OMC Trim Question!!!

[Blue Crabber]

Hi everyone!

I recently purchased a 1991 Four Winns 190 Freedom bowrider with a 4.3L OMC with a Cobra outdrive.

My question is about the trim guage at the helm. For the most part it works good in the water, altough it sometimes bounes around quickly and then settles down wo read the correct level. (Only does this while i am trimming the motor) But when i run the trim up and down on the trailer, out of the water. The guage will not move at all to indicate the position.

So, it the guage supposed so trim position out of the water too? If not i would suspect the trim sender unit. How hard of a job is it?

Thanks everyone!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: OMC Trim Question!!!

It should work in or out of the water and it bounces around because "wiper" on the resistor is either not making good contact, it's corroded/dirty or you have a loose connection.

It's been a while since I had the Cobra but You should be able to take it apart and clean up the variable resistor that is the "sender".... if you can't, you can replace it. (if you can find one)

The trim sender is of limited value anyway. You trim the drive strictly by performance. The gage is there to tell you when the drive it all the way up and it can sort-of tell you when you've reached the upper limit of where you should run it in the water (you have to determine that by experimentation since OMC didn't include a trim-limit switch like a Mercruiser)

The upper limit is where you don't get any more performance out of the drive. (as you trim it up, it'll be obvious where it doesn't help to go up/out any further!.....now you may be able to safely operate the drive higher but just about everyone recommends not running the drive all the way up or even close to all the way up)





Cheers,


Rick

 

[Blue Crabber]

Re: OMC Trim Question!!!

Thanks for the fast response and explanations Rick.

I am familiar with trimming a outdrive but i find it convenient to have as a visual indicator. ( I do trim by boat performance)

I will try cleaning the unit and if it doesn't work, i will get a new one. (My local marina still stocks these parts)

Anyone know where the switch is located? I guess i will have to dig into the Seloc manual to find it!

Thanks again.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: OMC Trim Question!!!

Turn the steering full to port.You should see it on the side on the gimbal housing on the starboard side.Round black plastic disk with 2 screws holding it.
Also inside the transom behind the motor is where it plugs to the wiring for the gauge.I have had them corrode there and start acting up...

 

[danond]

Re: OMC Trim Question!!!

I bet your local marina doesn't have the trim sender. If they do, it's going to cost you around $250 and in the end, won't be worth it.

Seriously, it's basically useless on a Cobra.

 

[cjdjmullen]

Re: OMC Trim Question!!!

If you can't find one of those trim senders you can get ahold of the part at dougrussell.com. I just had to replace mine. It cost me $136. the hardest part of replacing the unit is putting the retaining clip back on. Just a word of advice use a piece of string on the clip. you will drop it several times before getting it on. Good luck.....I replaced mine and the gauge still doesn't work. So I have more work to go. The old one had the wires broken in 3 different places.