Seeking help regarding the trim/tilt system on a mercury 140hp/PreAlpha outdrive.

A

alesk565

Cadet
Joined
Sep 13, 2015
Messages
21
Hi Iboat members!

I bought a boat for a couple of months ago, I bought it "not working" with an urgent need of renovation. The main problem was the outdrive, a preAlpha outdrive, which I'm working on at the moment(new bearings, gaskets etc). The engine is a Mercury 3.0 140hp. So the setup seems to be from the mid 1970s.

To the actual question:
While I started digging in to the trim/tilt system I realized that it's not properly mounted, which wasn't clear to me during the purchase. To start with, I have a single sensor on the top of the gimbalhouse/Shield? (the piece attached to the back of the boat, you get it) and not one on each side. This sensor is NOT connected. Another thing is the trim sender (Mercury 56046, see attached photo), which was connected electronically but the hose goes from one side to the other (so ofcourse it doesn't function properly).

The panel is the one with three buttons and the cylinders are moving in and out while pressing the buttons. What could be the reason for not using the proper sensoring system? Should I try to connect it?

I've tried to seek answers in the forum but I haven't found any. This is probably due to my crappy english. Please be gentle to me despite that the text might not be fully readable! :)

Thank you
Best regards
Alexander

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Bondo

Bondo

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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,357
Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard Alexander,...... My guess is both them units are probably broken, so they got by-passed,....

I believe the unit out on the drive is the trim limit switch, without it, ya just gotta be careful not to raise it up into the Tilt area, cause that stresses the U-joints turnin' at such an angle,....

I think the do-dad on yer desk is the trim sender, which tells a trim gauge where to point in the trim/ tilt ranges,...
'bout the most useless gauge on a dash,...
I drive by the seat of my pants, I Know where the drive is, I don't need a gauge to tell me,...

Both the trim limit, 'n the trim sender were the 1st things I eliminated on my tinbarge refit 'bout 15 or so years ago,....
Mine's an Alpha 1, so I put billet aluminum caps on my gimbel ring, where the trim switch, 'n sender go,....

You can try to fix 'em, but it's easier to just learn how to drive yer boat, 'n get to know the Feel of the hull,.....
 
alldodge

alldodge

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Mar 8, 2009
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43,599
A

alesk565

Cadet
Joined
Sep 13, 2015
Messages
21
Thank a lot guys for both answers! I think I will go for the cheapest alternative and learn how to drive, which isn't the case for the moment since it's my first boat..

I will look in to the reverse lock valve aswell.

I had a tought, maybe I can mount a positioning sensor on the hydraulic cylinders in order to keep track of the top/end positions. But I will save this solution to the time when I realize that I can't drive a boat.
 
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