Bravo 3 Drive won’t go down

[LawyerMan]

I have a 2006 270SLX. Last time I put it in the lift (about 4 months ago) I forgot to put the drive all the way down.

Today was a nice day so I lowered the boat in the lift and ran it, but the out drive wouldn’t lower. It raises fine, but won’t lower.

Suggestions?

 

[Lazy Daze]

It raises fine, but won’t lower.

Need more info/clarification. If it won't go down, how do you know it goes up? Any motor sound when trying to go down? Pump reservoir fluid level OK? Check for physical obstructions?

FYI, don't make a habit of running the engine with the drive up - you can damage things.

 

[oceanpearl]

I have the same problem. My mechanic told me to put it in forward with some speed and it will go down. Worked for me.
Good luck.

 

[LawyerMan]

Need more info/clarification. If it won't go down, how do you know it goes up? Any motor sound when trying to go down? Pump reservoir fluid level OK? Check for physical obstructions?

FYI, don't make a habit of running the engine with the drive up - you can damage things.

I ran the boat while still in the lift. We didn’t cruise with it. I had someone hit the trim switch and I stood on the dock and watched. The outdrive lifts fine. It does not go down when the down switch is hit. It does make a motor sound when I hit down. It sounds different than normal operation when I hit down compared to up.

 

[boatmailster]

Few possibilities:bad trim switch, bad solenoid on trim pump, bad trim sender, low oil. Can you lower it manually?

 

[DWABoat]

What sound do you hear when trying to down? Is it a single click or continuous motor running sound?

 

[LawyerMan]

Few possibilities:bad trim switch, bad solenoid on trim pump, bad trim sender, low oil. Can you lower it manually?

I stood on it while someone hit the down switch and got it lowered a little. Then raised it. Now it won’t go down at all. It raises just fine.

 

[LawyerMan]

What sound do you hear when trying to down? Is it a single click or continuous motor running sound?

Motor running sound

 

[boatmailster]

I stood on it while someone hit the down switch and got it lowered a little. Then raised it. Now it won’t go down at all. It raises just fine.

You need to start from basics. Use voltmeter (ohmmeter) to test the switch and if you are getting power to pump from the switch.

 

[Arminius]

As OceanPearl suggested, try brute force. Put her in the water. With engine water intake definitely submerged, take her out for a careful cruise. Keep trimming her down while advancing the throttle slowly to avoid cavitation. Have an assistant keep a lookout to avoid running into anything as your bow will be high initially.

 

[LawyerMan]

You need to start from basics. Use voltmeter (ohmmeter) to test the switch and if you are getting power to pump from the switch.

The pump has power.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Put her in the water. With engine water intake definitely submerged, take her out for a careful cruise. Keep trimming her down while advancing the throttle slowly to avoid cavitation.

NOT a good idea. As mentioned above, damage can result from that.

 

[Lazy Daze]

LM, the "sound" that you hear... is it like the pump is straining - kind of like the sound you hear once the drive is fully up or fully down?

Double check the fluid, just to be sure. Assuming there's nothing physically in the way, I'm wondering if one of the rams jammed up inside (the "sliders"). It's very easy to disconnect the rams. Once you do that, you can verify that the drive, itself is free to pivot up and down and you can operate the trim switch while observing the rams.

 

[paulswagelock]

Pretty simple systems. There is a relay on the pump to make it run. If you hear that relay pull in and the pump running then only usually 3 issues, something stuck in drive blocking it from moving, low fluid or bad pump.

 

[LawyerMan]

LM, the "sound" that you hear... is it like the pump is straining - kind of like the sound you hear once the drive is fully up or fully down?

Double check the fluid, just to be sure. Assuming there's nothing physically in the way, I'm wondering if one of the rams jammed up inside (the "sliders"). It's very easy to disconnect the rams. Once you do that, you can verify that the drive, itself is free to pivot up and down and you can operate the trim switch while observing the rams.

Yes. When I hit the down trim switch it sounds as if it is straining. Similar to when it is all the way in the down position and you hit it again anyways.

 

[boatmailster]

The pump has power.

Are you getting power between black and green wires on pump motor while trying to go down?

 

[Arminius]

That's the sound of a spring loaded bypass valve opening and limiting hydraulic downforce. Use engine thrust! The first one of these I fixed I took apart while working on a bottle of Jack Daniels. Soon I had fluid, springs and stainless bbs all over the place. I manged to put it back together using all the parts and the next morning it worked fine but I don't know how.
The next one had green corrosion in the motor commutator which cleaned up and allowed the brushes to do their thing. Anyway, I've got an AV rating and, lawyer to lawyer, my view is use brute force as all the hydraulics are protected by poppet valves and it will be kind of an adventure.

 

[Lazy Daze]

That's the sound of a spring loaded bypass valve opening and limiting hydraulic downforce. Use engine thrust! The first one of these I fixed I took apart while working on a bottle of Jack Daniels. Soon I had fluid, springs and stainless bbs all over the place. I manged to put it back together using all the parts and the next morning it worked fine but I don't know how.
The next one had green corrosion in the motor commutator which cleaned up and allowed the brushes to do their thing. Anyway, I've got an AV rating and, lawyer to lawyer, my view is use brute force as all the hydraulics are protected by poppet valves and it will be kind of an adventure.

The damage that we're worried about is not related to the T/T pump motor. It's the engine/drive powertrain. Things such as the gimbal bearing and driveshaft u-joint can be severely damaged. The engine should never be running unless the drive is trimmed down.

LM... a quick thing you could try (after checking fluid level/quality)... rapidly change the direction (up/down). You can vary the speed of what "rapidly" is, but IF one of the internal pieces in the hyd ram is cockeyed, it "might" reset it.

Once you do a little more investigation/testing, you should be able to at least narrow down the culprit to the pump motor or the drive side of things.

 

[Arminius]

Just be sure the water intake is submerged as you advance the throttle. The pump impeller is water lubricated and has a dry lifespan of substantially less than 30 seconds as the rpm increases. At that angle, your props will be digging a large hole in the water.

 

[LawyerMan]

I wanted to make sure I posted the solution this for future readers of this thread. The problem was the drive was stored in a mid to up position for an extended period of time (on accident). DON'T DO THAT! Always store with your drive in the full down position.

The solution: Have someone stand on the drive and bounce on it. I know raising it seems counter intuitive, but do it. Raise it, lower it, raise it, lower it. Do it over and over again. It will clear the air out of the hydraulic lines and eventually fix itself.