Trim stuck! Please help!

Nikki

Nikki

New Member
Jul 4, 2017
12
Oklahoma
Boat Info
240 Sundeck 2004
Engines
350 Mercruiser BravoII. I think.....
I have a 2004 Sundeck with a Mercruiser 350 Bravo3. My trim gauge has been not accurate for some time now. It would eventually “catch up” when the trim changed to up or down. However. Now the trim isn’t working! It’s gotten stuck “up” a couple of times and with a lot of murmurs under the breath and holding the button for an extended period… it would release. Now it’s not. I have it in the down position currently, but the gauge doesn’t reflect. My biggest concern is being able to raise and lower the engine and it getting stuck isn’t good. My mechanic has no idea. Do any of you? Thank you for the help!! I’m just a non engine girl trying to trouble shoot what others are trained to do.
 
Little more detail on your symptoms.
When you describe the trim as being, “stuck”, are you referring to the gauge needle only or the actual outdrive?

Does this only happen in the far up position?

When you press the up/down trim switch, does the trim pump work? (Do you hear the hydraulic pump start and stop?)

If the pumping system starts/stops, do you know if your outdrive is going up or down?

I am not sure if your system has the limiter that will shut off the up movement to prevent damage when using trim. Is there a “Trailer” switch somewhere on the console? My 2001 Alpha has this switch separately.
 
Sounds like you have poor connection due to corrosion or looseness. It has now lost its connection.
Clean and resecure the electrical connections to the pump and switches. Start at the pump and move to the power supply and then to the switches at the helm.
If it is the guage, you can take the cover off the sender unit on the drive and clean its components as well. If it needs to be replaced, that will need to be done with the boat out of the water.
Just had our sender go bad 2 weeks into last season. Alarms from the smart craft wouldn't shut up. My mechanic advised get a new sender and plug it in to the harness in the engine compartment and wire tie the sender to something in the engine compartment until next season. ust replaced it while on the hard alst week. Good luck
 
If the out drive is getting stuck in up position, it is usually caused by a faulty pump and / or it's associated bits, OR the trim pistons on each side of the drive unit are in need of rebuild.

Stupid question here, but gotta ask. Did anyone check the trim system oil level in the reservoir under the pump???
 
DWABoat said:
Little more detail on your symptoms.
When you describe the trim as being, “stuck”, are you referring to the gauge needle only or the actual outdrive?

Does this only happen in the far up position?

When you press the up/down trim switch, does the trim pump work? (Do you hear the hydraulic pump start and stop?)

If the pumping system starts/stops, do you know if your outdrive is going up or down?

I am not sure if your system has the limiter that will shut off the up movement to prevent damage when using trim. Is there a “Trailer” switch somewhere on the console? My 2001 Alpha has this switch separately.
Click to expand...
DWABoat said:
Little more detail on your symptoms.
When you describe the trim as being, “stuck”, are you referring to the gauge needle only or the actual outdrive?

Does this only happen in the far up position?

When you press the up/down trim switch, does the trim pump work? (Do you hear the hydraulic pump start and stop?)

If the pumping system starts/stops, do you know if your outdrive is going up or down?

I am not sure if your system has the limiter that will shut off the up movement to prevent damage when using trim. Is there a “Trailer” switch somewhere on the console? My 2001 Alpha has this switch separately.
Click to expand...
DWABoat. Thanks for helping. The actual out drive gets stuck. Mostly in the up position, but it may only be up a few degrees. It has gotten stuck all the way up previously and the mechanic then thought is was stuck in trailer mode (doesn’t have a separate switch and I have never trailered it). Even when it’s not physically moving, it sounds like it’s trying. I hope this helps you help me . Thanks again.
 
Bill Curtis said:
If the out drive is getting stuck in up position, it is usually caused by a faulty pump and / or it's associated bits, OR the trim pistons on each side of the drive unit are in need of rebuild.

Stupid question here, but gotta ask. Did anyone check the trim system oil level in the reservoir under the pump???
Click to expand...
@billcurtis. No. No one has checked that I know and I know I wouldn’t know where to look! My stupid question, how would I know if the pump is faulty or trim pistons need a rebuild ? Can I look to see the condition and where would I look? I live in a small town so options are limited. I keep my boat in the water and don’t trailer it so I am having to learn some stuff myself. Thank you!!!
 
