Trim Fluid

S

seanmclean

Member
Jun 13, 2017
33
NJ
Boat Info
'03 182
Engines
4.3Merc
This friggin boat...


Anyway. Had her out today, great day on the water, towing and running about. Never a hint that anything was wrong, but when I went to pull it out of the water, trim would not come up. Looked in the bilge, and bright yellow fluid everywhere, managed to lift the drive up by hand and tie it off to get it up the ramp and home. Any thoughts on things I could look at? Plan right now is to just get some fluid and fill the reservoir back up and see if I can find any leaks when operating the trim tomorrow.

2003 Searay 182, 4.3 Merc, Alpha One.

Thanks!
 
Fill the reservoir and let it sit without activating the trim motor.

See if the reservoir is leaking first.

If the level remains constant for a few hours, go ahead and have someone activate the trim motor while you look into the bilge.

You may want to wear safety glasses. Never know where it will spray if you have a leak.
 
Broke a fitting off the pump, lines look good. Should be a treat to remove and replace.
 
seanmclean said:
Should be a treat to remove and replace.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the world of working on boats! :)

Tip: Remove the entire assembly by removing the screws that secure the bracket to the deck and slide the assembly to a slightly more accessible spot. Takes 2 minutes to do that - makes things easier.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Welcome to the world of working on boats! :)

Tip: Remove the entire assembly by removing the screws that secure the bracket to the deck and slide the assembly to a slightly more accessible spot. Takes 2 minutes to do that - makes things easier.
Click to expand...

Great tip, back in business. Job still sucked, opening into that side of the bilge is about 1.5arms wide, and I needed to shove both of 'em in there!
 
It does get easier. You learn how to contort your body, how to work with one hand, how to work by feel only. Well, "easier" might be an overstatement, but it does get better. Another tip... that back wall (the carpeted one... the entire thing can be removed in about 5 minutes.
 
Lazy Daze said:
It does get easier. You learn how to contort your body, how to work with one hand, how to work by feel only. Well, "easier" might be an overstatement, but it does get better. Another tip... that back wall (the carpeted one... the entire thing can be removed in about 5 minutes.
Click to expand...

Really? I looked at it for two seconds and figured it wasn't designed to come off, that would've made it so much easier. Worked through the hole in the top and the little cutout near the floor. Oh well, hopefully won't need to go in there again anytime soon :)
 
Hopefully not, yes!

There are (should be from the ones I've seen?) a number of L-brackets that secure it. The first time you do it, of course, it will take longer to figure out where they all are. But it's not too bad.
 
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