problems with my trim motor

jwgoss

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
34
i have a johnson 110 hp. my tilt trim motor is crazy. i can take the motor off and touch the wires to the battery and it works. if its hooked up it doesnt work. i hook a voltmeter to the connecter coming off my relay switches and it shows 12 an half volts. both relay switches click when you hit the switch. from the connector coming from the relay switch down to my trim motor is a splice and i hooked my volt meter to it and it shows 12 an half volts. but the trim motor will not work. but i can directly hook my trim motor to the battery and it will work. can someone help with this. im out of ideas. thanks.
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: problems with my trim motor

It's not about volts, but amps. You need the full capacity of the wire at the correct gauge to carry the load.

What's the model number of your motor, or the age?
 

Joe Reeves

Supreme Mariner
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Feb 24, 2002
Messages
13,262
Re: problems with my trim motor

If with the PTT electric motor installed to the PTT assembly, you can run wires directly from the battery to it and it operates, than the electric motor is okay. I think this is what you're saying.

Remove and clean all connections pertaining to the PTT unit including the battery terminals, connector fittings, battery cables at the starter solenoid and the negative ground cable at the powerhead. Clean the cable/wire terminal ends and also whatever component they connect to.

A volt meter will read 12 volts at any wire even if it is a extremely weak 12 volts if that wire isn't connected to anything....... you can obtain a 12 volt reading from a series of flashlight batteries but they won't operate that PTT motor under a load.
 

jwgoss

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
34
Re: problems with my trim motor

i dont know the model number but the motor is a 110 hp johnson 1989 v4 model. yes i can directly put the wires of the motor to the battery and it will run. but somewhere from the tilt trim switch to the motor its not working. the relay switches click like they are supposed to but still nothing on the motor. last week the motor would would work if you pressed the switch. it would run then quit then run again now it wont work at all.
 

Joe Reeves

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Feb 24, 2002
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13,262
Re: problems with my trim motor

Okay..... then try what was suggested.
 

jwgoss

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
34
Re: problems with my trim motor

ok soon as i can i will do that. one question. if all lines are carrying current like it showed on my voltmeter and it had a bad ground. would it still carry a current or not? and if it did carry a current with a bad ground would that be my problem? thanks again.
 

Joe Reeves

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
13,262
Re: problems with my trim motor

With a bad ground, loose connection, tight but dirty connection, a wire carrying a voltage of 12 volts would encounter a voltage drop as soon as a load was put upon it.
 

bcbrad87

Cadet
Joined
May 8, 2010
Messages
7
Re: problems with my trim motor

I had a similiar problem that about drove me crazy. Turned out to be a bad wire connection where it plugged into the relay switch. Replaced the wire end and plugged back into relay switch and has worked fine since. Good luck!
 

jwgoss

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
34
Re: problems with my trim motor

thanks again guys it all makes sense to me now. and yes this one has about drove me crazy. i will try it again in the morning and if i have some more questions i will get back to you. thanks again you been a big help.
 

jwgoss

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
34
Re: problems with my trim motor

Well after troubleshooting and being aggravated to point of using a few choice word and lots work later. I have a bad trim motor. I looked and yes iboats has a great price on theirs. Anybody know of any others worth checking on?
 

misdeal

Seaman
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
60
Re: problems with my trim motor

i have a 1989 120 hp johnson,,bad trim motor,,iboats has the best price i could find,,,,good luck , mine has been nothing short of a nightmare and if yours is the same design as mine, there is a screw on the back left side that you can not get to unless you remove the entire trim/hydraulic assembly, which in my case i can not get mine to budge and will most likely not make it into the water this season , again good luck,,hope yours is easy to replace
 

Joe Reeves

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
13,262
Re: problems with my trim motor

Misdeal..... use a little heat from a hand held propane torch if necessary to loosen that screw.

Also, use a hand held "Impact Screwdriver" (available Sears, any tool store, auto part stores) to loosen and tighten those screws. They're impossible to loosen/tighten simply by hand.
 
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