Johnson/Evinrude tilt

[RoughFishAssassins]

I purchased a 1974 Johnson 85hp for a parts motor, it had a working tilt system on it, but it is unlike any that I can find for these motors. I took it off the 85 and installed it onto my 1977 115hp. For the most part the unit does what it is supposed to do, raise and lower the motor. But I found that when running in shallower water and wanting to tilt the motor up some, it would not hold against the push of the motor. in othere words when I tilted it to a comfortable level and starter forward with the throttle, the motor would push the tilt back down. Is this just the way the system is or are there possibly seals that are out of either the tilt motor of the tilt ram? and which could it be? We are occasionally running in shallower water and cant have the outboard all the way down for the risk of damage. When in this situation we are always aware of the water inlet to make sure the motor is properly cooling. I just need to know what I can do to keep the motor at a certain hight with just the tilt system. I have attached photos but they are kinda hard to see everything due to a recent fresh paint job. Most every tilt system I have found specs or pics of are a twin cylinder lift on the outside of the housing, never a single ram under the housing like this. Any help you guys can give me is greatly appreciated!

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: Johnson/Evinrude tilt

You do indeed have an early power tilt system on that engine. You will see it on a very few of the early 70's engines. Originally not sold on the engine, it was usually an accessory which may have been dealer installed. The purpose of this system is to raise the engine out of the water at the end of the boating day. (handy in a saltwater application.) You may be confusing the purpose of your tilt system with the power trim/tilt systems which also started coming out about this time. The true trim system was much more robust and was designed to raise/lower the engine when it was in gear and under full power. Likely the force of your engine under power overcomes the low pressure of your tilt system, forcing the fluid in the system around the check valve, causing it to collapse as you note. The only way to avoid this is to replace the system with a true tilt/trim system. These early systems are long since NLA, so you'd have to be looking to a salvage yard for all the right components.

 

[RoughFishAssassins]

Re: Johnson/Evinrude tilt

Thanks for the reply, I guess that is what I needed to hear. looks like I will be just using it for what it is intended to do. It is much better that trying to lift that beast out of the water by hand!