Tilt and trim acting up

[92python]

I have a 1992 Warrior tiller with a 75 mercury. Yesterday it was tilted all the way down and it wouldn't do anything or make any noise when I tried to tilt it up. It made the normal noise if if I tried to tilt it down.

If it won't go in the direction I want it too, I can usually make it work by going the other direction then immediately changing direction to the way I wanted it to go. Yesteday that wouldn't work, but today it did.

There are 3 tilt and trim controls on my boat and yesterday none of them worked. 1 on the handle, 1 on the motor, 1 in the front. Any ideas on what to look at?

[Ed Carlson]

Solenoid, relay, or switch..could be any of these at this point?

Might just be the switch since you could trick it into working then it failed? But it could just as easily be the solenoid or even the relay doing that too.

If your lucky, it my just be the relay, or the switch.

You will need to test from the switch back to see? Start there.

[grizzly]

If none of the switches worked I think it rules out the possibility of it being a switch. If the going down then up worked I would start by checking the carbon brushes in the pump motor. It could be a solenoid/contactor problem but the down then up thing wouldn't make it work being its two seperate curcuits and seperate contactors. Figure out what one is the up contactor and use a screwdriver to jump the large studs. If it goes up its not the motor or carbon brushes. check to see if you have 12v to the small studs on the contactor when one of the up buttons are pushed. if so replace the contactor.

hope this helps you

[401TE]

Start with the relays. Go buy yourself a couple new relays and see if that fixes the problem. If not, you have a couple spares which you should carry in the boat anyway.

[wormdunker]

I have a similar problem wtih my throttle trim switch. It will go down but not always up. I also have switches on the bow panel and on the motor itself. Both work fine all the time. What is a solution for my thumb switch on my throttle?

[TooTallTom]

If the other switches in the system (bow panel, motor mount) control the tilt/ trim as they should, the problem is either in the wiring from the throttle-mounted switch or that switch itself. If you replace the switch, you'll know for sure, and probably solve the problem.

[Smoker]

Just fixed mine. It was the $20 relay. Just a 5/16 bolt holding it on. Mine was the front one on a 40 hp Merc.

[92python]

Just went out into the garage and tilted up and down a bunch of times. After a couple minutes I got it to fail in one direction on all three switches. Then did the quick reverse and it worked again. After a few more up-downs it failed again.

Need to find a manual so I know what I am looking at.

[delmuts]

Worm! I agree with To Tall ! I had the same problem last year. Had the switch replaced on the throttle, and good to go.

[marine_man]

It sounds like a sticky trim relay to me.

Pop the plastic cover off the RH side of the motor. Look for two relays.. one that has a red and green wire and another that has a blue and red wire running to them.

Swap the relays around and see if the problem changes directions. If so, replace the bad one and you're good to go.

Trim and Tilt Wiring is pretty straight forward:

Green - Down

Red - Power

Blue - Up

marine_man

[delcecchi]

I have heard that these relays are commonly used in Automotive applications and are cheap at auto parts store? Is this true?

[marine_man]

On some motors that's correct.

marine_man

[401TE]

I have heard that these relays are commonly used in Automotive applications and are cheap at auto parts store? Is this true?

The difference is going to be the mounting bracket. Automotive ones won't be exactly the same, but they are about half the price. Not the worst idea for a cheap backup.