1988 Searay 268 DA "Push to Trailer".... Now stuck?

Nov 3, 2017
109
Syracuse, NY
Boat Info
1988 268DA Sundancer Single 454
Engines
454 7.4 L Mercruiser Alpha one
I just had my boat out to get detailed during which time I raised the stern drive. Once back in the water, I tried to use the power trim to lower it and it just won't go. Now I'm in and not sure what to try. It almost acts like it's not getting power, no sound etc... Any suggestions?
On the bright side, I fixed the water system and believe it or not, the original water heater works like a champ! Just a few more little things and I will have her back to 100%.
 
So if the pump motor is not running then you have a power issue - probably a bad or failing solenoid. Here is a document on how the system works. basically power is supplied via the Green Wire for down and the Blue wire for Up. You need to test out where this is failing.

*** Testing / Troubleshooting ***
Before you tear anything apart or replace wiring and switches, test it out; first by visual inspection by pulling back and forth on the wires while operating the swithes and then test with a meter. At the commander switches, the red wire will always have 12 volts. The green wire gets 12 volts when the trim toggle is held down. The blue wire gets 12 volts only when the toggle is held up or the trailer switch is pushed in. The purple wire is part of the limit switch circuit.

If the switch voltages are as they are supposed to be then go to the trim/tilt pump assy. and make sure the purple wire connector (single wire) and the blue wire connector with two blue wires on one side of the connection are not corroded or loose. These are the trim position and limit switch wires. Pull them apart and inspect; they should be clean and tight; reconnect them.

Next check the three wire connector (RED, BLUE & GREEN) at the pump assy. This plug can vibrate loose and cause your problem. Pull it off and see if the pins are clean and not corroded; reconnect it.


The RED wire in the plug sends 12 volts from the pump assy. to the toggle up/down and trailer up switches. The BLUE & GREEN wires bring 12 volts from the toggle trim/tilt and trailer switches to the two solenoids on the pump assy.

The GREEN wire goes to the DOWN solenoid while the BLUE wire goes to the UP solenoid.

Did you check the switches with an ohmmeter? The trim/tilt switch is a 2-way switch and will show continuity only when it is toggled in each direction between two of the wires.

Up toggle connects the RED wire to the BLUE wire. Down toggle connects the RED wire to the GREEN wire. The TRAILER UP switch also connects the RED wire to the BLUE wire.

The OD trim limit switch will only send voltage to the trim/tilt switch in the upward toggle position if the OD limit switch is below the adjusted trim limit that keeps the OD being out of the water.

To test the limit switch circuit, lower the OD to the down position and slowly raise it with the trim toggle up until it stops. Then measure the distance between the trim cylinder attaching bolts. If the distance is approx. 22 +/- 1/4 inches, then the trim limit switch is adjusted properly and the commander trim toggle switch is working in the up/down mode.

Go to the trim/tilt pump assy. and make sure the purple wire connector (single wire) and the blue wire connector two blue wires on one side of the connection are not corroded or loose. Pull them apart; they should be clean and tight; reconnect them.

Next check the three (RED, BLUE & GREEN) wire connector at the pump assy. The RED wire in the plug sends 12 volts from the pump assy. to the toggle up/down and trailer up switches. This plug can vibrate loose and cause your problem. Pull it off and see if the pins are clean and not corroded; reconnect it.

The BLUE & GREEN wires bring 12 volts from the switches to the two solenoids on the pump assy. The GREEN wire goes to the DOWN solenoid while the BLUE wire goes to the UP solenoid.

Disconnect the trim/tilt assy. wires from the battery and then check each of the nuts and studs on the solenoids for clean and tight fittings. Each solenoid has three wires and the buss bar connected to it. The bases of them have a black ground wire and a small blue wire to one and a small green wire to the other.

On top of each solenoid, the large BLUE wire from the pump motor attaches to a large copper stud with the solenoid that has the small blue wire at the base while the large GREEN wire from the pump motor attaches to a large copper stud with the solenoid that has the small green wire at the base.

