I've got a theory.... Tell me I'm right!!

[paultallett]

Morning,

I've got an issue with my trim switch on my Bravo 3 leg thats just started to happen. I arrive at the boat and before I start her up I try the trim switch and nothing happens, then I push the switch further (trailer mode) and sure enough it all works fine. If I cycle the leg up then down, the normal trim starts to works fine again.

I've given the switch a clean and WD40, then I've cleaned the contacts on the trim pump, the bullet connectors for both the 'trim and tilt' senders etc..... and alls been working fine.

Went to the boat yesterday, and again the same proplem. I cycled the leg up and down with the 'trailer' switch and low and behold the 'trim' switch works fine again, and I hadn't touched anything else.

So here's my theory......... Do you think the tilt sender thats on the leg is beginning to fail, hence the trim switch not working but the trailer bit working fine?? Then by lifting the leg up and down this somehow 'cleans' the contacts on the sender making the trim switch work again until it stands still for a week or so and we have to repeat the whole process again??

Cheers,

Paul.

 

[spannerman]

The fault is most likely on the trim limit switch circuit, which is the device mounted on the port side of the gimbal frame opposite the trim sender, check the connectors at the back of the engine purple/white and blue/white to 2 black wires which go through the transom with the trim sender wires.
You can join these together to bypass the limit switch, if it works then its the switch, if not then its the trim button.
The trim sender on Mercruiser is independant of trim function unlike Volvo where the trim sender controls trim function.

 

[paultallett]

Thanks Spanner man, thats just what I was thinking but I wasn't sure if it would be ok to join the wires coming in from the trim limiter switch to see if that was the culprit.

Should it be the limit switch and not the trim switch at the helm thats faulty, is it acceptable to join the wires (obviously knowing you can then fully trim up the leg whilst in gear and appropriate care taken) and bypass the limit switch until I can lift the boat and do the proper fix?

 

[spannerman]

That will be fine, you will know if you trim too high as the revs will start to go up.