Water in Tilt/Trim System

[MikeyB3649]

On a trip to the river over the summer, my tilt/trim motor sprung a leak and took on some water into the reservoir. When I pulled the cap off, the hydraulic fluid was very frothy and the motor didn't want to trim. I pulled it off and sealed it back up but it's still taking on water. I've purchased a replacement but I wanted to purge the system of all hydraulic fluid and water contamination to ensure that I don't have any further issues. Does anyone have a suggestion for how to purge the system? It's 1992 Force 120HP.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

 

[RRitt]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

First off, where is the leak? Sometimes on a '92 it is the top of the motor housing which leads to rust which cause the reservoir top seal to break down which lets the water drip into the oil. Sometimes it is the shaft wiper at top of the tilt piston. Sometimes the centering ring around trim piston pops out from galvanic corrosion and water gets in there.

If the leak is on a ram then just wipe out the water with a clean rag while rebuilding the cylinders. Takes about 4 hours and $25 in parts. However, 1992 might have the metric tilt head and then the top tilt seals are not available.

If the leak is in the motor then get a 3/16" Inverted flare union from NAPA along with a short lenth of brake tube, a length of small rubber tube, and some mineral sprits. Disconnect the pump. raise and lower the system by hand and collect the fluid in a bucket as it sprays out. stick hose into mineral sprits and raise system to suck up into rams. raise and block into place. swap hose so that mieral sprits are sucked into top when you lower. As you lower the bottom half of ram s will spray out mineral spirits and the top will suck in fresh. repeat a few times. If your boat is freshwater only then it's probably easier to just rebuild the darned things. If it has been in saltwater then flushing is probably easier.

 

[MikeyB3649]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

It was at the top the motor housing. As I stated, I'm going to just replace the entire thing.

Thank you very much for the tip on flushing the system. I've only ran the boat in freshwater but I think I'll still flush it and go ahead and rebuild the cylinder was well. Do you know of a place where I can get a rebuild kit?

Thanks again for the tips!!

 

[MikeyB3649]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

Ok, I got the system off and apart today. I have a metric cylinder so the rebuild kit that I have coming is only gonna half work. I've done some searching on the forums but haven't been able to discern which seal it is that won't work. Is it all of them or just one specific one? I've also tried to figure out if there have been any suggestions as to where to buy what I need, short of a whole new cylinder but haven't had any success. Can anyone offer guidance?

a) Are all of the seals worthless or just specific ones?

b) Where can I buy the seal I need for the METRIC cylinder?

 

[RRitt]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

All of the trim seals are SAE and chrylser/force will work.
The tilt/shock piston ring and piston shaft seal are sae and chrylser/force will work.
The tilt/shock cover to body seal is a standard metric 2mm x 35mm oring.
The tilt/shock piston shaft scraper is non-standard metric. I have never found a working replacement.

Use whichever cap has better shaft scraper on the tilt ram. They are interchangeable between shock and tilt.
If you get water in the shock and it ruins you can always get a chrysler shock off ebay for $10.

I am mailing your oring pack today and will put a pair of 2x35 cap seals in envelope.

Oh, also - instead of buying a metric face pin spanner use the one in instructions, It fits a lot of other stuff too including lawnmowers and other outboards. Just use a drill bit of right diameter to carefully enlarge the metric pin-sockets. Keep checking bottom of hole and as soon as you start scratching off the paint then stop drilling.

 

[MikeyB3649]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

Awesome! You truly live up to your reputation on the forums! Thank you VERY much.

As far as the shaft scraper, I'll use the better of the two on the tilt as you have suggested. Neither of them were leaking but the pump seals did give out and take water into the whole system, so I figured I'd just do the rebuild, as you had previously suggested. The fluid was terribly milky and pink and had actual drops of water visible. I'm pretty glad that I got this problem nipped in the bud.

As far as the fluid in the shock, I had planned to use 10W30 motor oil. Does that sound ok?

 

[RRitt]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

Awesome! You truly live up to your reputation on the forums! Thank you VERY much.

As far as the shaft scraper, I'll use the better of the two on the tilt as you have suggested. Neither of them were leaking but the pump seals did give out and take water into the whole system, so I figured I'd just do the rebuild, as you had previously suggested. The fluid was terribly milky and pink and had actual drops of water visible. I'm pretty glad that I got this problem nipped in the bud.

As far as the fluid in the shock, I had planned to use 10W30 motor oil. Does that sound ok?

yeah, the shock doesn't really have any orings that the oil detergents would hurt. So you could use multiweight in the shock. but not in the system.

Use ISO32 hydraulic oil in the system. The manual will say ATF but don't. ATF impregnates the rubber under pressure and causes it to fail early. (at WOT the prop pushes back against the hydraulics. bigger HP means bigger back pressure). A 120HP with ATF typically fails around 15y years. Same system with ISO32 goes about 25 years.

 

[MikeyB3649]

Re: Water in Tilt/Trim System

Awesome advice! I was gonna use ATF too.