Merc Alpha 1 trim solenoids strange behavior.

[Tonynog]

I couldn’t lower my motor, it would only raise up. I replaced both solenoids. Now it’s acting strange. It currently will only raise up, not lower using the top of the switch. If I swap the blue and green wires, it will lower and won’t raise, still using the top switch. Bottom switch doesn’t do anything.

If I swap the “little” blue and green wires then I get the same behavior, only using the lower switch.

I can’t seem to get it to work normal (lower switch lowers motor, top switch raises motor). I feel like it’s a wiring thing or something considering the issues. Thoughts?

 

[dubs283]

What switches are you referencing? On the remote handle? Elsewhere?

 

[Tonynog]

Yes, sorry on the throttle handle.

At first I thought the “lower” switch on the throttle handle was the problem, until I swapped the small wires and then the lower switch “worked”.

 

[dubs283]

The trailer button ought to over ride the limit switch circuit if all is sound

The wiring at the pump needs to be exact otherwise operation of the system will suffer performance issues

 

[Tonynog]

The trailer button ought to over ride the limit switch circuit if all is sound

The wiring at the pump needs to be exact otherwise operation of the system will suffer performance issues

Don’t think I have a trailer button. Just the up/down switch on the throttle handle.

One other thing of note, I noticed that both the wires leading to each trim sending unit on either side of the outdrive are corroded and disconnected. But they were like that before. Would that matter? The trim gauge has never worked as long as I’ve owned the boat.

 

[dubs283]

If it's a mercruiser of past 40 years vintage the wiring will have a trailer over ride switch installed oem

No clue who/what has been done to your boat. I only know what I see and can diagnose based on experience

Perhaps a picture or five will help here

 

[Tonynog]

If it's a mercruiser of past 40 years vintage the wiring will have a trailer over ride switch installed oem

No clue who/what has been done to your boat. I only know what I see and can diagnose based on experience

Perhaps a picture or five will help here

 

[Tonynog]

Right now you will notice I have the green and blue wires “swapped” So I can lower the motor using the trailer button as you call it. I think the trailer button is the same as the up button, you just press it further in.

I also sent a picture of the wires at the outdrive.

 

[Scott06]

Your up button has two detents in it push lightly and you have trim until limit switch kicks in. Push it farther in and u have trailer to go all the way up

 

[dubs283]

I think the trailer button is the same as the up button, you just press it further in.

Yezzer

Looks like the corrosion is present at the pump/solenoid wiring

Do you own a dvm with full knowledge of use?

 

[Tonynog]

Could all of this be because the trim limit device on my outdrive is disconnected? Does it need to be replaced?

Right now it seems like I’m only able to raise and lower the motor using the trailer button. When I swap the green and blue, I’m essentially using the trailer override to raise or lower motor.

 

[Tonynog]

If the trim limit sender is bad or disconnected, will that make it so the up/down switch will not work?

 

[dubs283]

If the trim limit sender is bad or disconnected, will that make it so the up/down switch will not work?

Probably

You can jumper the up circuit at the pump/limit switch wiring connectors to troubleshoot

Look for the purple and blue wires with female bullet connections, that is the place to jumper

 

[Tonynog]

Okay, I have it working now, except it won’t lower. I can raise the outdrive using either the trim switch or the trailer switch. Any ideas why it won’t lower?

I have installed two new solenoids and new trim limit sender.

 

[Bondo]

Okay, I have it working now, except it won’t lower. I can raise the outdrive using either the trim switch or the trailer switch. Any ideas why it won’t lower?

I have installed two new solenoids and new trim limit sender.

Ayuh,..... Test for power on the green wire at the pump/ solenoid with someone holding the down switch,....

 

[Tonynog]

Okay, I’m certainly no mechanic. That’s why I’m on here lol. I’ll see if I can borrow a volt meter and check it. So what’s the next step if I find no current? Or if I do find current? Trying to get ahead of it. Bummer not having the boat out on the 4th.

I can’t understand what would cause this after only 6 months in storage.

 

[Tonynog]

Got a volt meter, there is not power coming to the green lead on the pump/solenoid.

I’m tracing the wires back.

Ayuh,..... Test for power on the green wire at the pump/ solenoid with someone holding the down switch,....

Okay, there is no power coming to the green lead on the solenoid. Not really sure where to go from here. How do I test the connection with volt meter at the handle where the up/down switch is?

I’m starting to think the only thing it could be is the actual thumb switch on the handle. How exactly would i bypass/jumper the switch to prove that it’s the problem?

 

[Tonynog]

SOLVED.

Just to close this out. Turns out the cheap solenoid I bought on Amazon was a dud. Didn’t work out of the box. Brought it to a marine shop and they said it’s not marine rated and it carried no current. Learned my lesson buying it off Amazon. Bought a new solenoid from the shop and everything back to normal.

A 30 minute job took me 3 days to figure out. Lol.