Trim Issues

Zghost

Cadet
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
9
Hello all. I'm hoping to get some help with my trim issues. I have a 1991 Chaparrral 1900SL with a yamaha stern drive. It's a 4.3L V6. The trim is inoperative (doesn't move up or down). I checked the volatage at the relays and they seem fine (12.4 Volts there). They also click when the switch is pressed. I'm suspecting the trim motor but not sure how I would diagnose it? I tried searching for a replacment trim motor and called several places but no one seem to be able to locate the right one!! (they are making guesses). They are stumed by the fact this a Chaparral with a yamaha stern drive!! Any advice on how to diagnose the trim motor or where to find a replacement one would be greatly appreciated. Thx
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,083
Re: Trim Issues

with a yamaha stern drive!! Any advice on how to diagnose the trim motor or where to find a replacement one

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,....

To test the trimpump/ motor, jumper it directly to battery power,...
Green is down, blue is up... Don't forget to ground it...

The Usual fix for your issue is to remove, sand, clean, reinstall,+ grease all the wiring connections in the system...

If it's Junk,+ needs replacing,...
A local fella here has a BBC/ Yamaha which he's cobbing in a standard replacement trimpump into...
The Issue he's havin' is line size/ thread pitch problems with the lines,...
 

Zghost

Cadet
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
9
Re: Trim Issues

Bond-O,
Thx for the response. I jumped the trim motor directly to a 12V batt and its dead!. I'm assuming when you say clean, sand, grease, and reinstall all wiring, you are talking about taking the motor apart and working on the inside, correct? The wiring harness terminals from the motor to the relays look clean and there is current reaching the relays.

Bond-o, did cleaning the inside of the motor work for you or others in the past?

Any idea how to find the psi spec for my motor so I can potentially try to match it with an aftermarket one while still trying to match the line threads?

I suspect that these motors can be serviced and overhauled like starters and alternators, anyone know if there is an outfit specialized in servicing boat trim motors?
Sorry, so many questions but I think this will be helpful for me as well as others so thx in advance for your advice.
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: Trim Issues

Bond-o, did cleaning the inside of the motor work for you or others in the past?

That really has nothing to do with your motor or if it will clean up or not. Sometimes they can be way past repair.

Take your motor to your local starter and alternator shop and see if they can fix it.

Yamaha sterndrive info, parts, and service is basically non existant.
 

RRitt

Captain
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Messages
3,319
Re: Trim Issues

Bond-O,
Thx for the response. I jumped the trim motor directly to a 12V batt and its dead!. I'm assuming when you say clean, sand, grease, and reinstall all wiring, you are talking about taking the motor apart and working on the inside, correct? The wiring harness terminals from the motor to the relays look clean and there is current reaching the relays.

Bond-o, did cleaning the inside of the motor work for you or others in the past?

Any idea how to find the psi spec for my motor so I can potentially try to match it with an aftermarket one while still trying to match the line threads?

I suspect that these motors can be serviced and overhauled like starters and alternators, anyone know if there is an outfit specialized in servicing boat trim motors?
Sorry, so many questions but I think this will be helpful for me as well as others so thx in advance for your advice.

they all work in the neighborhood of 2000psi. if they go higher then it shortens the lifespan of system. if they go lower then it cuts into their profit by requiring bigger chunks of metal and machining to give adequate square inches. The best systems that have really long lifespans hover around 1200psi. Your pressure, by the way, is not set by the pump. The pump determines your maximum possible, but the actual real-world pressure is determined by weight, horsepower, angle, fulcrum, and square inches.
 

Zghost

Cadet
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
9
Re: Trim Issues

Thanks for the responses. All good ideas to try. I thought by choosing a yamaha engine and stern drive that I would be set for headache free summer, not the case. Thx again.
 
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