Purging Trim Lines from Alpha 1 Gen 2

[Merccoper]

This is a more specific question regarding trim purge as part of my "What to do after nearly sunk" thread.
My mercruiser, alpha 1 gen 2 flooded with water. The trim pump and reservoir where underwater.

Below are the steps I've gleamed from other posts on how to purge the old oil (As since being flooded, I lowered/raised the drive). Does this sound accurate?

BUT, before I do the purging, two questions:

1. Do I need to do anything with the motor?
2. If I run the trim up/down several times and the oil does not turn milky, do I still need to do the purge?

The steps I intend to do if the purge is needed:

1. Loosen the lines where they connect to the rams to let the drive drop
2. Remove the lines altogether
3. Lift the drive to drain old oil out of the rams
4. Run the trim Up/down until all oil is removed from the system
5. Fill the reservoir (using 10w30), run trim up/down. Continue to run trim and fill the reservoir until the oil is at the fill line.
6. Repeat above it oil is milky after running trim up/down four times.

 

[achris]

Sounds perfect...

 

[harringtondav]

​​​​I'd leave the rams alone. They weren't contaminated, assuming you haven't ran the trim motor. Do your plan, but tie the O/D up to the ski ring before you remove the lines. Try your purge. If the motor works, you're probably ok. I believe it's SAE sealed. Oil is cheap, so I'd purge first.

When the oil is clean,, loosely connect the lines, and bleed out any air.

 

[QBhoy]

You won’t be far off at that. Except maybe the 10w-40 oil. Is that the spec for your Merc ?

id be doing similar by taking the external fittings off at the rams and working them up and down by hand if possible. I’d then fill the tank with the right oil and purge the system (after draining or emptying the contaminated oil in tank obviously) out the open fittings on the rams.
Good luck.

 

[achris]

You won’t be far off at that. Except maybe the 10w-40 oil. Is that the spec for your Merc ?....

You can also use ATF....



Chris..........

 

[JoLin]

When the oil is clean,, loosely connect the lines, and bleed out any air.

The trim/tilt system is self bleeding. Once the old oil is out, connect the lines (tight), fill the reservoir and run the tilt up and down a couple times. Keep the reservoir full while you're doing this. Continue running up and down a half dozen times and you're done. I replaced all 4 of my trim cylinders and lines last spring and bleeding was a piece of cake. Nothing to it but to keep the reservoir full.

Putting the trim lines on loosely will just keep sucking air into the system.

My .02

 

[JASinIL2006]

No need to purge if the new fluid looks OK after running the drive up and down a few times.

If you do need to purge, it might require more than one time. It took two purges to fully clean my system of water. Milky fluid will be the indicator if a second purge is needed....