose so you can turn it..have your helper watch the gauge and call out when the needle is in the LOW position. then just tighten the screws and your done. Small changes in rotating the sender make but differnce in the gauge needle, so just do it carefully.

 

[rinkman]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Thank you. I will give it a try.

 

[rinkman]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Amazing, the gimbal hinge pin was loose. I guess I should have checked that first. Thanks goes out to water-wolf.

 

[Jennifer "water-wolf"]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Glad to be of help...
Jennifer

 

[captk]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Hinge pins are a critical part of the steering and a safety issue. they need to be installed with loctite rc35. if they work loose you can loose your steering and or have it lock up.

 

[rinkman]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Do I have to support the drive if I try to remove one of the hinge pins and put loctite on it? I am thinking I do. What would be the best way to get loctite on the pin?

 

[Jennifer "water-wolf"]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

I would block it from underneath, and lower the drive until it just balanced between the load on the pin bolts, and the support from below....remove the sender, revove the bolt....wire brush the bolt to clean any debris off to clean metal surface....if you can get a small 'bottle brush' style wire brush into the hole to clean the internal threads that would be good too....Loctite makes a primer too....but if the parts are clean, it is not absilutely necessary...apply a few drops of the loctite to the threads of the bolt and reinsert, thighten to spec....make sure the head of the bolt-pin has NO loctite around it, as that is the bearing surface...perhaps a grease film on the bearing part would be good before inserting, but be sure to keep that off the threads with the drops of loctite....If you do both sides, just do one side at at time so the drive is supported at all times.

I have used loctite threadlocker on car projects for almost 50 years.....good stuff!! Get the right one. as it comes in different strengths...some are very mild, some are almost like permant epoxy that is REALLY hard to take apart.

 

[achris]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

And be aware that there is a thin synthane washer between the gimbal ring and the bell housing. If you drop that out without noticing and put the hinge pin back in, you'll have all sorts of problems...

Chris.....

 

[rinkman]

Re: Trim Sender Troubleshooting

Thanks to everyone. This forum is awesome.