Power tilt system getting stuck in up position

[Birdman84]

So I re-powered my boat last fall with a new 2015 Merc 40hp outboard. Great motor, only has 50 hours on it, but this past weekend the motor got stuck in the fully tilt-up position while mooring. I was able to free it up and get it back down simply by turning the wheel from the middle (center) position fully left. When I got it home and finished cleaning it up, I tested the unit several times up and down listening for any signs of air and opened the fill cap to check the level - full. The fluid looked a healthy red. Once I tilted it up to the furthest up position, if left there for more than 3 seconds it would get stuck. I again was able to free it up after repeatedly turning the wheel while simultaneously attempting to lower the motor. If I tilted it fully up but brought it back down immediately it would not get stuck, but I hear a squeaking noise as it just begins to lower from its highest position. The noise is very distinct and sounds like some sort of seal sticking when the hydraulic piston gets at its furthest extended point and trying to reverse direction. I have noted that it gives me no problems, and no noises whatsoever as long as I don't tilt it 100% up - even 99% seems fine but I don't want to ignore the problem as it wasn't doing this prior to the weekend.

It's inside the warranty period and planning on taking it in but the shop is several weeks out and hoping I can maybe figure this one out before having to go through the trouble. I've looked but can't find anyone with this same problem. Any ideas?

 

[Birdman84]

Forgot to mention - when the tilt gets stuck the motor for it does engage and run, and even sounds normal. The motor just doesn't lower at all, so it lead me to believe bad relays are probably not a culprit..

 

[Birdman84]

Really, no responses? So I guess no one has ever experienced this problem before..????

 

[GreedyMuffin]

I would recommend you to go to your dealer as this is a close to a brand new engine.

Just my two cents.

 

[Birdman84]

I'm in line right now, currently 3-4 week wait. They were nice enough to let me hold onto the boat while I wait. I am just curious if anyone has had this happen as I couldn't find one thread/topic with someone complaining of the same symptoms so if nothing else..maybe this thread will help someone down the road whose motor isn't under warranty.

It's clearly a binding of some rubber gasket or grommet somewhere under the tilt ram/rod that pushes the outboard up. It's getting bound at it's furthest extended point. Just strange it would all of a sudden start doing that when there hasn't been any significant correlation, no abuse or recent damage, and hasn't been sitting recently. I'm almost wondering if it has something to do with the fact that my motor doesn't have power trim, so-to-speak, as there are no trim rams, only the main tilt rod. I use the power tilt (which in my manual is called "power trim") to trim out my boat while on plane. After this incident I read in forums that doing this can cause problems and damage the tilt/trim system and I should only be using the manual trim adjustment but according to my owners manual, this is the correct way to "trim" my motor. Maybe I put too much strain on the tilt rod with it trimmed/tilted up a few inches while on plane? In which case Merc should have added trim rams because my motor is supposed to have "power tilt/trim"! Not sure, still curious if anyone has any ideas? I will post the findings once I take her in to the dealer so this may help someone in the future. Happy boating all...

 

[Birdman84]

So I figured I would post a follow up of the results for those it may help. I brought the boat to the dealer, turned out to be something binding up inside as I suspected or could have been a bad valve. Either way it would have required a total break down of the tilt/trim unit and Merc wasn't going to pay for that, and I wasn't for it. So Merc shipped a new tilt/trim system under warranty, no questions asked. I have been extremely happy with their product support thus far. I asked the mechanic about the fact that it doesn't have ram rods for trim to which he advised it is a 2-in-1 system and trimming the motor with this system would not have any relation to the cause of this problem - just a bad unit. Hope it helps, happy boating

 

[vtssmith@yahoo.com]

I had the same problem Memorial Day. Yesterday motor would not go down. Tried to turn relief valve with a big screwdriver and the cheap plastic head broke rendering my boat useless. I sure would like to get the contact information of Mercury Marine and get a new trim unit on it's way here. 2015 40HP fourstroke. Thanks in advance!