Trim/tilt setting on outboard

[bxrluvr2002]

Hello,<br /> I just bought my first boat.<br />I have a 17' Laser 1720 bassboat with a 120hp johnson outboard with power tilt/trim.<br /><br />What is the proper use and setting of the motor? There is a trim guage at the console, I have been leaving it on dead center when in the water because I wasn't sure how to use it but the bow feels like it is almost straight up in the air when I am trying to get on plane. I tried to start off with it all the way in and when I hit the throttle, sometimes the motor just revs real high like it fell out of gear. I have to throttle back and then get back into it once the stern falls back into the water then I can get it on plane.<br /><br />What am I doing wrong?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

You have to start off with it planed all the way down.<br />After getting on plane, then trim to where it runs and acts the best.<br />Don't trim up to far, for it will get squirrelly in the back with you.<br /><br />Trial and error till you see where it acts and runs the best.<br /><br />Remember, it is a tilt/trim unit.<br />You get so far and it leaves the trim part and you are into the tilt part which is real fast and will cause you great pain if not careful.

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

Cool, Thanks for your help. Are there any good reference books I maight be able to pick up about basic boating inforamatio that you all would suggest?

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

If you are looking for a particular manual about an eng., iboats has them, I believe.....as for general boating, I would suggest BASS&WALLEYE BOATS magazine.......and no, I don't own stock in that company <br /> Lots of good info out there, but the info is as good, or better, right here at your finger tips!

 

[Hasbeen]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

What in the world are you guys doing up at this time of the morning??? Its only 11:15 PM here on the west coast, but its after 2:00 over there on the right side!<br /><br />Oh, back to the point,walleyehead is right, you will get the best answers right here! We sometimes get a little opinionated (ya think) But we are more than willing to give our 2 Cents worth for you to wade through!<br /><br />Are you sure you were fully trimmed down or were you just going by the guage? Look next time and make sure! The motor shouldnt blow out like that if it is fully down! Unles it is too high on the transom!<br /><br />Hasbeen!

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

I posted the same question on another forum and I posted a picture of the boat and they all seem to think that my motor is actually sitting to high on the transom. <br /><br />Here is the link to a post on the other board. It has a ppicture of my boat.<br /> http://www.gofishohio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44125 <br /><br />Here is a link to the post asking about tilt/trim on that board.<br /> http://www.gofishohio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44345 <br /><br />I haven't gone out and actually measured the hight yet. I will tonoght when I get off of work.<br /><br />Thanks for the help. It's nice to have a support strucute like this when starting something new. I have no one around me that knows any about boating so I am on my own.

 

[Hasbeen]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

Looking at the picture it dosnt look like the motor is too high, (best that I can tell) What prop are you running, Aluminum or stainless steel? and what RPM are you running flat out at full trim? This will give us a better understanding and more to work with!<br /><br />Oh, thats a pretty boat!! <br /><br />Hasbeen

 

[Hasbeen]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

I went back and looked at that picture again! Is the motor all the way down in that picture? If it is I think that you might have the pin on the mount out too far! Look at the mount and see where the stop pin is! If is is anywhere other than all the way towards the transome move it back all the way! If you dont follow me. what Im talking about is all those holes on the transome mount with the long pin that goes all the way accross! If this pin is not in the farthest back hole your boat will perform exactly as you describe!<br /><br />Hasbeen

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

That picture was taken by the Dealer I bought it from for their webpage when they were selling it. The motor was trimmed up so it looked level. I checked that pin and it is in the #1 hole. When I trim the motor all the way in to stop, there is no pressure on that pin. Something else I thought about, when you guys say "cavitaion plate", is the wing looking things right above the prop? Where the zinc is bolted on? If so that thing looks to be a few inches above the bottom of of the boat. Another question though, where should the motor be when I measure it? Trimmed all the way in?<br />The prop is Stainless Steel, I don't know the pitch. The only marking on it are stamped on the hub it says "Raker" and then in another spot on the hub is stamped "708U".<br /><br />I can't get it to run full throttle at full trim. I tried yesterday and at about 4800RPM/45mph and the trim guage just below half, it started porpoising very bad. Almost out of control when I trimmed it back in a litle bit it settled down and stayed at 4800RPM/45mph. The speed is from the speedo on the console. I don't have a gps yet.

 

[Hasbeen]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

There is somekind of an issue with the power trim! Soft on the bottom and top both! Sounds like air in the system to me! I think the engine is bouncing on the air when you try and trim out! You will have to waite for someone else to walk you through the bleed procedure for this engine!<br /><br />Also the correct way to tell where your engine is on the transome is to draw an imaginary line from the center of your prop to the nose of the gear case! Where does that come to in relation to the bottom of the boat?<br /><br />Hasbeen

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

I don't understand how there could be a problem with the power trim? I have worked with hydralics on heavy equipment and what not. The power trim is tight. There is no slack up or down. There is no sponginess at all. It's rock solid. As a test I put that pin in hole #2 and trimmed all the way and the pinned stopped it. Back in hole#1 and there is no pressure on the pin when trimmed all the way in so I think the motor is going all the way in. I could just be misunderstanding you though. I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. <br /><br />Thanks!

