OMC Stringer tilt/trim

[grahamh]

My Stringer outdrive has problems going up...

Basically, when I push the switch, I hear the relay clicking, and then usually nothing happens. Occasionally, the drive will come up part way, and then I'll have to repeat the process until it moves again.

Any ideas? It seems like the motor that lifts the drive up might just not be getting enough voltage?

I haven't really looked into it too much yet, but I just wanted to hear other people's opinions before I get started.

The boat is a 71 IMP with a 3 liter Buick.


Thanks.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

First of all I hope you do not use your tilt for trim. You will do serious damage in a short time if you do. I do not think that early OMC's had the seperate trim system that tilted the whole motor and drive assy as one unit.

As to your expressed issue, I would say that the tilt motor is in dire need of attention. The motor may be full of water and oil residue thus compromising it's torque capabiliy, the commutator might be worn and gummed up and the brushes might be worn. You need to take it out and inspect it. Also clean all the electrical connections from the motor to the solenoids and from the solenoids back to the power source.

The solenoids are a possible issue but as there is one for up and one for down, when you are having a problem as you describe it usually does not happen that there are two weak solenoids.

Another thing you should do is to seperate your big 50a fuse connectors and spray some electrical contact cleaner on the pins and sockets. I've seen those corrode up and cause various electrical issues.

 

[grahamh]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Thanks.

I do know it's not for trim, but I didn't no what to else to call it (I'm a car mechanic with a boat, so my vocabulary is still being expanded.)

I'll check the fuse connections tomorrow, and then pull the motor out and have a look. Also, I never have a problem putting the drive down, so perhaps it is a solenoid issue?

Thanks again.

 

[futz]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=259807

give this a read maybe it can help

 

[WizeOne]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Thanks.

I do know it's not for trim, but I didn't no what to else to call it (I'm a car mechanic with a boat, so my vocabulary is still being expanded.)

I'll check the fuse connections tomorrow, and then pull the motor out and have a look. Also, I never have a problem putting the drive down, so perhaps it is a solenoid issue?

Thanks again.

IMHO, the fact that it always goes down without a hitch is a good indication that the motor is compromised or the connections are dirty and limiting juice to the motor under it's heaviest load requirement.

 

[KRH1326]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Whatever happened to Chiefalen, he always had some great OMC tech advice?

 

[BLDFW]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Whatever happened to Chiefalen, he always had some great OMC tech advice?

His 'rank" shows "banned" suggesting he got banned for some reason though in reading his most recent posts I couldn't see anything I deemed offensive. Too bad cuz he was a wealth of stringer info.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Whatever happened to Chiefalen, he always had some great OMC tech advice?

As noted above, he was banned but it seems to be a bit of a mystery. No ones's talkin'. He was pretty entertaining and he had picked up a lot of experience on Stringers.

 

[grahamh]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Thanks for all the tips....us poor stringer guys need to stick together!

 

[WizeOne]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Thanks for all the tips....us poor stringer guys need to stick together!

Just read Chiefalens sticky on the tilt system. On the tilt box, it not likely to be part of your immediate problem but you should at least drain it and examine the contents to note if it is taking on water, then refill it with 30 wt. That tilt cover also wants to be double gasketed, something not mentioned on CA's sticky.

If there is signifcant water in the box and considering the age of your unit, this could well be a source of the problem with your tilt motor. As the 'box' takes on water and the volume increases in the box, it has to go somewhere. It follows the sector shaft up and out the the tilt motor mounting hole and gets into the tilt motor. Those motors are not sealed although there are measures you can take to reduce the likelyhood that the motor takes on water in the future.

At some future point you may still want to go thru the maintanance proceedures in CA's sticky, including a reseal. If after refilling the clutch box, if it takes on water again quickly, that's when you should do it.

Also note, your tilt motor is held together with the thru bolts that mount it to the intermediate housing. Excercise caution when you remove it. The front and rear motor end plates will want to fall off the housing. The rear one is tethered to the housing with the brush leads but will still try to seperate from the housing when the bolts are removed.

 

[grahamh]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Thanks for all the help everyone.

I went through all the electrical connections, and replaced a very frayed ground wire on the solenoids, and it did the trick.

I'll be going through the drive more comprehensively in the winter, for now I'm glad I'm back on the water.

 

[phipper]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

I have a related but seperate issue. My stringer outdrive pops up when going into reverse. I can manually lift the outdrive by hand. When I hit the tilt switch the tilt motor runs but nothing happens. It's as if the tilt is not locked in. This is a 1975 120 hp stringer on a 50' houseboat.

 

[futz]

Re: OMC Stringer tilt/trim

Your going to have to take apart the whole clutch, bye removing the clutch pack from the housing.

Could be the hammerblow coupler, it broke in half, could be the motor tip broke off, could be the worm gear is broke.