Power trim issue possibly fixed

[TnRiver46]

I’m hoping typing this out will help others and maybe myself sometime down the road. I’ve had some power trim issues for a year or two (or maybe more?). The problem is always intermittent and always that the motor will go down but not up. One night I had launched about 6-8 miles from home and the motor wouldn’t lift. I made it home but couldn’t back up into my driveway. The plastic nut to let the pressure off the hydraulic motor was stripped out so we were back to the drawing board. There are 3 relays in a vertical arrangement under the cowling, let’s call the top one #1, middle #2, and bottom #3. I switched relay 1 and 2 and magically the trim would go up and down. But when I took it to the lake it was alarming and wouldn’t start when I turned the key. I Switched them back to original position and everything worked normally. That was maybe a year ago, I’ve had a few minimal issues with it not lifting up since but it always worked if you toggled the switch enough times. Well tonight when I got off the water it wouldn’t lift up again. I couldn’t get up into the driveway so I switched relay 1 and 2 and viola , trim works both ways. But I remembered the alarming from last time so I turned the key to on position and sure enough it was alarming again. I have a replacement relay that a fishing buddy got me while back, figured I would try it out. I tried replacing #1 with the new one and no change. Tried replacing #2 and everything works normally, but I haven’t taken it to the water yet (doesn’t alarm with key in the on position). Hopefully this means relay #2 was bad all along and that #1 is “down,” #2 is “up,” and #3 remains a mystery 

[Jig Man]

I have always been told that when you have a bad relay, replace both at the same time.

[TnRiver46]

Just now, Jig Man said:

I have always been told that when you have a bad relay, replace both at the same time.

That’s a good idea, will do that. Wonder what that 3rd one is for? 

[Jig Man]

I have no clue.  I’m not a tech.  I thought there was only up and down.   I was in sales and just watched them when I wasn’t busy.

[flatcreek]

I have a similar situation.i changed both relays at the same time and it fixed the problem at the throttle switch and bow switch but only will go down on the motor switch but not up.

[TnRiver46]

5 minutes ago, flatcreek said:

I have a similar situation.i changed both relays at the same time and it fixed the problem at the throttle switch and bow switch but only will go down on the motor switch but not up.

Well that’s weird! Mine does the same thing will all 3 switches 

[flatcreek]

How’s that for more confusion?

[TnRiver46]

Just now, flatcreek said:

How’s that for more confusion?

I ❤️ electricity 

[flatcreek]

Improvise,Improvise and Improvise.problem solved

[flatcreek]

Where’s Way to slow when we need him?

Improvise,Improvise and Improvise.problem solved

[galyonj]

48 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s a good idea, will do that. Wonder what that 3rd one is for? 

 

Pages 9A-4 and 9A-4.1 in the FSM for your engine shows the wiring harness and its key.

 

Those three relays mounted on the back of the powerhead are, from top to bottom:

• 4-wire relay (red, red/purple, yellow/purple, red/white) is the main power relay
• 2-wire relay (light blue/white, green/white) is the power trim relay
• 3-wire relay (red/purple, green/white, light blue/white) is the cowl trim relay

 

[J Francho]

I was just gonna say trim and tilt should be on different relays.

[TnRiver46]

7 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

Pages 9A-4 and 9A-4.1 in the FSM for your engine shows the wiring harness and its key.

 

Those three relays mounted on the back of the powerhead are, from top to bottom:

• 4-wire relay (red, red/purple, yellow/purple, red/white) is the main power relay
• 2-wire relay (light blue/white, green/white) is the power trim relay
• 3-wire relay (red/purple, green/white, light blue/white) is the cowl trim relay

 

[TnRiver46]

Issue not solved, still same problem 

[Captain Phil]

I have the exact same problem on my pontoon boat with a Merc 40 four stroke.  It's real intermittent. Works for weeks at a time, then stops.  I mess with it for a while and it starts working again.  Must be a battery or wiring issue?   Let us know if you find a solution?

[TnRiver46]

11 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

I have the exact same problem on my pontoon boat with a Merc 40 four stroke.  It's real intermittent. Works for weeks at a time, then stops.  I mess with it for a while and it starts working again.  Must be a battery or wiring issue?   Let us know if you find a solution?

Will do. Mine is a 50 hp Mercury 4 stroke and behaves the same. It will work perfectly for months at a time then won’t go up at random times. So far my solution is to switch the top and bottom one to get it to raise, then switch them back 

[TnRiver46]

I was piddling with the relays today and my new one came apart. When I went to touch it this happened

So I put it back together and everything works. We shall see this weekend for how long