Trim up but not down

[ktmrider]

I have a 2000 Crownline with a 5.0 SX Volvo Penta.

Currently, the trim is all the way up but I can't trim it down. When I press the trim down on the throttle handle, I don't hear anything. When I press trim up, I can hear resistence because the trim is already up all the way. Basically, I can't trim down anymore.

It was working while I was on the river. The only thing I can remember was before the trim down failure, I beached the boat with the trim all the way up. After that it started failing.

We were a mile from the launch area so we had to limp back with the trim all the way up. We didn't go over 1000 rpm though. Once in a while, we had to go about 1500 rpm because the current was too strong.


I'm new to boating so I'm not sure what to check.

 

[ktmrider]

Re: Trim up but not down

By the way, if the trim down doesn't work while you're on the water, is there a way to manually push the outdrive down so that you can limp home?

 

[Don S]

Re: Trim up but not down

Since the drive will go up and not down, that means the pump motor still works. Probably just have a failed relay on the trim pump.
A quick test would be to switch the relays and see if it goes down and not up.

Since you ran this with the drive full up, I would sure pull the drive and check for damage to the ujoints, the bellows and the gimbal housing and drive itself.
Never run the engine with the drive full up. If worse comes to worse, you can remove the pin that holds the trim cylinders to the drive and let it down. While that will let you go forward, do NOT put it in reverse as the drive will lift and break things.
If the trim/tilt motor still works but the relays or something in the wiring goes bad, you could also disconnect the plug at the trim motor and with a couple jumpers on the motor, jump directly to the + and - terminals on the battery. If it goes the wrong direction, switch wires.

You can also go to the link below (Volvo Site) and download an owners manual for your engine and drive.
http://www.volvo.com/volvopenta/global/en-gb/marineengines/operators_manual/operators_manual.htm

 

[wvit1001]

Re: Trim up but not down

Start with the simple things. Look at all the electrical connections and make sure they are tight. There's a plug behind the throttle lever where the lever plugs into the boat's wiring harness, make sure that's tight and not corroded. Get out your multi-meter and start looking to see where your getting power and where it stops. The green wire is down, the blue is up, and the black is the power.

 

[rhombus10]

Re: Trim up but not down

I had a similar problem with an older model (570 A/S engine, DP-C drive). The Tilt button on my throttle has never worked but the drive can be lifted with the Trim button. Recently it stuck in the up position and the pump kept cycling as if if it didn't know it was all the way up. I had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop. The next day, the situation "magically" corrected itself and I lowered the drive down using the Trim button. The pump is way back behind the battery and under the storage area for the bimini top so it's extremely hard to get to. I don't believe in magic and know that I still have a problem but everything seems to work for now as long as I don't trim up beyond the half-way point on the gauge.

 

[ktmrider]

Re: Trim up but not down

Okay guys!

The trim problem is now fixed....I just added oil to the trim motor reservoir.
That was it. I went to the automotive store and purchased Dexron II ATF fluid according to the manual.

Thanks, guys!

by the way, where can I order online the trim motor solenoid? I want a spare one just in case.