Power trim/tilt issue on 77 Johnson

[sancheta]

I have a 77 Johnson 140 that will trim up but not down. I had a problem with a bad o-ring on the manual release valve, so I replaced it and I recently drained the fluid and replaced it, and it will trim up beautifully but not down. The motor runs and it looks like it attempts to go down but can't. It should be full on fluid as I replaced it, and if you take the fill screw off when fully trimmed it leaks out. What else could it be?<br /><br />P.S: The battery is fully charged.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Power trim/tilt issue on 77 Johnson

Try to power the motor with "jumper wires" to establish if the motor will work in both directions.<br /><br />The switch could be bad, the solinoid or the motor itself. On a brighter note you may just have a corrosion problem. Clean and sand every connection.<br /><br />Bob

 

[sancheta]

Re: Power trim/tilt issue on 77 Johnson

Here is what is going on with it now. It doesn't appear to be a switch or solenoid as it attempts to move down, it just appears to stick. You see it try, then the motor lugs down and the motor doesn't move, but the motor runs (it sounds like against resistance). If you turn the release valve just a tiny bit to releave pressure, but not enough for the motor to trim down by itself, it will trim down with the switch, not well, but it does.

 

[MIKEY88]

Re: Power trim/tilt issue on 77 Johnson

Please Let Me Know What Happens, Mine Is Doing The Axact Same Thing!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jonesg]

Re: Power trim/tilt issue on 77 Johnson

Heres what I did with mine, 1994 J150

Tilt up, removed fill cap, fluid spilled out and it appeared full, but there was an air bubble in the system causing it to stall out.

Release manual valve all the way out to the stop and lifted it through a few cycles up and down, you CAN lift it by hand (2 hands actually, slowly). Most of what you feel isn't weight, its fluid resistance.

Lock in the up position and keep adding fluid if need be.
Cycle it again and lock in the up position, fill again. 5 times.

Lock the manual release valve TIGHT with a wrench on a large screwdriver shaft. You need a square shaft screwdriver.
50 in lbs.

Mine wouldn't work until I put a wrench on the screwdriver shaft.
And get a factory service manual, its very good.
Theres 50 pages devoted to the tilt mechanism alone.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Power trim/tilt issue on 77 Johnson

Unfortunately it sounds like you have an internal valve blockage. You will need a factory service manual to troubleshoot, and will need the applicable tools. Or you can simply do them all.

You can always try draining the fluid again, then refilling/rebleeding to see if that frees up the valve, you never know, you may get lucky.