454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

[rhierak]

I've got a Baja 342 Boss Edition w/ two Mercruiser 454 Magnums and Bravo I drives. After sitting on the lift for a while, the Drives are "stuck" in the Up position and won't move.<br />Tilt motors are running and reservoirs are full but nothing moves. What do I have to do? A friend suggested to bleed the system ?!? How do I do that, if that is what needs to be done.<br /><br />I am handy but don't know too much about engines. So please don't get too technical. If it's fixable, I can fix it...with simple instructions...just like "Bleeding your tilt cylinders for Dummies".......<br /><br />Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Welcome to iboats <br />I would have that friend push the down button while you applied downward force,(READ: Your fat azz ) directly to the drives....<br />Sometimes salt will stop them up after awhile, & they are much stronger pulling up than down....<br />Either rinse them with fresh water or stick them in the water & try it.....<br />BTW, if your resevoirs are full, your system will not magically fill with air that needs to be bled, if it does you have other problems...<br />Give my solution a shot & report back....<br />Hope this helps.....JK

 

[Bondo]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Keeping them Greased will work Wonders........<br /><br />And,............<br /> "Bleeding your tilt cylinders for Dummies" is an Extremely Short Book.............<br /><br />Merc.'s are Self Purging,....... Just Cycle them Up,+ Down a few times,+ It's Over..........

 

[rhierak]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

OK.<br />First the "throw your *** on the drive" part...while it sounded simple, it didn't do anything...so I guess I have two ways to look at it. Either my *** is not fat enough, or that was not the way to get the drives "unstuck".<br /><br />Now to the self purging part ... sounds great and I would love to "cycle them up and down"...but my problem, as I said, is that the drives are "stuck in up and just don't move at all.<br /><br />Now what ???

 

[uaw9fan]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

You could try to loosen the hydraulic lines at the pump, then put weight on the drive to see if it moves.i believe the black line is the up line so if you loosen that one it would eliminate a hydro lock in the lines.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Considering that this is Probably a Saltwater boat,.........<br /><br />Just How Old,+ Corroded Is It..???......<br /><br />And,...... How long has it been since it was Greased,+ Serviced..???....

 

[rhierak]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Just wanted to let you know that I took the boat out on the water today !!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />Followed all your suggestions as a combined effort. <br />.) disconnected the lines<br />.) threw myself on the drives while my wife pushed the down button<br />...got it moving ...<br />.) reconnected everything<br />.) cycled them up and down a few times<br />...took my girl out into Tampa Bay...<br /><br />THANKS a LOT !!!<br />You guys saved my week off. Would have been a shame not to enjoy those 85 degrees on the water - yes, that's "eighty-five" for all you northerners

 

[Bondo]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Did I mention You Really otto Grease It..........<br /><br />Forty-Five is Great around Here........

 

[Don S]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Ya gotta luv them Hi Tech solutions.... <br /><br />Also, since no one mentioned it, ya might wanna grease that thing. <br /><br /><br />Sorry Bondo, couldn't resist. and it was 48 here.

 

[uaw9fan]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

You may also want to not raise it all the way to the top. Maybe a little shy of the top. It seems to me that the piston gets so close to the end of the cylinder that the hydraulic fluid just can't get any pressure in there to push it down. Then again it could probably use some lubrication.

 

[rhierak]

Re: 454 magnum Mercs w/ Bravo I "stuck" in UP

Allright....I greased it !!!!!<br />Ya'll happy now ??? <br /><br />Thanks again