Drive reluctant to lower after day out

[marcoalza]

I've had a problem the last 4 times out with my drive unit being very reluctant to trim down.

(Mercruiser 4.3 MPI - Alpha One - I/O)

This is what happens and has been exactly the same each outing:

After I launch, I have no problem lowering the unit and the boat works fine.
Anchor up near a beach with unit raised.
3 of 4 hours later time to go back, drives lower around 25% of its travel, after 7 or 8 attempts up and down it will finally lower all the way.

As you can imagine I'm worried that soon it'll stay up forever and I'll be stranded.

Any ideas or suggestions?

(Oil levels are all OK)

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

do you still hear the pump running? if not, you could be loosing a solenoid

if you do, it could be crud in the oil to lower the drive, the pressure is much less than to raise the drive on a mercruiser.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

Thanks Scott, pump is definitely running.
The oils was changed last year so that shouldn't be an issue should it?

Same thing happened today.
5 or 6 times to get it lowered after 4 hours on the beach.
Never a problem when I first launch in the morning though?...

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

How do the shafts and end seals look? Corroded up? That could be causing an issue as well.

 

[Walt T]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I am reluctant to trim down also. Inside the valve body are two check balls, or maybe one heck I don't remember. There may be some crud in there that is pushed around when raising and then gets in the way of lowering. I'm putting money on the valve body or a relay.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

Thanks Scott, pump is definitely running.
The oils was changed last year so that shouldn't be an issue should it?

Same thing happened today.
5 or 6 times to get it lowered after 4 hours on the beach.
Never a problem when I first launch in the morning though?...

Ayuh,.... A couple of things,...
#1,... When ya trim it Full Up, tap the Down button a few times to take the pressure off the Up circuit valvin',....

#2,... Have the pins on the drive been Greased lately,..??

 

[agallant80]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

...

#2,... Have the pins on the drive been Greased lately,..??

I had issues with my drive due to no grease on the pins, it can really affect it. I would get a hard lower on the drive (you could tell it was struggeling) with a creaking noise.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I had issues with my drive due to no grease on the pins, it can really affect it. I would get a hard lower on the drive (you could tell it was struggeling) with a creaking noise.

I get the creaking noise too. i didn't know there was grease points on the pins. Never seen them.

l'll have a look in the morning. Are they under the plastic black caps?

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

Never greased the pins that I didn't know could be greased Boss.

On it first thing in the morning.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I think you have to take the pin out to grease it. Its the one that connects the two rams to the outdrive.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

Thanks. Not just a grease nipple then?

I'll have a look tomorrow and let you know how I get on.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I get the creaking noise too. i didn't know there was grease points on the pins. Never seen them.

l'll have a look in the morning. Are they under the plastic black caps?

Ayuh,.... There should be a grease fittin' just aft of the black cap, in the aluminum housin',...

I've never had a problem at the trim ram pins mentioned,... but it Does get greased whenever it's out,...

 

[998cc]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I think you have to take the pin out to grease it. Its the one that connects the two rams to the outdrive.

This is why the forums are great! I just put my MC-1 outdrive back in today and didn't give a thought to greasing the pins. They will get greased tomorrow evening.

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

Ayuh,.... There should be a grease fittin' just aft of the black cap, in the aluminum housin',...

I've never had a problem at the trim ram pins mentioned,... but it Does get greased whenever it's out,...

No grease nipples there. I did remove the rams from the pins and grease them though but still have the same problem.
Only happens after 3 or 4 hours idle, and takes a while to get the drive lowered in the water.

Water is 32c here at the moment, can't understand why it's ok on the trailer before launch and after?

just have problem in the water...

 

[Bondo]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

drives lower around 25% of its travel,

Ayuh,.... At that point, drop it in gear, 'n the prop will push it the rest of the way,.....

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I worked that one out myself yesterday!

Wish I knew why it needs 225HP to drop the drive though when a simple hydraulic pump should do it

Thanks for your input my friend.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Drive reluctant to lower after day out

I guess at this point you have to start diggin in to it. I would start with removing the rams and seeing if the drive its self is having issues moving up and down by hand. After that I would take off the rams from the boat and see if the bind moving by hand. If everything looks good I would start looking at the pump. Take it out, inspect it for crud.