150 Trim and Tilt Question

[tablerockboater]

1997 150 OS

Boat is on a lift. Trim and tilt is "struggling". When on the lift, it seems to be working, both up and down, but not under power on the lake. When it is activated while on the lake, all the gauge needles peg out.

Nice older boat . . . not used much . . . and gets periodic routine maintenance.

Low fluid maybe?

TIA

 

[tablerockboater]

To explain, yesterday when I headed out, it trimmed up just fine. I ran about 15 minutes, then idled for a few minutes. When I headed back is when it would not trim. Since all gauges, including the trim gauge, pegged out, I could not tell if it had trimmed down and then not trimmed back up, but that's definitely what it felt like.

When I got it back on the lift, it was trimming both up and down, but struggling.

 

[djriptide]

On my Mercury outboard when that happens I have to add power trim fluid or just open the plug to bleed the air out of system.

 

[tablerockboater]

On my Mercury outboard when that happens I have to add power trim fluid or just open the plug to bleed the air out of system.

That's what I'm hoping for. All I will need to worry about is dropping the plug in the lake.

BTW, I google what trim and tilt fluid to use, and there is as many different answers as there are answers. For now I am going with the 8 oz bottle of Quicksilver Trim and Tilt fluid, if for no other reason than it has a tippy, squeezy poor spout.

As boats go, this one has been as unproblematic as they get. When we bought our TRL house late '97, a slip came with it. We did not intend to buy a boat, but one day we were grazing in the boat department at the main Bass Pro store in Springfield. We were up on a deck boat talking with another couple when the first salesman came along. He blew us off.

A few minutes later the second salesman came along and asked if we were looking for a boat. I guess his first clue was that we had been up on that deckboat for a half hour. I said, "No, not according to the first guy."

We told him our situation, and he said, "Come on outside." There were 15 '98 Fisher Deckboats that they had had in the rental fleet at Big Cedar Lodge for a couple months, when the Tahoe deckboat came out for the first time, and they replaced the rental fleet with them.

So . . . Wall-Lah!!!

So, it's as nice now as the day we bought it.

 

[tablerockboater]

Update:

It appears it is trimmed all the way up. I need to lower the lift to be able to work on it, so I don't know if it's high enough that I can lock it. I can see a warning on the trim reservoir saying not to add fluid unless it's all the way up.

Also, I don't see the fill plug, so I am assuming it's on the top of the reservoir.

Nice time to work in the water . . . 95°, feels like 105°, air temp and 90° water temp.

 

[tablerockboater]

BTW, I google what trim and tilt fluid to use, and there is as many different answers as there are answers. For now I am going with the 8 oz bottle of Quicksilver Trim and Tilt fluid, if for no other reason than it has a tippy, squeezy poor spout.

Mercury's answer:

QUESTION:

What type of fluid should I use in my power trim system?

ANSWER:

Mercury/Quicksilver Power Trim and Steering Fluid – part # 92-858074K01

 

[tablerockboater]

I'm wondering about Super Tech from WalMart. Online I don't see that WalMart stocks Mercury or Quicksilver at the stores.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tech-Marine-Power-Trim-and-Tilt-Fluid-8-fl-oz/16927999

 

[tablerockboater]

Sometimes it's something simple.

The nuts on the battery terminals were not snugged down.

 

[tablerockboater]

It's funny how many times I've come to the Internet, to find experts who know more than me, to find an answer, and then I wind up finding the answer myself, and posting what may be a helpful hint to someone else.

 

[Chris1956]

Tablerock, Glad you found it.

In general, on PTT units, if the motor spins and she doesn't trim/tilt, the issue is likely hydraulic. i.e. The fluid may be low or the unit needs bleeding.

If she struggles to trim/tilt, it is likely electrical, which you found out.