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

Bottom line.........if it's not sitting tight on the pin in hole #1, you have a problem.<br /> I have mine setting right here in the shop (same engine), I will look it over and try to determine what may be going on........

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

I took my boat back to the dealer where I bought it to get their opinion. What they told me was the motor is sitting right where it needs to be and the trim is working fine. They should me another boat with the same motor as mine and when it was trimmed all the way, there was no pressure on the pin in hole 1 either. That hole just basiclly puts the pin up out of the way. They gave me the same response I have gotten from everyone else about it sounding like blowout. They suggested for me to trim up a little when trying to get on plane to keep the prop in the water. What do you all think?

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

When you have the motor trim as far down as it will go (#1 pin Hole), the prop is not perpendicular to the surface of the water. It is running at angle pushing up on the stern to help the boat to plane. The problem with this is that the prop is trying to do two things, propell the boat and lift the stern ( to keep the bow down).<br /><br />If the load is enough the prop can slip, instead of screwing itself throough the water. You mentioned that there was a "wing thing" on the cavitation plate. They are usualy plastic. If this is true, then you know that the previous owner was having difficulty getting on plane as well.<br /><br />Try a roling start with the motor all the way down. Then as the speed builds increase the trottle. <br /><br />Do you know what the Top speed and the max RPMs are. This will tell you if the prop is correct for the boat.<br /><br />We sell Smart Tabs for the purpose of correcting these types of issues, but you should determine if the prop is within specs first. If the Manufactures specs are Max RPMs 5500 to 6000, and your at 5700 then you are within specs. If your max is only 5300 RPMs then the prop needs less pitch. And Vs Vrs.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

bxrluver2002, whoever told you that hole is for putting the pin up, is full of CRAP!!! when you put the engine in fwd gear, It's ROCK HARD against that pin, so there is no stress on the cylinder (Hydr).<br /> As far as trimming out goes, the dealer doesn't apparently understand what you are telling him....trim down, not up....<br />Your BEST and most reliable info is right here!<br /> Dealer wants money to fix your problem....we just want to get away from the wife to fix your problem....Much cheaper..........

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

hahaha, point well taken there. <br /><br />Ok, so what I am reading here, I need to find out why the motor is not going hard up against that pin. Right?<br /><br />I took a look at it just now, when I trim the motor all the way down, I can't see into the motor mount to see the 3 hydralic rams. From the last point that I can see them though, it looks like they are bottoming out in their cylinders. When the motor stops moving there is a change in the pitch of the electric motor driving the hydralics likes it can't go anymore. So I would think that it is bottomed out or there is something obstructing the movement. The plate that the rams connect to that moves up and down covers all the hardware when trimmed all the way down. When I lift the motor up there is a rubber snubber that is on the ram assembly but there is no indication on the motor side that it is making contact with anything. What I mean is if it were making contact with the motor side there would be a "clean" spot where the snubber makes contact. I don't see anywhere that I can adjust anything on the rams or the engine.<br /><br />What next?<br /><br />Oh yea, regarding the rolling start, that is what I have ended up doing. When it blows out, i back the throttle off until it catches then ease back into it, once it's on plane I can throttle up and start trimming it.<br /><br />When I just easy into it, I can get on plane without blowing out. My last question, as long as I ease into it and don't over rev the engine, is this just a nusance? Or can I do any kind of damage? Other than risking over revving the engine?

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

On the other forum ( gofishohio) some of the respondents felt that your motor is too high, and you stated that the cavitation plate is 4 to 5" above the bottom of the boat.. It seams that this would restrict the water flow to the prop. I would check with the manufcturer. <br /><br />When you get is sorted out check with us about Smart Tabs and we will transform the boat for you. But find out if the prop is the propblem or the motor is too high first.

 

[bxrluvr2002]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

What concerns me about dropping the motor is, when it's on the trailer sitting in my driveway, I have about 2 inches from the skegg to the pavement right now. So if I were to drop the engine 4-5" I would not be able to lower the motor all the way down when not in use to make sure it drains. Wouldn't that be a problem too?<br /><br />Forgive my ignorance. I am just nervous about messing with the mounting when I don't know what I am doing.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

Call the manufacturer of the boat or a dealer other than the one you bought the boat from. You need to know if the motor is too high or not.

 

[DJ]

Re: Trim/tilt setting on outboard

bxrluvr2002,<br /><br />The way your boat sits on the trailer is irrevelant to whether or not your engine is at the right height. It's either too high, or too low-period.<br /><br />Bow out is caused by three things.<br /><br />1. Engine too high.<br /><br />2. Engine trimmed too high.<br /><br />3. A prop that cannot hold. <br /><br />I think it's #1, aggrevated by #3.<br /><br />The engine does not rest or push on the tilt pin when all the way down. The hydraulics hold it. How does one think they (hydraulics) hold it one inch up then?