I have a 1991 Rinker with a 4.3 / Alpha 1 outdrive
Noticed trim fluid was milky so i changed it...when i first got it..it would trim down but not up at the switch. Changed the top solenoid and all was fine.
Few weeks later its struggling to go up...fluid was totally white and milky...
I took the boat out of the water and changed the fluid again... i had to do this about 4 or 5 times and then cycle the trim up and down between each time before it would clear up in the reservoir...
After doing that the trim went up and down fine out of the water...it struggled a little going up still but worked fine. Put it back in the water. next day go out and its got water in it again and the trim wont go up at all...at first i could hear the pump struggling barely going and then after a while trying to get it to come up it would just click...
From searching...I've come to the conclusion that the trim rams both probably need a rebuild and that the water is coming in from the seal in the ram.
Now if i fix the Rams and get fresh fluid...what i'm nervous about is theres something wrong with my pump as well...i read a little and a common thing seems to be brushes in the pump...
so my questions are how hard are rams to rebuild and where would be the cheapest place to get the parts... I called a marina near me and he said 120 for each rebuild kit or he has used rams for 200 each...
Do i need just the seal kit thats like 25 bux or do i need the 100$ rebuild kit?
Also how hard are brushes to replace in the pump....do you think i have a problem with the valves in the pump as well?
Sorry for the long post just wanted to be thorough...
Jeremy
Noticed trim fluid was milky so i changed it...when i first got it..it would trim down but not up at the switch. Changed the top solenoid and all was fine.
Few weeks later its struggling to go up...fluid was totally white and milky...
I took the boat out of the water and changed the fluid again... i had to do this about 4 or 5 times and then cycle the trim up and down between each time before it would clear up in the reservoir...
After doing that the trim went up and down fine out of the water...it struggled a little going up still but worked fine. Put it back in the water. next day go out and its got water in it again and the trim wont go up at all...at first i could hear the pump struggling barely going and then after a while trying to get it to come up it would just click...
From searching...I've come to the conclusion that the trim rams both probably need a rebuild and that the water is coming in from the seal in the ram.
Now if i fix the Rams and get fresh fluid...what i'm nervous about is theres something wrong with my pump as well...i read a little and a common thing seems to be brushes in the pump...
so my questions are how hard are rams to rebuild and where would be the cheapest place to get the parts... I called a marina near me and he said 120 for each rebuild kit or he has used rams for 200 each...
Do i need just the seal kit thats like 25 bux or do i need the 100$ rebuild kit?
Also how hard are brushes to replace in the pump....do you think i have a problem with the valves in the pump as well?
Sorry for the long post just wanted to be thorough...
Jeremy
