tilt motor makes noise but nothing happens

[monkeyboyjojo]

I just bought a 21' glastron boat with a 150 horse yamaha engine. I don't know how old the motor is yet, but i would guess 10 or 15 years old. I took it for a test drive and it runs great. I have it out of the water now. I am trying to get all the little things to work.
The tilt mechanism does not seem to work. The tilt button is on the side of the throttle lever. When I push it, I hear the electric motor spinning. The pistons do not move. I have cracked the small oil line open to lift the motor as high as it would go and pink oil dripped out of the line. I left the line loose and held the button (up and down) to see if oil would drip out but it doesn't. Besides filling up the resevoir, and trying it again, what is the next step? What type of oil do I use? Where is the refill for the resevoir? What do the two small pistons do?
What numbers do I need off of the motor or tilt mechanism to buy replacement parts?
I had a boat twenty years ago and I am trying to get back into it. Thanks

[Ken]

monkey,
There should be a model number somewhere on the outboard - will read something like 150TXRS.
With that number, you can look at the motor diagram in the online catalog above for boats.net, the sponsor of this forum - great source for parts.
There should be a bypass valve screw on the side of the t/t unit that is accessable thru a hole in the mounting bracket of the outboard, port or starboard. There will be a small image with an arrow stamped in the metal to indicate direction to loosen.
Turn the screw all the way till it stops, and then you can lift the motor by hand (may take two people, unless you are one strong dude).
Lift the outboard all the way up and then drop down the tilt locking lever for safety.
You can then get to the t/t unit and open the reservoir cap to add fluid - Any marine t/t fluid will work, or Dexron 2 ATF.
If the reservoir is full, and the t/t motor runs but nothing happens, then the t/t pump is faulty.
Could be just stuck check valve, or worse.
The two small rams are trim rams, and the one bigger one is the tilt ram.
You can rebuild the t/t unit, but I would advise that you get a Yamaha service manual to guide you along - can order online at www.yamahapubs.com.
Good luck [img]smile.gif[/img] ,
Ken K