Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Justin H

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Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Messages
22
1994 115 Merc, looks like new, never a problem with the tilt/trim until today. Planed the boat out and trimed the motor in and out. Pulled into a creek and trimed it up and it would not go up. Back to the landing and on the trailer. Tilt motor works down but will not tilt up. Checked the fluid, it's full. Checked power from the switch to the relay with my test light. Power going to the relay (Both) . Do I need a new relay? How can I test the relay before spending money on a relay that is not needed.
 

Bill Adkins

Seaman
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
68
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

A relay is a way to allow higher current loads to be handled without large wireing all over the vehicle, its a remote control switch so to speek. Most relays have 2 power supplies, one for the working load and one that is switch by the control switch. One supply if not both should be fused, some relays have fuses inside them that are replaceable and others like current sensitive links. With the switch off is there only one hot terminal at the relay and another with the switch energized? Theres the test. The relay should also have a ground leg that could be suspect. Make the basic checks and let everyone know.
Bill
 

Justin H

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Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Messages
22
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

bhile said:
You can swap the relays to be sure.

Thanks! I thought of that in the middle of the night. I am going to try that at first light. I will let you know the out come. I did think of something else it's doing. When I tilt/trim the motor all the way down it continues to run if I hold the switch on making a squealing noise. Before it would stop and make the sound of the motor stopping.
Going to switch the relays and let you know.

Thanks,
Capt. Justin

"The world does not care to hear about the storms you have encountered.........Did you bring in the ship?"
 

Justin H

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Jan 26, 2004
Messages
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Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Switched the relays. When I did this the tilt up still does not work. The tilt down "Clicks" using the tilt up relay but will not operate. Switched them back to the original and the tilt down works fine. Nothing from the tilt up. Checked the blue wire going to the up relay with a test light. Operated the tilt switch and the test light toggled on and off with the switch.
Un-plugged the blue and green wires going to the motor and hooked a hot wire to the green with a ground to the blue. Worked perfect including switching from green to blue. Motor tilted up and down like it was brand new. That means the motor and pump are working,but they are not getting power. I still think the problem is the relay.

What do y'all think?


Thanks,
Capt. Justin

"The world does not care to hear about the storms you have encountered.........Did you bring in the ship?"
 

Boatin Bob

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Sep 24, 2001
Messages
1,858
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Does the tilt up relay "click" when you hit the up switch? You say you have power at the blue wire to the relay from the switch, check the ground, there is something not quite right if the other relay is fine it should have worked when you swapped them. You need to make sure you have power on the red wire feeding the relay and if it clicks (transfers) then you should have power on the blue wire going to the motor.
 

Justin H

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Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Messages
22
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Justin said:
Boatin said:
Does the tilt up relay "click" when you hit the up switch? You say you have power at the blue wire to the relay from the switch, check the ground, there is something not quite right if the other relay is fine it should have worked when you swapped them. You need to make sure you have power on the red wire feeding the relay and if it clicks (transfers) then you should have power on the blue wire going to the motor.


I just switched the relays again and the tilt up will not work with the tilt down relay. But the tilt down will work with the tilt up relay. Wierd.
I do have power to the tilt up red wire and the blue wire, with the test light attached, will flash using the control switch. Checked all the ground teriminals on the tilt up side with a test light and compared those to the tilt down and they are all the same.
So, i have power and ground to the tilt up relay. The relay switched to the tilt down will work. But niether relay will work the tilt up. Wire the motor up direct and it works like new both up and down.

I am perplexed....... Any ideas Y'All?
 

Boatin Bob

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Sep 24, 2001
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1,858
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Justin...when you put power directly to the motor where are you doing this, right at the relay or at the motor? I was just wondering if the blue wire from the relay to the motor might be broke.

Also...you didn't say if the relay clicked when you the up switch?

I'm not sure how easy the relay connections are to get at but I would take a small jumper wire and attach one end to the red wire and the other to the small blue wire that comes from the switch.

You say that the test light flashes when on the blue wire, I'm assuming this is the blue from the switch (not the motor), why is it flashing, cause you are flicking the switch on and off?
 

Justin H

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Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Messages
22
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Boatin said:
Justin...when you put power directly to the motor where are you doing this, right at the relay or at the motor? I was just wondering if the blue wire from the relay to the motor might be broke.

Also...you didn't say if the relay clicked when you the up switch?

I'm not sure how easy the relay connections are to get at but I would take a small jumper wire and attach one end to the red wire and the other to the small blue wire that comes from the switch.

You say that the test light flashes when on the blue wire, I'm assuming this is the blue from the switch (not the motor), why is it flashing, cause you are flicking the switch on and off?

Thanks for your help! I hooked a jumper wire direct to the green and blue wires coming from the motor. Tilt worked great both ways.
Test light flashes when I flick the switch on the control up as in tilting the motor up while inserting the positive end of the test light into the blue wire while disconected from the relay. Red wire is hot. No clicking noise from the relay at any time.
 

Boatin Bob

Lieutenant Commander
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Sep 24, 2001
Messages
1,858
Re: Tilt trim 115 Merc. Goes down. Won't go up!

Well...based on everything you say you've proven out the relay by swapping, the red wire is hot, you have good ground, you have 12v coming from the switch so either that blue wire from the relay to motor is broke or the relay socket itself is defective somehow.
Can you jumper 12v to the blue motor wire right at the relay end instead of at the motor end?
 
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