Trim operation

rasbury

I've had our 270/bravo 3 for about 8 years , trim has been an issue...seems like it worked ok and then only goes up with the trailer switch. I have re sealed the transom so everything came out. I put new sensors on the out drive and now they don't work right either. I have looked over connections and such, tight and corrosion free. I always read the breakers at the pump are usually the culprit but this sounds like maybe more of a switch in the handle...anyone walk me through checking with a meter for voltage etc? It works fine down, will work up with trailer switch.

aero3113

@rasbury check your solenoids at the pump.

YYZRC

If trim only goes up with the trailer switch, highly likely that your trim puck is not set properly. It limits the trim and only the trailer switch can override it. Easy to fix especially on the trailer. 

The puck on the starboard side of the drive reports the trim position to the sender and the puck on the port side is the limiter. 

Ian

When you hit the switches do the solenoids fire? If not @YYZRC is on the right path.

rasbury

So down you barley graze and it starts...up is 0, trailer is now hit and miss.

rasbury

I have tried to set it but must be missing something.  Not showing position either.. 

YYZRC

Just bypass it. You just disconnect the sender and jumper the two wires leading to the helm. 

rasbury

Hmmm...so disconet both senders...not following the jumping...take a wire in a u shape and put that into the two wires coming from the helm? And if tgat works I have issues with senders.. if not them tge switch at the helm?

YYZRC

There’s a connector at the transom assembly for the pucks. Disconnect the trim limit puck (port side of the drive) and put a u shaped wire in the connectors that lead to the helm. 

rasbury

OK @YYZRC I finally got the boat home and same operation. I can hear when the hatch is open and attempt to trim the boat, bottom will click but a few clicks needed to engage the motor..up is nothing and then the trailer up will click and again a few cycles to get the pump to operate. It has sat for most of the last couple of years...but this has been the way it operated since I've had the boat...I assume it can still be that solenoid and orobably the cheapest quick fix so I guess I get one coming?

YYZRC

Did you connect the trim limit leads together?

rasbury

I disconnected the two wires coming from the port side and did a jumper like you described...I have had 3 different boats over the years and all with merc trims...one way older and one younger but never had any problems...this still leads me back to the switch in the handle? Plus probably the solenoid if not both...and just because you hear a click does that mean it makes the correct connection?

Cableguy Greg

Jump the solenoid on the trim pump to see if that works. Blue is up, green is down. I had an issue last summer where the pump would just click when trying to trim up. I ordered two new solenoids and replaced both. Problem solved. I would go that route first. Part number 8m0185622 

aero3113

Easy way to remember:

Blue = Up (Blue Sky)

Green = Down (Green Grass)

YYZRC

Agreed with @Cableguy Greg 's advice. It doesn't seem likely that the issue is the switch if you get the same result (solenoid clicking) when you are pressing up on the trim switch and up on the trailer switch.

rasbury

@YYZRC that is not the case- if I just hit the up I get nothing, ever. When I first got the boat it would work intermittently. I'm getting clicking, sometimes, in the trailer up or down. It seem to be working better with some use but constant up  and down does overheat for a couple minutes..

rasbury

@Cableguy Greg thanks for your info. When you say you replaced both I assume you mean you have two trim pumps as I only see one on our 270...I will do that but I sure think there is something wacky in the handle. I will concentrate on this before I get to the senders. I will put the jumper for the up to make sure that is not making the up button work...thanks!

rasbury

I might as well try to jump it as if it is not the solenoid sounds like I will be getting new everything....talk to me like a 4 year old...the blue and green are on the trim pump itself? What am I using for power to hit the blue and green to test the motor I assume? If that works I go to the solenoid and if that does not fix it I go to the wire from the handle and up then to the handle?

Cableguy Greg

There are two solenoids on one trim pump. One solenoid is for up, the blue wire. The other is for down, the green wire. If you jump across the solenoid, the pump will start working. The blue and green wires are on the pump. Blue turns the pump one way, green turns it the other way. 

My trim was doing the same thing, working intermittently. I replaced both solenoids so that I knew that they were brand new. Replacing fixed my problem. You can replace one at a time if you like. 

YYZRC

@rasbury while you are working on the solenoids, I highly recommend removing the reservoir (it is held in place with 4 bolts) and draining/cleaning it.

here’s a pic of the solenoids:

rasbury

Awesome, thanks!

rasbury

@Cableguy Greg I'm still not understanding where the jumper is connecting- I seeing looking at the selonoid on line, each has two posts- so I'm jumping the two post on each selonoid and one will run up and one will run down correct?

Cableguy Greg

Remove the black plate that protects the electrical contacts. The center is the hot. There is a solenoid connected to the center post and the blue and green are connected to each end of their respective solenoid. 

rasbury

That new one looks nice..they are pricey! I will start here...I think I will find a wire issue...not an electric person...at all...on the handle the rocker switch has 3 positions so are there three wires? Or does the trailer position contact signal somewhere to by pass the limit puck?
Thanks @Cableguy Greg...you have bailed me out on a couple of electrical issues....

Cableguy Greg

Save yourself a ton of wire tracing. Replace the two solenoids at the pump. It’s a 1 beer job. The hardest part is removing the cover over the terminals. 4 nuts on each solenoid. The part is $30 each. 

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/mercury-mercruiser-8m0185622-solenoid/?fbclid=IwAR0fOf7iPnJx5-zuZs-IpJZgAOqesE3tZL0_pVPFNIhIBKLJ539tdq1MDSs

Dream_Inn

I agree with Greg.  It’s cheap in boating terms and definitely easy to do.  I’m an electrical engineer and would just change it as well after jumping to see it works.

rasbury

Thanks- I started to get in the boat but got called away...so jumping the selonoid is really checking the pump operation not the selonoid or other wiring correct? I'll get it checked out this weekend...

rasbury

Update- jumped the selonoid green and blue off the hot  post on the pump and the pump ran either way with no hesitation. I pulled the harness plug from the pump and checked continuity for the blue and green leads depressing the down, up and trailer up and confirmed no continuity at the just down position. So, it looks like I suspected there is something in the wire between the plug and the switch at the helm. I pulled the loom apart at the plug end- the blue wire at the plug turns two blue wires going up to the helm via a butt connector...and another wire as well so like 5 wires heading into the harness. Not sure what my next check will be..going back to the wire harness diagram and see if I can figure how to trace it back?

MH342

Hey Ras, not sure if the trim wires run through all the Rinker factory wiring harnesses or if they are a direct run to the helm but the plastic connectors used throughout the Rinker wiring hardnesses are notorious for coming loose over time. If you trace the loom and just give every connector in the path a really hard squeeze, you may get lucky. I fixed a speaker and my fresh water pump that way  . The electrical drawings posted in this site can help but it make take longer to decipher the harness connector locations just then use trial and error. 

MH342

Well I skimmed through the drawings for the 342 and it didn’t include any trim wires (just the gauge). So either it wasn’t documented or it’s a separate run to the helm. In either case, if you find they pass through those wire harness connectors it’s worth a shot to try tightening them up. 

rasbury

Thanks @MH342....these would be merc wires that are run through the same lumes as the rinker wires so not documented by them. I thought the same thing- tweak those couple of connectors and see if it comes alive before I start going into that handle- which looks like a real mess...I don't see any reason for other connectors that what I see in the bilge but, will keep looking!
Thanks again-