trim gauge problem

[capz]

My trim gauge wasn't working so I removed the sender, cleaned the contacts, and realigned the index marks. Now the gauge is not in sync. While trimmng, it will hesitate for 5 seconds before it actually registers on the display. Anyone ever run into this?

 

[Dave M.]

Is this the old system, or is it SmartCraft? I don't know just when SmartCraft first became available.

There isn't anything in the old system that I know of that is capable of a 5 second delay, except for a sticky meter movement.

This thread belongs in the electrical section.

 

[capz]

This is the old system. The sender looks just like the pictures in the link. Thanks for that. Great info there! Tough troubleshooting these things.
It could be the gauge is working properly but there's a delay in trim. I couldn't see the drive go up. I just went by the sound of the pump. I may need a spotter for this one.

 

[Dave M.]

I don't see how there could be any time lag in the hydraulic system, unless you had a very restricted line and there was air in the line. But I think you would already have other problems if that were the case.

This is an interesting problem, so I guess congratulations are in order for coming up with it! :thumbsup:

If you have a good multimeter, maybe a next step would be to disconnect the wire from the back of the trim gauge, and measure the resistance looking back into the sender as you change trim. That should isolate the problem to either the gauge or the rest of the system.

I think you will find that the trim sender wire color is brown. In my boat, and probably in all, the sender is considered part of the engine/outdrive. So it is part of the wiring for same, and interfaces to the boat at the large round connector on the engine. This connector has quite a few wires that head towards the helm. So the wire should enter and exit the engine harness connector as a small brown wire.

From the engine harness, it should make its way to the helm. There is probably an instrument cluster connector at the dash that heads back towards the engine hardness. The wire should be brown here too, and go to the trim meter. So you could lift the brown wire from the meter, and measure the resistance from the brown wire to ground as you vary the engine trim.

If you go to this page, and scroll down about half way, you will find three small photos side by side. Click on the picture of the instrument cluster, the middle photo. It should bring up a schematic of my instrument cluster. Yours should be similar.

 

[capz]

"This is an interesting problem, so I guess congratulations are in order for coming up with it!"

yeah yeah I feel blessed

I have a good meter. What I don't have is a portable battery charger. I drained one battery in no time working the trim. Now I just need a good excuse to skip out of work early today.
Btw Dave, I lost that o-ring on the sender cap you mentioned in the other thread. It fell in a pile of leaves and disappeared . Oh and the head of the bottom screw was gone on the trim limit switch, leaving a nice gap for water entry. I'll have to extract that. Ahh the joys of boating! Thanks for the help. Stay tuned.

 

[capz]

I think I found out what the problem is. I actually have issues with both the sender and limit switch. It's actually a mechanical problem with the hinge screws on either side of the gimbal ring. The retainers in the switch and sender are not grabbing the splines in the screws correctly. It looks like the screws are in too deep to me. I'm not positive but I think these should be flush with the side edges of the ring.
This problem started last season right after I had the boat hauled for service. I had a moderate hit late in the season. They had to change out a prop, shaft and coupler. The gauge has had problems since.

 

[capz]

spent hours trying to get the trim sender working right. I made the service manager come down and look at the hinge pins. After a second and a half glance he said they're in right. I don't believe him. Can anyone tell me if the hinge pin should be near flush with the edge of the gimbal ring?? I just can't see how the teeth can grab the retainer right if it's set in an inch. The marina is backed up and can't look at it for two weeks. It's warming up and this sender problem is the only thing keeping my boat from hitting the water. :smt100

 

[Dave M.]

Does this help?

 

[Dave M.]

Not sure if this is really the part you are asking about. Right now I gotta go lift a cow. :smt101

 

[capz]

yup that's it Dave. The inside pin is flush with the outer edge. The retainer sits in there. My inside pin is set in an inch. Both pins are set in an inch. Now on top of a sender problem, I may have a safety issue. Now I'm not that smart, but you don't have to be to see that if these are in wrong and let go, it could cause serious damage. My marina woes continue. Thanks for the pic.

 

[capz]

update.......I had both lead techs at the marina look at the pins and they both said the pins are supposed to be recessed. Meanwhile I sent an email to Mercury explaining my concerns. Here's their reply:

Good Morning. Both hinge pins should be flush with the Gimbal Ring. The
safety hazard would come if the sterndrive could not rotate through the
entire motion and became stuck. Please see an authorized service center
for immediate repairs.


Best regards,
Rocky W. Stebens

Consumer Service Specialist
MerCruiser Customer Service

After presenting this email to the lead tech, he said they had looked at the wrong boat (even though I was standing next to one of them when he said the pins are fine) and yes, these are in wrong. They're fixing it today. It's disheartening to know if I didn't catch it, they would have knowingly let my boat hit the water with two out of three main mounts faulty. They'll never touch my boat again aside from hauling it.

 

[boatmailster]

My trim gauge wasn't working so I removed the sender, cleaned the contacts, and realigned the index marks. Now the gauge is not in sync. While trimmng, it will hesitate for 5 seconds before it actually registers on the display. Anyone ever run into this?

you did set your sender too low

when drive moves up for first few few seconds there is no electrical connection inside sender and that is causing delay.
you can try different way. rise up yout drive to trim uper limit (not trailer position) and install sender the way that will show about 1/2
on gauge. now lower drive down and should be close to down position. use adjustment screws to loose sender to tweak settings

ps I hope you put plenty graese inside sender or will quickly corrode inside, put grease on o-ring too

 

[capz]

After fooling around with it I got very familiar with how the sender works. It didn't matter how I set it. The gauge can't work right with the hinge pin installed installed incorrectly. The gauge would creep a little when the drive was trimmed. It's now up to them to fix it. I got management involved to make sure it's done right. They just haven't been able to get to it yet. Good news is they splashed the boat by accident so I at least have been able to take it out on a couple runs. :thumbsup: