Yamaha Trim Guage Not Working.

[hoggs222]

I've got a Yamaha 115 and the trim guage on the dash stopped working. Boat is a 2001 Lund Adventure 1700. Any ideas on what this could be?

[TiredOfWorking]

See this thread. Seems like a common problem.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=770952&page=9&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[marine_man]

Describe not working better... does the gauge go to all the way raised, when the motors down? vice versa? Act like it's not turning on at all?

marine_man

[hoggs222]

The guage is stuck below the line, (all the way to the left and then some). Almost as if there is no tension on the cable at all.

[marine_man]

Does the needle move at all when you turn the key switch on?

marine_man

[hoggs222]

Not a bit. It just stays in one spot. No movement at all.

[marine_man]

Ok... well, you've got a couple of spots to check.

First off, find the trim sender on your motor and manually move it to see if that's doing anything at all. The sender is likely located on the motor mounting bracket, but you'll need to have the motor tilted almost all the way up to see it - in fact, trim it all the way up, flip the little bracket and lower the motor onto that so you don't get any pinched fingers.

Anyway, I believe it's on the left hand side, on the inside part of the motor bracket. Look for a little sensor with a plastic arm on it. Push the arm down (with the key in the on position) and see if the sensor moves at all.

Presuming that doesn't work (which I don't think it will) you'll need a test light and will need to go under the dash of your boat. First, connect the aligator clamp end to a post on another gauge that has a black wire running to it (ground). Then, find the trim gauge and touch the test light to what should be either a purple or yellow wire (depending on the type of pre-rig you have) and see if there is power there that is switched with the key.

If the test light lights up you've got power. Next, move the aligator clamp to this post.

BE VERY CAREFULL WHERE YOU TOUCH YOUR PROBE NOW AS YOU COULD SHORT SOMETHING OUT BY INADVERDANTLY TOUCHING ANYTHING METAL

Anyway, now touch your probe to the terminal on the back of the trim gauge that has a black wire running to it (ground). If the test light lights up the gauge is receiving a good ground.

There should be two more wires running to the gauge, a blue one, which is power for the backlight on the gauge and another wire (color varies). Make sure that wire is on the gauge tight as that is the sender wire from the sender.

You've now eliminated the wiring to the gauge as a possibility.

After that it sort of turns into a little bit of a guessing game... it could be a pinched / cut wire in the harness from the motor - follow the main motor wiring harness from the rear of the boat to the front and make sure it's not pinched or cut anywhere.

Next up I'd probably replace the trim sender - it should be pretty a pretty straightforward replacement. If you can get your hands on another trim gauge you could also check that...

Good luck!

marine_man