Waht to change on Mercruiser trim system

[sbbamafan]

So being a lifelong VP guy, I have had a Mercruiser equipped boat about 2 months and now have my first problem. My boat is a Doral 270 and I do have a trailer for it - but not a vehicle to pull it with. My boat is leaving an oil slick behind me. I figured out it is coming from my trim system. I operated the system and it is burping milky sludge and the drive no longer will move. Easy diagnosis. I am not sure how long after my purchase this started and I guess that is irrelevent. It did work when I got it and the boat is in the water. I had not planned to pull it out until spring at the earliest. I guess that will change now.

Since the boat is in the water and I can't see exactly what is leaking - a hose or a cylinder/ram. Could it be something else? All I know is the leak is outside and not in the bilge. My gut is telling me order both rams and all the hoses, bushings, caps etc and just change it all, given that is a 20 year old boat. Is that overkill? Should I just do only what is necessary and possibly have to do another component again down the road? What will I have to do to get water out of the system? Is this more complicated than I think? I know the cylinders could be rebuilt for a small fraction of the cost but I don't trust myself to do this. Are the SEI brand rams as good as the REAL Mercruiser ones - they are so much less costly?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

 

[Scott Danforth]

that is over kill.

you need to diagnose what is wrong.

could be a loose fitting, could be a damaged hose, could be a cheap seal

any hydraulic shop that does cylinder repair can re-seal your cylinders for dirt cheap.

 

[tpenfield]

Agree . . . pull the boat out and see what is really wrong, rather than guessing and throwing parts at it.

FWIW - I had a similar situation and it turned out to be that the trim ram housing was corroding in the area of one of the hydraulic line fittings. Best thing to do was to by a new trim ram . . . only need one side replaced. Everything else was fine, so it was a relatively easy fix.

 

[sbbamafan]

My thought is to get all the parts I could possibly need and have them on hand....replace what I need and return what I don't. That way I only have to pull it out once and rent a truck once.

 

[tpenfield]

If you can return parts at no cost, then sure . . . but it may cost to return parts (shipping, re-stocking charges, etc) . . . some may not be returnable

 

[Chris1956]

So your trim system started to leak after 20 years of being in the water? Gee, what do the V-P systems last...40 years?

Not much lasts 20 years in the marine environment.

 

[sbbamafan]

Just never had this issue on my VP. I did have to replace a trim pump about 10 years ago and the relays (relays this year). I know stuff can break. It is sort of disheartening when it breaks a month after you buy it, though.

 

[Chris1956]

Disheartening yes, but after 20 years, not surprising.

I had to replace the PTT reservoir on my MerCruiser, but the cylinders and hoses lasted 18 years, at which point I sold it.

But in the time I owned it (12 years) I replaced the alternator three times, starter twice, circulating pump 3 times, oil pan, manifolds, rebuilt the carb, 3 sets of belts, power steering hoses, outdrive U joints and yoke + seal, bellows, oil pressure switch, several thermostats plus the other maintenance items.

Once when prepping the boat for spring launch, my alternator shorted, burning several wires. Never an oz of trouble before or after it's replacement.

An oil filter rusted thru, dumping 5 qts of oil into the bilge, twice.


Obviously the boat was saltwater moored.

Sterndrives can be fun.....

BTW - rebuilt starters for SBC 6 and 8 cylinder motors can be of inferior quality due to non replacement of the bendix drive, when they are refurbished. They often stick causing a no start. I therefore recommend new starters.