Korkie said:
Sounds like you have poor connection due to corrosion or looseness. It has now lost its connection.
Clean and resecure the electrical connections to the pump and switches. Start at the pump and move to the power supply and then to the switches at the helm.
If it is the guage, you can take the cover off the sender unit on the drive and clean its components as well. If it needs to be replaced, that will need to be done with the boat out of the water.
Just had our sender go bad 2 weeks into last season. Alarms from the smart craft wouldn't shut up. My mechanic advised get a new sender and plug it in to the harness in the engine compartment and wire tie the sender to something in the engine compartment until next season. ust replaced it while on the hard alst week. Good luck
Click to expand...
@Korkie thanks for the info. Because I am learning, where would I find the sender? I keep my boat on a lift and don’t have a trailer, so getting it out if the water is challenging. Anyway to do that from a lift? Thanks again!!
 
I wouldn’t worry about the gauge just yet. The key should be you hear the pump run and nothing is happening. When I had issues with a boat with out drive like this, the wires had broke in the quick silver throttle and would not operate at all.

I am assuming the fluid level is good? After that it would be a guess that the pump isn’t creating the pressure to move the drive

Nikki said:
@Korkie thanks for the info. Because I am learning, where would I find the sender? I keep my boat on a lift and don’t have a trailer, so getting it out if the water is challenging. Anyway to do that from a lift? Thanks again!!
Click to expand...
 
Yes I would agree to first go to the pump (in the engine compartment) and check the reservoir fluid level as well as to make sure it operates when someone hits the trim switch up or down.
 
brewster16 said:
Yes I would agree to first go to the pump (in the engine compartment) and check the reservoir fluid level as well as to make sure it operates when someone hits the trim switch up or down.
Click to expand...
@Brewster. Thanks!! I will start searching for the pump and fluid levels. There is a separate something in the engine compartment that has a fluid component visible and I was wondering what it may be. I thought it may be the bilge pump as it’s on that side. Maybe it’s the trim hydraulics?
 
Chris-380 said:
I wouldn’t worry about the gauge just yet. The key should be you hear the pump run and nothing is happening. When I had issues with a boat with out drive like this, the wires had broke in the quick silver throttle and would not operate at all.

I am assuming the fluid level is good? After that it would be a guess that the pump isn’t creating the pressure to move the drive
Click to expand...
@Chris-380
Thanks!! I do hear it running but it doesn’t necessarily move. I will start searching for the pump and fluid levels. There is a separate something in the engine compartment that has a fluid component visible and I was wondering what it may be. I thought it may be the bilge pump as it’s on that side. Maybe it’s the trim hydraulics? Thank you again!
 
The trim pump looks like this. Check the fluid level (yellow cap), there are marks on the container that indicate the proper level. Also, the fluid should be clean looking, usually amber or reddish in color, if it is milky that is another problem - but check the fluid level and condition first.
IMG_0471.JPEG
 
Since you can hear the pump making sounds, you can eliminate all electrical issues. Focus on hydraulics.

As noted previously, start with the easy thing and check the fluid level. HOWEVER, that "shouldn't" be low so the next step would be to find the leak. Check around the pump... check the bilge... check the hoses and rams on the outside.

If the level is good, then there's most likely an issue with the rams, themselves.


FYI... you DO have a "trailer" button... push the trim "up" button harder to the "second click".
 
If it is the rams I will have four of them, although used but work fine, available in a week or so. Installing 2 new transom assemblies in in mid May. I can send you 2 of them for the shipping if you want to save a few boat bucks.
 
BillK2632 said:
The trim pump looks like this. Check the fluid level (yellow cap), there are marks on the container that indicate the proper level. Also, the fluid should be clean looking, usually amber or reddish in color, if it is milky that is another problem - but check the fluid level and condition first.View attachment 143691
Click to expand...
@BillK2632 Super helpful! Thank you!
 
Lazy Daze said:
Since you can hear the pump making sounds, you can eliminate all electrical issues. Focus on hydraulics.

As noted previously, start with the easy thing and check the fluid level. HOWEVER, that "shouldn't" be low so the next step would be to find the leak. Check around the pump... check the bilge... check the hoses and rams on the outside.

If the level is good, then there's most likely an issue with the rams, themselves.


FYI... you DO have a "trailer" button... push the trim "up" button harder to the "second click".
Click to expand...
THANK YOU!! Looks like I'll be doing new hydraulics / rams. :-(
 
Korkie said:
If it is the rams I will have four of them, although used but work fine, available in a week or so. Installing 2 new transom assemblies in in mid May. I can send you 2 of them for the shipping if you want to save a few boat bucks.
Click to expand...
@Korkie That would be fantastic!!! Looks like I am going to be doing some maintenance. I will figure out how to get in touch. THANK YOU!!!
 
Sorry to hear you're having problems you said the drive is stuck in the down position right now if you hear the trim pump working I would imagine that the switch and everything is okay I did have issues with my trim cylinders it needed they needed the end caps replaced because it would get stuck going down it was about a $600 job with parts and my outdrive works great now
 
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