Using the trim without the position senders

[zchornyak]

Is this possible? I have a mercruiser 3.0l with an alpha 1 gen 2 outdrive. The position sender wires are junk and am wondering if it is possible to operate the up/down/trailer buttons without the senders, or if i'm having another problem. None of the buttons are working and i've checked the 20A fuse, the 110A fuse, tested the switch, and tested the solenoids.

I want to find the wiring issue and run the boat without replacing the senders this season as i'll do that next winter along with the bellows/bearings...etc.

Thanks in advance!

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

Yes it is. I have not run trim sender or limit switch for the last three years. I am not sure how to rig it so you can use the trim by bypassing the switch. I would guess just disconnect completely but I'm sure. I have read a lot of boaters here do not use the sender / gauge and suggest replacing the gauge with something useful like depth gauge.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

Running without the position sensor should be no problem, however running without the limit switch is asking for BIG trouble. Running without the limit could allow you to trim the outdrive up while running to the point that it could destroy your driveshaft universal joints, and maybe trash the outdrive itself. My advice, don't do it, at least fix the limit switch. The best bet is to do all of the needed maintenance now. Good luck.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

I've run without either for years on one boat. Just have some sense about you and don't run it with the trip way up - you should be able to tell about where it is by the way the boat is handling once you have some practice.

it's much more idiot proof with a properly adjusted limit switch and position sensor, but like a lot of things, not really required if you pay attention and use your head. (NEVER run the drive with it trimmed out very far! unless of course you have a bizzare fettish for changing u-joints)

 

[JustJason]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

You can stick a cheap plastic inclinometer on the helm someplace. Depending on the hull you only want to be 3-5 degrees above horizon anyways. If your porpoising or the bow is bouncing up and down in smooth water your trimmed way to far.

You can also do it by speed and rpms.

 

[tkrfxr]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

You should know where your drives are even if your position indicator is not working.

This will protect your drive(s) from gear abuse and bellows erosions...

I have run my VP-XDP-B outdrives full-down for the past 3 seasons, but my boat trims best in this position, so I don't have to trim up, ever. (I don't beach, and can't trailer).

The XDP's seem to have a design that crowds the upper unit with a u-joint bellow, an intake water hose, and two arms of an exhaust bellows into a very small space. The old-design u-joint bellows tends to rub with the u-joint, and cause water to enter the bellows...This was addressed with various changes in bellows design, but the bottom line for me, is that the drive-down position prevented bellows erosion. My old "made in India" bellows held up from April 2007 to November 2009. Three full seasons.

 

[zchornyak]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

Thanks for all the responses. I'm actually just interested in how to wire the bypass and if the trim position sender is not hooked up could that be the cause of the trim not operating at all. I'll be replacing all of it, just when it's time to do the bellows and bearings this winter.

 

[havasuboatman]

Re: Using the trim without the position senders

Not having the trim indicator hooked up wont keep the trim from working.
The trim wire harness consists of four wires:

Red: brings power from the trim pump up to the throttle lever (or dash buttons, which ever you have)

Green: When you push the trim down button, this wire is energised feeds power back to the trim pump activating the solinoid, drive goes down/in.

Purple: This wire is the one that goes thru the trim limit switch. If you don't have a trailering button, and your limit switch (or wires) are damaged your drive won't go up.

Blue: This wire is powered when you hit the trailering button on the shift/throttle lever.

To bypass the limit switch depends on whether you have 3 or 4 wires coming out of your shift/throttle box up at the helm.

If you have 3 wires they will be red, green and blue. trace these wires until they connect to another harness (it will have 4 wires red, green, blue, purpl. the blue wire will be connected to a purple. cut it, and hook it to the blue wire of the four wire harness.

If you have 4 wires coming from the shift/throttle The blue wire from the shift box needs to be connected to the blue wire in the 4 wire harness.