1988 Sea Ray 270 Sundancer Sterndrive Up/Down Gages

[Lakeside]

I have a 1988 Sea Ray Sundancer 270. My problem is related to the raising the sterndrives. First, the port engine gages is very erractic and never reads properly. When I try to raise the drives by 25% to get through some shallow/weedy water, I can never tell if they are matched. Then, sometimes when I try to lower them with, the port drive simply won't go down all of the way. I have to stop the boat, kill the engine and use the trailering buttons to completely raise it and then I can get it down with the throttle switch. Does anyone have a clue as to what the problem may be?

 

[brains06]

Have you made sure that the tanks are topped off with fluid? You also may wanna check your connections too.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Also: Inaccurate readings could be the trim sender switch. Not physically going up/down could be an electrical switch problem at the throttle lever/dash, or it could mean your trim cylinders need to be rebuilt.

 

[Lakeside]

Thanks for your input. As it turns out, I apparently have to replace some sort of sender cable due to some damage that occurred when the bellows were replaced. Unfortunately, the drives must be disassembled (uoch) to do this. The problem with the drive not fully going down is related to a (piston or valve?) not fully retracting, but since there's a workaround, I'll wait until the boat's out of the water this fall to fix everything. Thanks all!!!!

 

[Lazy Daze]

There is a way to replace that sender w/o removing the drive (although according to Merc, that is the way to do it). One of our mechanics has figured out a way to fish it through. Saves a couple hours of labor.

Trim cylinder rebuilt - probably the plastic slide that's inside.

 

[EKM]

I would not spend the money to fix the sender units...they always break on a salt water boats and really don't provide much benefit IMO. Just my 2c....save the money for other repairs.

 

[berth control]

Might be good advice Ed. I like my trim gauges, but they are really a somewhat close guess on the older boats like mine. If mine were to break and it was cheap I would fix them, but if it will cost a lot, leave it. I trim by the sound and time on the switch, not the gauge at all.

 

[EKM]

I used to trim by the sighting of the OD stream...up until it cavitates slightly, and then bring it in a little. Mine broke years ago and were never fixed by me.