what in the @#$*! am I doing wrong? Trim sensor/sender....

212rowboat

I just don't get this thing..... seriously... it's about to drive me nuts.... 

here is the deal for those uninitiated:  a sensor on one side, a sender on the other, these things mount into the recessed splined bolt head of your bellhousing/upper gear box hinge pins... they're held by two little screws into the bell housing... you mount them, and run them through the transom plate- one lead goes to the trim switch and the other to the motor- one gives you a reading for your gauge, the other one deliniates between high trim and trailer tilt... 

I've read no less than three manners to adjust both... I've tried them all.... 

what i've discovered is that once you find the reading (top, let's say), the distance between the top and the bottom is different between the various 'top' positions available while turning that thing... that ought not be that way... it freakin' is, though.... it's driving me nuts... my gauge, even though I've made adjustment that reads top when the drive is topped out (trailer mode trim), and bottom when the drive is all the way down, and even half (highest usable trim) when it's approx half way will WIG OUT while actually on the water... it will read perfect on land, but NOT on the water... it will read absolute top one second, then total bottom the next... rarely will the gauge and the drive match on the water... get it back to land?  it's fine!!!  there are no shorts, there is no wiring lacking integrity.. I've twirled that wheel to use each successive 'top' or 'bottom' and it still does the freaky deeky... 

bad sensor?  bad gauge?  what are experiences here?  

Black_Diamond

Ha!  I just went thru this a week ago!  My trim gauge was moving all over the place, the other was dead/not working. Had to have both sensors/sending units replaced. Everyone says these are a PITA to adjust too. 

zaverin1

Probably water intrusion 
need a new one 

halifax212

Mine did similar nonsense......trying to fine tune it which didn't work until it finally stayed pegged on full up. Replaced by dealer now work fine. Gauge itself was not the issue.

aero3113

It does sound like water in the wires. I did this job on my last boat, there is a spline tool you will need to get the gimbal ring off. All and all it wasn't a bad job to do just time consuming if it's your first time.

jhofmann

I had the same issue on another boat, the rubber insulation was cracked and water was causing the wires to short out. You may get lucky and have enough good insulated wire through the transom to cut, splice in new wire, or new sensors, and seal with liquid electrical tape. Otherwise it is replacing the sensors and all the wire through the transom. The sensors are not that expensive, but a pain to do, or a fair amount labor at the shop.

212rowboat

do you gents recall my hinge pin saga?  

the whole reason I took the bell housing off was to replace the trim sensors... that is it and that is all... given, the new pins won't be a problem compared to the old ones, which will make quick work of the job- but the ones on there are brand new OE sensors/senders...  

I should have tested them... dunked them in a bucket and slapped the multimeter on them while watching the readings....

question:  variable transistor or resistance?   

Handymans342

Variable I believe

Handymans342

I have to change mine. 212, can you tell me the size of the screw and thread? Al, do you know? My screws fell out and the sender got crushed. 

212rowboat

I exchanged mine for hex head screws, handy- and I knew at one point which size they were (when I went to the hardware store) but I don't want to say it and be wrong.   

Al, the units themselves have printed on the sides which goes where, and which is which.  adjusting them takes only a minute or two, as you say, and they read accurate when the boat is trailered- but the second the boat is floating, they become erratic- but not so much that it would indicate lack of integrity of the casing or the wiring, but more like adjustment... 

in detail, what happens: When I launch and trim down- the needle hangs for a bit as if nothing is happening, then it makes an abrupt dive to what I assume is the proper reading (I can't see under my swim platform to confirm, but the way the boat handles I'd have to agree with the reading).  going all the way down after passing the halfway point is reasonable... coming back up, though- it (the needle) jumps all the way to top if I just bump the trim... it will stay there as I continue to come up... then it will drop abruptly to the bottom when the outdrive is trimmed near the top of running range (halfway on the needle, not into trailer tilt range)- and it will move but slightly from there when I actually move the trim... Once on plane, I can move the trim and hear/feel when I'm too high, which is how I've been managing it under use....

I didn't even need the gauge with my old power, but this new engine behaves differently and trims differently- I've only got about six hours on it and I don't have it down-pat yet...  the biggest reason I want it working is I intend on teaching others how to operate the boat- launch, operate, retrieve, navigate skinny waters, hole shot, tides/current- all that... where I trust myself not to move the trim too high, I don't know that i'd trust someone else without the indicator.  WITH the indicator (gauge), it's not a problem.... 

Handymans342

What if the threads are gone in the hole?

