trim/tilt motor going bad?

[DANO]

Hey guys,
Just recently started having problems trimming up the motor. Its not the switch because I had one replaced and the symptoms I'm getting occurs at both engine and hand control.
Symptoms: attempt to trim up engine and only hear the clicking from the fuse box.
If i trim up then down really fast then I have no problem.
Other symptoms, trimming up and the engine moves really slow and sounds slower. Again, it I go up then down really fast, no problem.
other symptoms; no response other than the noise from the fuse box.
Has anyone experienced this and if so what was the result. Thanks DANO

[jb123]

Dano....have you checked your fluid.....??

[Hamfisted]

Dano I guess you checked the fluid level right? Could be just the trim motor going bad. Do you have an amp meter to test it?
Did you ever get your motor hooked up to a YDS?


-Mike

[steve22]

I think it's the tilt motor relay. Some motors have separate relays for up and for down. On some, it's all one part, and therefore more expensive. If the motor tilts down normally, it's not likely the fluid. If the problem occurs at both switches (remote and on the motor) it's likely not a switch. Could be a connection at the tilt motor or relay. Try reversing the wires for the up and down. If it now tilts up, but not down, then you've isolated the problem to the up relay, and that's your problem. check wiring schematics in your owner's manual for help.

[slim]

your problem sounds like the brushes in your trim motor are getting stuck. here is a quick and easy test. while holding the switch in either position with no movement out of the motor, try very lightly tapping on the trim motor. use a soft mallet or light taps with regular hammer. if it moves after you do this, your brushes are stuck. you need to remove the trim motor, clean brush holder and if needed, sand the brushes a hair. this is not a easy job for the do it yourselfer. depending on what motor you have, you may have to remove the motor from the boat to get the t/t motor off. t/t motors are not cheap so try your best to get this one going.

[Ken]

Dano,
I agree with Steve in that it could be a bad relay. There are two relays that energize the t/t motor - one for up and one for down.
But each relay provides a ground path for the other when the other is energized.
Each relay is a single-pole-double-throw configuration. In other words, each relay has a "wiper" that in the unenergized state sits on a contact that is connected to ground. Each wiper has a wire that goes back to the t/t motor. On my 2000 C115, I have a blue and a green wire on the wiper.
When a switch is activated to go up/down, then that relay wiper swings over from ground to 12 volts. The other un-energized relay provides a ground path for the t/t motor thru the wiper that is resting at the ground contact.
Use your voltmeter to check the voltages per the above - on my C115, the top relay is for up, and, of course, the bottom for down.
The clicking you hear when you energize a t/t switch to the "up" position is the "up" relay.
I'm gonna bet you have a bad "up" relay, but it could be a bad "down" relay not providing a ground path thru its wiper.
Good luck, and let us know what you find [img]smile.gif[/img] ,
Ken K

[slim]

in your first post you said that the motor sometimes goes up really slow? i doubt very seriously that its a relay. i personally have never seen a relay cause slow movement from a trim motor and also go in and out. i would be willing to bet its your brushes in the motor stuck. is your trim motor rusty at all. water could have gotten in it past the seals and this will also cause the brushes to stick. did you try tapping on it yet? let us know.

[Ken]

Dano,
I misunderstood you - I thought your outboard would not go up at all
Since the outboard does go up, albeit slowly as opposed to down, I tend to agree with Slim that it is most likely a bad t/t motor/brushes.
Try the "tapping" trick Slim suggests - if that does not make any difference, then try swapping the two leads from the relay assembly to the t/t motor to see if the outboard does the same thing, i.e. goes up slowly. If so, then that eliminates a possible bad relay wiper/contact.
Also, I looked at the diagram for your outboard in the online catalog above. The t/t relays are completely different than my C115 - looks like it's all one assembly and not separate .
Good luck - let us know what you find [img]smile.gif[/img] ,
Ken K

[DANO]

OK, Did the simple thing first, checked the fluid level and added as needed. Tested the motor and this time, nothing up or down. Finally after numerous attepts it kicked in. Raised and lowered the engine 20 times trying to re-produce the symptom but nothing. I wiil add the the motor sound and feels tighter. Meaning that before when I would trim down and let go of the switch the motor would run on. Now it stops immediately. Thanks for all the replies and I will continue to try to reproduce the problem. Hopefully problem solved. I will add that one of my seals appears to be showing signs of the beginnings of corrosion. May have a slow leak.
Thanks again and I will keep you posted.
DANO