Outdrive will not lower...Help!

[oceaninabox]

Hey guys, tried to launch the boat today and the outdrive would not lower. When I hit the toggle i could here a clicking noise but nothing would happen. I went down into the engine compartment had my wife try to toggle the switch and could feel what appeared to be 1 of 4 solonoid looking caps clicking. The outdrive is a mercruiser. The battery is fully charged and engine starts right up. I noticed on the last trip out that it wouldnt raise but eventually it did. The boat was just un-winterized and all levels are full etc... im thinking electonic! Any idea on how to by pass or jump to get the drive to raise or lower?

 

[jtybt]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

What year?

Check to see the motor is working. There's a red/blue/green wire harness. Jump the red to either green or blue


Most likely a bad connection

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

It is an 85 Sea Ray Sundancer 250 with a mercruiser outdrive.

 

[TowRoper]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

hi, I'm glad you found the form theres life times of experience here and all good people.
TowRoper aka bill

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

What year?

Check to see the motor is working. There's a red/blue/green wire harness. Jump the red to either green or blue


Most likely a bad connection

So if I jump the red to either the blue or green it should lower/raise? Where i hear/feel the clicking noise is in one of four round looking solonoids. Not sure if thats the problem but thats where im focused.

 

[TowRoper]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

yes by doing that it will bypass all the switches and should go up or down letting you know that the elect motor is not dead

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

yes by doing that it will bypass all the switches and should go up or down letting you know that the elect motor is not dead

Would this be the wires coming out of those 4 solonoids? If so, I will try when daylight is back!

 

[TowRoper]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

the wires will be from the motor for the tilt they may leed to the solonoids but with out being to trace them down cant say for sure

 

[longstand]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

What year?

Check to see the motor is working. There's a red/blue/green wire harness. Jump the red to either green or blue


Most likely a bad connection

i kinda have the same problem..

My Go up. but i have to keep trying. it goest something like this..

CLick .. CLick. CLick. move up. stop.
sometimes it goest like this

Click, click moves up. but then while its moving it seems like something is stopping it and it make weird noise like this. CLICK CLICK CLICK. faster CLICK. sound like its skiping a gear or Something..

. SO your saying just . open up the 3 wire and connect the red to the blue or the other.

but when i bring the outdrive down. it slam hard. i guest going down is easyer than going up..

Is it the solonoid or the motor or the gear..

what should i do first before i remove anything..

THE WIRE CROSSING you mention

i have a V6 3.8L OMC ENGINE

 

[Don S]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

If you guys go up to the adults only sticky at the top of this forum and download the OEM service manual for your outdrive (#6) and go to section 1C, you will find the trim troubleshooting section with wiring diagrams and exactly how to troubleshoot and repair the system.

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

I tried to download the manual, but it only shows me 7 pages. how do I get the whole thing?

 

[Don S]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

When you open the manual to those first 7 pages, scroll to the Manual outline, then move your cursor over the section LETTER you want to view/same and click.

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

OK, I printed the troubleshooting guide. Now to go and tinker. will be back later to post results.

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

Here is a pic of the 4 solonoids. I jumped the hot wire to the 2 solonoids on one side and it caused the trim to raise and lower. But when i tried to jump to the green wire on the opposite side I only get a clicking sound on both solonoids. Im assuming this is the one which raises and lowers the sterndrive but not sure. I was hoping this would work and lower the unit but it didnt. Any other advice? The ones circled in blue are the trim up/down. Yellow I assume is the up/down of the sterndrive??????

 

[Don S]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

The outdrive is a mercruiser.

Hate to be the one to tell you this, but your picture is from an OMC, not a Mercruiser.

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

LOL, well Im not sorry your the one to tell me. Now I get to start all over again......

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

OK everyone, delete the word mercruiser and replace with OMC. Does anyone have any new suggestions?

 

[oceaninabox]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!! It was nothing more than a loose wire at the male/female connector at the tilt motor. I was troubleshooting and trying to bypass the solonoids when I realized I was getting zero connectivity. Traced it down to the connector and noticed it was pressed down and not making a good connection. Pushed it back up, reconnected and BAM all works well. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!!!!!!

 

[TowRoper]

Re: Outdrive will not lower...Help!

good job glad you got it!! i told you that these guys are great help lol