212rowboat

I had one too handy... tap and die... takes less than a minute.  Kit at lowes was $5.  The stainless bolts and washers [also lowes] were another $5... I used the gray thread sealant for dissimilar metal concerns. Another $5... 

Handymans342

All at Lowes? 

zaverin1

They also sell diesels at Lowes

212rowboat

yup.... all at lowes!!! and all made in the people's republic of china!!! (or is that hecho in mandarin?) 

anyway.... 

I set it and dunked it, putted around the channel... I think I have it nailed, but I've thought I had it nailed before, too... 

there is a fine FINE line between all the way up and gong past that to full down, which is the very next reading- if you can follow that... it doesn't work like I would anticipate it works- where it starts, say, at bottom- and as you turn the cam it raises until top, then slowly drops to bottom again... it does work like: dead bottom, and you bump it POOF full top, slow drop to bottom POOF full top... 

I think my issue was (no, I KNOW) the range available and limited by the mounting screws only allowed one top, or one bottom, where I needed to have the cam turned in relation to the mounting bolts prior to placing the cam in the hinge pin was near it's limit- either top or bottom, (let's stick with top for discussion purposes) with the available adjustment (determined by the mounting bolts) turning toward dead bottom.....

I know this isn't how it's supposed to work- but it does for my purposes, and I'm tired of messing with it so I'm claiming victory- for the LIMIT switch (or port side) which delineates between trim and tilt (trailer level high as opposed to as high as 'trim' should be before having to press trim button to second level for additional lift), this is how I did it: 

first off, I stopped at mid after adjusting the gauge sender- and I measured... 21 3/4 at half... then I bumped the TRIM (not trailer/tilt) button until it wouldn't lift above that, and tightened it down..... finding the proper position of the cam-to-hinge pin was equally as frustrating with this one, but after I found it it wasn't too terrible bad... locked it down... ran it up, down, up, down, trim, tilt, up, down.... over and over... it maintained its reading with no erratic behaivior... even in the water... I never left the no wake zone tonight, so, I don't know if it will stand the test (it usually goofed when pushing to plane before), but it doesn't seem to be goofy like before... 

by the way:  there are NO 'alignment marks/tics' on the cam or casing... the merc book is on crack or something akin... 

212rowboat

yeah, that would be a nice plan, Al, except the big box stores moved in after surveying the local Mom-n-Pop stores long enough to decide they had a market, then they open up and offer the same products for less- until mom-n-pop are ousted, then they bring in inferior chinese products and sell very few American made and bring the prices back up to more than the same products were at Mom-n-Pop's...  but there is a happy ending!!! (depending on which side you sit)... Mom-n-pop, who were earning a nice middle class income and employing a staff of people also making a middle class income and benefits can now go get a job at Lowe's, and for minimum wage, and work just under the federal labor law hours that qualify them as full time, which means Lowe's doesn't have to pay them benefits- meanwhile, all the profits Lowe's makes goes to some corporate office somewhere where there is a legion of cubical workers and the great deity they serve?  Investors and share holders........

I go around my elbow to get to my **** to buy American made and from locals.... most often, that entails shipping and internet... which, I'd be happy to do in most every case- except I needed four hex stainless steel bolts and washers, a tap+die, and thread sealant, which wasn't worth searching on the interwebz and purchasing.... so I funded the fat cats, instead... out of convenience... and I feel dirty about it... preaching to me about these things is pointing your efforts the wrong way- there are few as keenly aware of that dynamic than I am.....  

NavyCTRC

212,

That was beautiful...I hate myself for doing it but I find myself at the big box stores more often than not, it is easier, and....cheaper.  Nobody will ever open another Mom and Pop hardware store, grocery store, electronics store, clothing store or tire store ever again.  If they do, they will quickly find out they cannot compete with the volume discounts provided to the mega-corps.  Best we can hope for are locally owned restaurants, the occasional auto repair shop and maybe a local butcher shop.  Here in FL, we have some local seafood dealers too.  It saddens me deeply.

checkmate

I never will shop at big box stores, and mean never!!!   I will pay the extra money and go to mom and pap store.   I don't care if I can get it cheaper at Lowe's or home depot.   I want the knowledge, the one on one service, the fact that if something goes wrong I can call the person I bought it from and resolve the issue with out calling a 1-800 number.   Plus they give me their professional opinion on what I'm buying and the true pros and cons.   Not just a salesperson at a big box store that is pushing a specific product cause they know their is a big spiff if they sell it and not real caring if the product is good or not.   I'll stop now.........