The other copper solenoid studs are connected together with a copper buss bar. One of the two studs will also have a funny looking 110 amp fuse attached to the bar. The large RED wire from the battery connects to the 110 amp fuse. This large red wire is the power for this buss bar. A small RED wire attached to the bar stud sends 12 volts to the switches which in turn sends the 12 volts to the solenoids which turns on the pump motor.

Important: if the studs on the either solenoid are dark and not like a clean penney, especially the BLUE wired solenoid, this solenoid is failing due to age and/or a loose bottom copper stud nut. The dark color comes from heat generated inside of the solenoid by the contactor because it is arcing like welding similar to points wearing out. Change the solenoid.
 
Wow. You have given me a great response. I just think people like you are fantastic and this group is so very helpful. Just one question.... Can I do all the things you mentioned, (and there is a lot of them,) with the boat in the water?
 
Yes, should be able to do with them in the water. I would start with the Green wire, sounds like it is not supplying power to the pump. If the pump runs up then the problem is not the pump, it's something in the wiring or solenoid. Also, the trim limit switch is not in play when trimming down, so that would not be the problem either.
 
Awesome news! One thing, I didn't get a document.....I hope I don't need it but it might be helpful....
Thanks again for the great response.
Jack
 
Before you go too nuts with that truly great response look for the 50 amp push button circuit breaker that is between your batteries and the trim motor. It will be mounted somewhere near the engine and it is a red button about twice the size of a pencil eraser. Push it and then try again.

Sometimes when raising the drive some tend to hold the "up" button a bit too long and it will trip that breaker. You then get the dead situation you describe. Curious....what happens when you push the button to raise the drive? Anything?
Shawn
 
Before you go too nuts with that truly great response look for the 50 amp push button circuit breaker that is between your batteries and the trim motor. It will be mounted somewhere near the engine and it is a red button about twice the size of a pencil eraser. Push it and then try again.

Sometimes when raising the drive some tend to hold the "up" button a bit too long and it will trip that breaker. You then get the dead situation you describe. Curious....what happens when you push the button to raise the drive? Anything?
Shawn
 
I tried raising the stern drive using the power trim on the shifter.... Nothing.
Then I tried raising the stern drive using the push to Trailer button.... Nothing.
I will be back to you on this. Thanks man.
Jack
 
power trim /tilt systems are usually direct to battery thru the 90A fuse link on the solenoids buss bar.Check both the pos and neg connections, then jump the 2 large lugs on the solenoid, blue for up, green for down. If motor runs you have power connections, then using a jumper from the + battery post touch the small green and blue wires on the solenoid . solenoid should operate the motor. From there is a 20A fuse on a red wire going to the 3 conductor plug. that supplies power to the switch on the handle to activate the solenoids,
 
Before you go too nuts with that truly great response look for the 50 amp push button circuit breaker that is between your batteries and the trim motor. It will be mounted somewhere near the engine and it is a red button about twice the size of a pencil eraser. Push it and then try again.

Sometimes when raising the drive some tend to hold the "up" button a bit too long and it will trip that breaker. You then get the dead situation you describe. Curious....what happens when you push the button to raise the drive? Anything?
Shawn

Well, you gave me the best advice. So I ran a bunch of tests from the printout I got here. I tried my back, after having left the jumper on somewhere, smokes comes rolling out of the engine cavity, I grab the fire extinguisher under the steering wheel, douse it and the entire engine compartment, shut down all power and calm down. Scared the shit out of me. Fixed the breather on the water fill system, fixed a tiny leak on the water system plumbing, all in all, not bad except for the scared and I spent the time to clean all the fx dust off. Still don't have the strength drivedrive but after going through a bunch of checks, right now I think I have a bad solenid, are there two?
What a day.
I love this boat.
Jack
 
Maybe. It depends on the brand you have. There were a couple of different brands Merc used.

If you put a volt meter on the terminal where the red wire attaches and ground (black wire) do you have 12 volts? If not, your problem may not be the pump unit.
 

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