Lowering outdrive?

[oldsub86]

I just picked up an old Lund with a Mercruiser sterndrive. The drive is in the up position and I want to lower it for the winter so it does not get water in the lower unit. There is no key. I know that I can hook up a battery and jump the solenoid to make it move but can anyone steer me in this regard since I have not done it before? It is a 165HP inline 6 cylinder setup from the mid to late 70's.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Lowering outdrive?

You shoudn't need to "jump" anything if it is operating properly. Simply putting a battery in it should allow you to lower the drive, and you shouldn't need the keys either since almost any trim system should operate independent of the ignition. If the trim system is not operational, you could try jumpering the solonoid, but it may just be easier to unbolt the trim rams from the drive and set the drive down on the ground until spring.

Another point I'll make is that the drive being put in the down position isn't really for water drainaige purposes so much as it is for reducing the strain on the exhaust/u-joint bellows. Lowering the drive keeps them from sitting for months at a time fully stretched out. The outdrive itself is self-draining.