HELP! Intermittant power trim/tilt readout fails

[gowestwardho]

I have a 5.7 Liter EFI with a Volvo/Penta I/O. When I first launch the boat - or when I start up after being at anchor a while - the power trim/tilt gauge is not reading and the needle sometimes bounces around up and down. Once I get underway however it usually settles down and gives an accurate reading. Also sometimes I can 'kick' it into reading properly by trimming all the way up or down to the stops and then it seems to be OK until the nest time I sit at anchor a while. It does not do this all the time however (in other words it doesn't happen each-and-every time I start up from rest). Any ideas what I could check? The trim/tilt otherwise works fine as does the gauge reading once it kicks in.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: HELP! Intermittant power trim/tilt readout fails

Its the sender on the drive. They are notorius for failing. I replaced mine but not going to replace it again if it fails. Really is not that useful of a guage in my opinion. You can get the sender for around $35 at Fast Eddies Marine.

 

[MainstreetUSA1]

Re: HELP! Intermittant power trim/tilt readout fails

The first launch of this season I noticed erratic readings on my tilt/trim gauge as well. With the boat on the trailer i was able to grab ahold of the 3 wires that go into the sender and tug/wiggle them. This manipulation made the trim gauge jump all over the place. It was clear to me that the sender needed to be replaced.

I don't know about Fast Eddies Marine. I looked all over online, the best price I could find for my "LK" series (1997) sender was $125. There was an older part number that cost about $60 but it had been superceded and online parts sellers weren't offering it anymore.

I replaced the sender by myself last week Saturday. It is a relatively simple fix. One difficult part is reaching the little wire clip that secures the sender wiring to the inside of the tansom plate. Also, replacing the sender without removing the drive is no problem at all. The whole job took me about an hour.​

 

[bruceb58]

Re: HELP! Intermittant power trim/tilt readout fails

Fast Eddies gives you 20% off so I buy all my Volvo parts from them. I was surprised at the cost of the part as well but it definitely was between $30 and $40. i am trying to find my receipt to get the part number that i ordered. Mine was for an "LK" as well.

 

[MainstreetUSA1]

Re: HELP! Intermittant power trim/tilt readout fails

I wish that I had known of Fast Eddies earlier. The sender that I ordered for my "LK" SX drive was #3863007. I was informed by multiple online parts sellers that this particular part had been superceded by part #3849411, which was quite a bit more $$$.​

 

[bruceb58]

Re: HELP! Intermittant power trim/tilt readout fails

Yes...I believe you are correct. The newer part number is a lot more expensive. The older part was an older OMC type number. Maybe they improved the part so it is worth the extra money.