Outdrive having trouble going down

chrissyscall

I have to push the button hard for the trim to go down? New button?? Or drive issue??

MarkB

If it goes down, the drive should be fine. The drive can't feel the strength of the button. So I'd say it's a stiff button. You might be able to clean the contacts on it. 

Dream_Inn

I'm going with Mark on this one.  Definitely in the contacts of the button.

chrissyscall

Ok I'll check it out, thanks!!!!! This forum is the BEST!!!

rasbury

I have the same problem....the down side of the button does not like to work all the time and I have to keep hitting it, other times it's fine...I need to check also that breaker thing on the pump itself as well.

chrissyscall

I feel a click when pushing "up", not when pushing "down"

MarkB

Chris, the click going up is intentional. There are two modes for lifting your drive.

(1) Push button up WITHOUT it going through the click. This first step is to trim the drive while operating the boat. Once your boat is on plane, this feature allows you to gain a bit more speed by trimming the drive up a little, and it gives you slightly better fuel economy.  You want to raise the drive up as much as possible, without porpoising (this is where the bow jumps up and down due to instability). The bow should be on the edge of jumping up and down, but still sit firm on the water. I basically raise the drive until I feel porpoising, then I lower it a little until the boat is stable.  NOTE - when you are not on plane, you should have the drive all the way down. Having the drive down, helps you get onto plane faster.

(2) Push button up harder and go through click. This is only when you plan to trailer your boat. This should only be done with the engine off, as it can raise the propeller right out of the water. So when your at the ramp and move the boat onto the trailer or about to be lifted out of the water, you turn off your engine and raise the drive to prevent the skeg and prop from any potential damage.

craigswardmtb

Mark, is that only a Volvo thing?  I never noticed it on my Merc binnacles.  They have separate trailer mode switches.

MarkB

Nope, my mercruiser bravo 3 drive has the same setup. I suppose it all has to do with the type of engine control device you have. My drive tilt is on the thumb of my accelerator.