76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

Mrorak

Seaman Apprentice
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Sep 14, 2008
Messages
31
i just bought a 1976 formula speed boat last year with a ford winsor engine and an OMC outdrive. i am new to boating and having some issues. So last year i replaced the tilt motor and never got it to work when i flip the switch it clicks and then nothing. this year when i went to try again i hit switch and it still clicks but it started to smoke not good. i have greased all the zerks and visually inspected it and cant find the problem. Not only is the tilt not working the trim seems to do the same thing it trys to go and then nothing i have gotten that to move up and down before but now it seems stuck. before it always took a while but it would eventually go now nothing at all. any ideas?
Thanks
 

WizeOne

Commander
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Mar 23, 2008
Messages
2,097
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

Try bypassing the solenoids and run a straight 12v to the tilt motor.
 

Mrorak

Seaman Apprentice
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Sep 14, 2008
Messages
31
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

Ok so i tried jumping and it was a no go i connected the wires ti the motor and when i tried to connect the wires to the battery and when i connect the wire to the pos i get big sparks i have no clue i am at a loss.
please help
 

WizeOne

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Mar 23, 2008
Messages
2,097
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

Ok so i tried jumping and it was a no go i connected the wires ti the motor and when i tried to connect the wires to the battery and when i connect the wire to the pos i get big sparks i have no clue i am at a loss.
please help

If you put 12v's straight to the tilt motor and it went nuts on you, the motor is bad OR you put the + and the - battery leads to each of the motor wires and caused a dead short? I believe your motor is a two lead motor, one is for up, one is for down. The motor self grounds thru the intermediate housing. If that is not what you did (which I somehow doubt), then you need a new motor.
 

Mrorak

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Sep 14, 2008
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Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

so what i did is take the wire and attached it to the starter motor on just one terminal and ran it t the pos side of the bat andthats when i got the sparking so it os dead then
 

WizeOne

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Mar 23, 2008
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2,097
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

You're not making sense Mrorak. The starter motor has nothing to do with the tilt motor. Hook up a ground wire from the battery negative to one of the bolt heads on the tilt motor. (make sure you get thru any paint) then choose one of the two leads from the tilt motor, hook a lead to it and touch it to the positive terminal of the battery. I do not know which lead is up and which is down so be ready to switch your positive battery connection to the opposite tilt motor lead. If the OD was already up and you choose the 'up' lead, it ain't going any where. Once you choose the lead that moves the drive in the opposite postition from which it sits, if the tilt motor is any good, it will move immediately.
 

Mrorak

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
31
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

Sorry i meant tilt motor i tried to send the last post from my phone didn't work to well. thanks i will try again first thing in the morning thanks for the help.
 

Mrorak

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
31
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

ok so i tried to jump it again and all i am getting are sparks. i dont have any clue what step to take now. i just replaced the motor last year. any ideas?
 

WizeOne

Commander
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Mar 23, 2008
Messages
2,097
Re: 76 Formula omc Tilt/Trim

If you tested it as I stated, using only one of the two leads to batt pos and a seperate ground wire from anywhere on the engine to batt grounds, then you either have a bad tilt motor or your outdrive pivots or tilt clutch assy are bound up.

I would suspect with the sparks you are getting it is the motor. Was it a OEM motor or a cheap aftermarket motor?

In anycase, I would start with a bench test. Remove the tilt motor, make sure the endplates are on correctly (there are notches) find some nuts to clamp it all together, hook a ground lead to the motor case (bolt heads) and test each seperate lead to positive. There is actually a torque test you should apply to determine if the motor is putting out sufficient poop to lift the OD.

Beyond that, I would remove the tilt quadrant and see if the outdrive moves up and down freely. There are grease fittings behind the trunion cap bumpers. The pivot trunions could be seized. If the OD is free then something is wrong in the clutch assy and you should get a manual to deal with that.

Those quadrant bolts could be tough to remove. You need a box end wrench. Work them back and forth to loosen them and use a good penetrant as you do it. Don't just yank on them because you do not want them to snap. Before reinstalling them I would clean the holes out with a tap and an air nozzle then apply marine wheel bearing grease to the threads of the bolts.
 
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