Trim sender/limit switch replacement on bravo outdrive

[StefanFL]

I'm planning to replace these toward the end of season and by searching around figured it either require partial sterndrive disassemble or some people tend to drill hole above the waterline and put wires through it.

I have an idea to cut the wires of old sender solder new sender wires on them really nice and put heat shrink over, then slowly pull from the bilge until new cable is inside then cut, crimp new connectors and that's it.

My only concern is to cut some seal inside with the soldered boat and get a leak. Not entirely sure where they are routed exactly.
Assuming you can pull/push current wires without resistance nice solder job with quality shrink shouldn't make a difference.

Have anyone tried this method?

 

[scoflaw]

The wire merc used is no better than hardware store lamp cord, it's not tinned, and often the reason for failure.

 

[StefanFL]

Looking at the manual, it looks like there is a plate with 2 bolts that press on wires, so I believe if i can access and lose these bolts a little bit, i should be able to fish the wire.
I will take the boat out to change gear oil. and will try to replace them if it's not possible the way I plan to do, might open the sensors and replace internals and seal them.

wires are replaced by PO O have 4 pairs in bilge 2 pairs coming from drive and 2 are hanging on zip ties with one end cut.

 

[bbwhitejr]

There are multiple threads on here where these were changed without pulling the drive. I did it on a B3 several years ago.

Bennett

 

[Coz]

I’ve done it a couple times w/o removing drives. If you trim the drive just right you can see the bolt that needs removed. Trick is getting a socket in there. I took a 1/4” drive extension and ground it down on my grinder to make it thinner.
Not sure why you would solder anything. Getting the wires in is easy.

 

[StefanFL]

Got you. thanks for replay, I did look into diagrams and realized once you remove that bracket you can just push the wires from the outside., I was under impression that it's not going straight and you need to fish the wires through, so was thinking solder temporarily to old wire in order to use them to pull new wire in.

I will pull boat out in fall to check drive oil and do some touch up paint if there are some scratches, so it's good timing to replace these. I'm not relaying on them anyway, but it bothers me that gauge is not working.

 

[Thornton69]

It isn't to bad of a job while your bellows are out of the way. When was the last time you replaced them?

 

[paulswagelock]

I have instructions posted on here with specific details to changing it while the drive remains intact. Search my posts.

 

[StefanFL]

Purchased this boat last summer, transom and upper unit were replaced a week before I picked up the boat.
Now when you asked that, I start to think that sender/limiter were replaced as well at that time and that's why I have 2 extra pairs of cut cables inside.
Trim limit is bypassed at the pump, so it might actually work, I will hook up and try. and sender is connected but gauge does act weird, jumps up and down from no reason.

 

[paulswagelock]

There also is a replacement rheostat in the sender puck that can be changed if that is all that is wrong with it.