Replacing Mercury Quicksilver Dual Tp Control Trim Switch

[Bucit]

I've tried to search this but couldn't find what I was looking for. We were on the water from Friday through Sunday last week and when I started the motors to head home the port motor would not trim down. We anchor in shallower waters so i usuallly put in both motors in trailer mode once anchored for the day. The motor would go up but not down so I know I have power. After I played around with it for a while I finally got it to work. The port trim switch has always felt "soft" to me. The starboard trim switch has a solid feel to it compared to the port side. Can these switches be replaced? It didn't look like the handle itself could be taken apart?

 

[floriduramax1]

Yes. I replaced mine a couple months ago. The trim ring just snaps in and there is an allen head set screw on the bottom of the shift lever. Also pop the button off that you push in to disengage the shift cable. You might have enough wire to just pull the trim ring off, remove the screws that hold the switches and pull them gently. They have spade terminals on them. Mine didn't have enough wire so I had to pull the shift handle also. Really pretty easy.

 

[Bucit]

The trim ring (the black plastic piece where the switch is) isn't glued on, it just snaps into place?

 

[floriduramax1]

The trim ring (the black plastic piece where the switch is) isn't glued on, it just snaps into place?

Yes, unless someone broke the tabs and glued it...like mine!!

 

[Bucit]

Cool. Thanks for the help. It seems like I'm always working on this thing. Used the head too (couldn't wait) and afterwards had a smell in the cabin. The HT was empty (or darn near empty) so I'm assuming the filter needs to be replaced or rebuilt.

 

[Bucit]

Well I still seem to have a problem and not sure where to start. The port outdrive gets stuck in the trailer mode. I checked the connections and tried the switch a 100 times and it works fine but once out on the water and I trim the outdrives to 25 (in trailer mode) and sit for a few hours I have a very hard time getting the outdrive to lower. I can raise and lower on the lift with absolutely no issues. It only does this when left in the trailer mode for a few hours. The reservoirs are full and the boat is not left in the water so no barnacles or growth on them. Any idea's?

 

[CliffA]

do you have trim switches on the transom?....if you do you could see if the transom switch works when the helm switch is acting up...if the transom switch works then your helm switch or its wiring may be faulty...not sure why being in the water makes any difference unless there is an exposed wire somewhere on the alpha drives that uses the water to ground out the electric current causing a short when you try to activate the trim switch....

as a side note if you don't have transom trim switches they are very easy to install...i put one on my 215EC in about 30 mins and use it all the time when the boat is on the trailer....i'm guessing you don't trailer your boat much (if at all) considering its size but the transom trim switch may come in handy while the boat is on the lift....

 

[Bucit]

Yea, the boat is lift kept and does not get trailered. I don't have the transom switches wither. I guess I could put them in the trailer mode while on the lift and see if the problem occurs. I tried it before but didn't leave it in the trailer mode for an extended period of time. It seems that's when it happens.

 

[CliffA]

when it is acting up, do you hear the solenoids clicking on the port drive when you press the trim switch?

 

[Bucit]

On the water it's too noisy or too many people so I don't have an answer for that. Next time I'll try and check it with everybody still in the water or on the beach so I can raise the EH and take a good listen. It will finally come down but it took about 3-5 minutes of playing with the switch before I got it. On the lift I haven't been able to duplicate the problem. I will raise it to trailer mode tonight and see if the problem is there tomorrow. This hopefully will steer me int he right direction.

 

[CliffA]

if the solenoids do click when the trim switch is activated that tells me the trim switch is making and allowing power to the trim solenoids...you probably already know that there are two solenoids ('up' and 'down') for each trim....if you suspect the 'down' solenoid for the port trim is faulty you can bypass the solenoid with a jumper wire across the terminals of the solenoid to see if the trim lowers....if the trim does lower when using a jumper wire the 'down' solenoid may be faulty...

i am trying to apply troubleshooting skills i have learned over the years (too many years) working on autos and trucks, so take my comments with a 'grain of salt'....i have only been messing around with boats for the past couple years, so there may be situations where something makes sense regarding auto mechanics but not make sense with marine mechanics.....just trying to help with some ideas...

 

[Bucit]

i am trying to apply troubleshooting skills i have learned over the years (too many years) working on autos and trucks, so take my comments with a 'grain of salt'....i have only been messing around with boats for the past couple years, so there may be situations where something makes sense regarding auto mechanics but not make sense with marine mechanics.....just trying to help with some ideas...

I appreciate all the advice given! I've worked on boats for years (mostly outboards) so these "car" motors with outdrives is new to me. The switch still feels soft to me but out of the water acts normal. I had a solenoid go bad on my OB and went to a auot parts store and bought a replacement. It was an easy fix. I'll continue to check it our and see what I can find and will report back.

 

[Bucit]

Well, I'm still stumped on this one. If I trim the port engine to 24 it will not duplicate the problem? 25 is max trailer mode so not sure why it does it when it's maxxed out but not one setting lower?