Engine tilt is possessed

[Flyvet]

My 1998 Johnson 150 Oceanrunner has always been trouble free. Within the last month the engine tilt has raised the engine on its own 3 or 4 times. My son took the boat out one day and on returning with the engine up I chastised him for driving it back that way. Since then I have lowered it onto the transom saver and came back later and found it up. This past weekend I was under the boat patching a chip in the gel coat when the engine just raised up in front of my eyes. I would assume some possibilities are a short in either the rocker switch on the engine or the switch on the throttle lever but unsure the best way to proceed. I guess I could try disconnecting one switch at a time and see if happens again over a period of time. Is there some electronic part that is involved in any of this? Ever happened to anybody else?

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

Had this problem with a coustomers mercury his would go down by itself!problem turned out to be the trim harness was chafed and the green and red wires were touching!!! (isn't boating fun)

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

Remove cowling and disconnect the red wire from the cowling trim switch, if problem still occurs it is in remote control trim switch or bow trim switch if boat has one.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

switch or wire shorting out.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

I've found a couple times the trim wires 'porcupined' and intermittently shorted where the wire 'flexed' inside the control handle pivot.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

Since then I have lowered it onto the transom saver and came back later and found it up. This past weekend I was under the boat patching a chip in the gel coat when the engine just raised up in front of my eyes.

Do you live anywhere near David Blain the illusionist ???

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

I've found a couple times the trim wires 'porcupined' and intermittently shorted where the wire 'flexed' inside the control handle pivot.

It's a very likley spot

 

[Flyvet]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

Thanks for the input guys. It does seem like the control lever would be more likely location than the switch on the engine since it moves more. We are having a sleet storm right now, it may be a good time to take the propane heater and go work in the barn on the boat.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

That can happen when water gets into the toggle switch on the throttle handle. The water settles on the "up" contacts and makes the connection. I have had this happen in a rainstorm and also when the saltwater was able to splash into the cockpit.

The cure is to clean up the contacts. You can try to spray some wd-40 into the switch, and maybe it will drive the water out.

 

[Flyvet]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

I'll try that first Chris, it so happens that this boat was also driven home in a rainstorm when this began.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Engine tilt is possessed

I'll try that first Chris, it so happens that this boat was also driven home in a rainstorm when this began.

Aha !!!! could well be the culprit.