Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

[emoney]

1979 'Rude 140 Crossflow.
I just noticed while looking up at the boat from the dock (she's on the lift) that there's some pinkish fluid, looks a lot like transmission fluid, collecting on the cavitation plate. So, my assumption is my tilt/trim unit is leaking. I've got the manual, but man that thing has got my head spinning. They spend a lot of time explaining how the hydraulic system works, which is great, but I've yet to find a "look here" diagram, to even know where culprit seals might be. Any help on what to inspect and where? Also, is there a "they usually leak here" seal that's replaceable? And lastly, is repairing the thing something that can be down while she's on the lift? Motor is in trimmed down position, if it matters, and I didn't attempt to raise it because I want to know what I'm getting in to first. Like if she's bled all her fluid out, can I damage it further, for example.

This motor is really starting to grow on me, btw. She just runs so smooth and has done everything I've asked her to do the 4 times she's been out. Matter of fact, seems to want to go a little faster and a little further than I'm ready for, so I figure her legs need the attention they deserve. Thanks, and if you can help me translate this mess in the manual, that'll help a lot too. I'm taking it to work tomorrow thinking that maybe the weekend has my brain fried and it'll clear up when things get back to normal. Any and all help is greatly appreciated, btw.

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

Make sure you are working from a factory service manual. They are the only ones to use. You did not indicate where the leak seems to be. It's not really difficult to reseal the wipers and orings in the top caps. Those are common leak areas. You can look at a factory parts exploded diagram at epc.brp.com and visually see how it goes together. Bombardier makes oring kits for these trim units: 393942 is for units older than 1990.

 

[emoney]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

Yes sir, I have the factory manual. It spends a lot of time of the "theory" of how the fluid flows when in operation. It was dusk when I was down there and noticed it, so I'll have to go back this afternoon to get a close up to see I can tell where it's coming from. However, and I think this is odd or I'm a little off base, it seem to be leaking from the "tube" that's on the port side and I understood that to be the motor itself?? Again, I couldn't get a closeup and will either confirm or deny that this evening, but there was definitely fluid on the trim motor, but where it came from, I dunno? Is there somewhere above the trim motor that can be leaking? In order to do a rebuild, I'm assuming I've got to pull the motor, right?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

There is an Oring under the motor. Perhaps it is what is leaking..

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

take some pics emoney itll speed up the process
- i had to do the wipers on my 140's trim cylinders last summer the hardest part was finding a tool to take the caps off... otherwise once i had it apart it only took about 30 mins to get it all put back together
get and assistant to trim it up and down while you see where its leaking

hopefully its not the tilt cylinder as that one can be a bear and a half

 

[emoney]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

First, I'm working on charging my camera so I can take pics, but, the leak is definitely on the port side "trim" cylinder. It's coming from the top, around the piston itself. Is this a rebuild? (dang, I wish the camera was juiced....)

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

no thats pretty easy to do emoney you just need a spanner wrench (i had to do it last summer) go ahead and do BOTH trim cylinders as the other one will probably fail right behind this one parts are pretty cheap i think it cost me 30 bux for both cylinders all you need is the orings and wipers for the caps everything else is still good
youll need a 1/4" pinned spanner wrench and a bottle of trim tilt fluid and youll be good to go

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

heres your parts .....
http://www.marineengine.com/newparts/part_details.php?pnum=OMC0393942&ptype=&Engine=&Model=

heres your spanner wrench.....
http://cgi.ebay.com/Armstrong-34-15...047?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb59db467
that ones kinda high priced but its what you need - you can always sell it to the next unlucky sap on here who needs to do this job (probably get your money back too)

on a side not the way to prevent this from happening (most of the time) is to trim your motor up, put the trailer lock thingy down and then trim down until the trim cylinder shafts fully retract it keeps the dirt and grime off the shafts -if dirt and grime gets into the wipers it can cause sealing problems and failure of the orings

 

[emoney]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

You know, that's how she normally stays when it's on the trailer. That's also probably why the leak just showed up because on the lift, I leave it trimmed down. Maybe I should do the same on the lift? First time having a lift so I know nothing about the best way to store, use, etc. Thanks a ton, levi for the scoop on the repair. I'll get after it this week.

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

oh yes deffinitely on a lift youve got salt and grime so you want them retracted there also - though they may have been on their way out before you bought the boat... one thing though - just cause its on a lift doesnt mean you dont have to flush the engine !!!! do that take, the cover off while youre flushing it and its running and spray fresh water gently all over the power head and electronics when youre done flushing spray the WHOLE power head down with wd40 and youll hardly EVER have any problems just be careful you dont spray water into the air intakes

 

[emoney]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

Yeah I still do my flushing. Matter of fact, I went in the drink the first time because I was trying to hook up the muffs from the lift instead of hangin over the transom, lol. Wife got a great laugh out of it at least. Great idea about the WD40 (I'm a fan) so I will definitely give her a light coat. Thank you again fine sir.

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

your welcome man glad i could help
you may want to hit the top of those caps a couple of times with a hammer to knock any crud loose on em -(be firm but gentle) i had to and youre most certainly gonna want to have it on the trailer for this little job
make sure you keep that wrench ALL THE WAY down in the holes for the cap or youll have a mess and keep it parallel to the plane of the cap they arent that tight in there, but corrosion can form around the lip down to about a quarter of an inch from the top of the cap below that theres an oring and it should be gummed up any lower you may want to wave a propane torch by the outside of the trim cylinders for a min before you try to break it

 

[emoney]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

Do I need to drain the fluid that's in there before having a go at this, or no? I'm waiting on my parts and the tool, although the tool looks like it's going to be the parts kit getting here. Hopefully, this is going to work out right because I should have my little jet boat's steering cable fixed by the time the parts get here and I pull it out of the garage and put her in the water so I can do the reverse for this one. I'll try and take some pics and start a thread so if anybody else needs to do this, they will have something to go by. (As long as you plan to do all the "commenting"...lol)

 

[levi_tsk]

Re: Where to check for leaks on Tilt/Trim unit -140 Evinrude Crossflow

no dont worry about it just refill it when you get it back together and id go ahead and degrease it frist because you dont want any crud getting into the hydraulic system

to refill you want to trim the motor all the way up fill it and then go up and down about a half dozen times or so and refill it you should be good from there but trim it up and down a few more times and check the level -be sure you charge your batteries when youre done as theyll be close to dead when you finish