Volvo Outdrive Trim Sensor

[D3B]

I posted before about the indicator telling me that the leg was up at 50 degrees. It wasnt. I am told it is to do with the sensor.

Engineer now on board and tells me one of the two cables from the sensor is broken. Needs to have leg removed to replace cable and sensor. He says it could have been faulty parts but could also have been caused by hitting something under the water or someone poking about.
I have heard a lot about duff sensors.
Engines/legs only two years old but 250 hours.

Does the panel think this should be covered by warranty.
Estimated time 3-4 hours @ £35 per hour + vat, plus sensor (approx £80)

Also been said that its only the indicator and you should be able to set the legs by how the boat feels and is balanced. must admit when out over the weekend i did tweak the legs to get a nicer balance than just using the numbers shown.

Doug

 

[SilverTT]

Let me get this right, wind blowing hard on stb, boat keels over slightly & doesn't run true you would leave it if the trim indicators are both on +2 for example. Go by how the boat feels not an indicator.
If your not getting a boat lift for anything else you have to add the cost of this into your maths.

 

[DAKA]

2nd sensible/serious post in a day, me thinks another name change due

' Mr Sensible '

Our top end was 28 knts until I trimmed the legs and managed 31 knts once.
I used to trim our legs by feel and ignore the gauges but that is hardly the point, everything has to work like new.

Ours got smashed after the engineer refitted the leg and kept quiet so we lost the gauge a whole season /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[D3B]

Mr Sensible /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Dont be silly.

So did you replace the cable/sensor yourself?
Does 3-4 hours seem reasonable?


used to use the Trim tabs to level off if had a side wind but will now use the legs as well.
already got used to trimming legs to improve speed but didnt realise how much the leg would effect the balance.
Another day and something new learnt about this maginficent hobby.

 

[DAKA]

Trim

Tabs seldom used.
For speed trim with the legs but unlike the tabs they are not cross wired so opposite leg tips the boat.

I must say the only time I ever really bothered with this was once or twice a year while racing with friends, 99.9% of the time my boat ran best fully trimmed in. -4

Occasionally if cruising really calm I would alter thr trim and an extra 2 knts was available but it had to be flat calm.


I have avoided the cost issue as mine were 1988 290 dp, so I am not sure how relevant that is to your modern legs.

It was the little plastic wheel that was broken on mine, it was missed on lift out one and replaced the second year (as this was a biannual service the leg had to come off anyway and it cost 20 mins but the engineer knew as well as I did that it was him that had smashed it two years ago.)

 

[mont]

Does sensor reading react to raising and lowering legs ?. If it reads 50 when fully down and then changes with movement then this suggest its just fitted incorrectly (by 180 degrees) and also not calibarted properly. Could also be that gear wheel was not located onto rack at correct position.
A 'broken wire' is external 1.5mm so 25p connector to fix. All sounds bxllxcks to me.
Correct fitting of a new sensor will of course solve the problem.
Maybe i'm lucky but my sensors are both 14 years old and both broken with araldite sealing terminals but both work perfectly. Had to read manuals though and give up with 'engineers'.

 

[D3B]

Mont

reading on guage is stuck at 50 degrees, but leg trims in and out perfectly ok.

 

[mont]

Un do retaining bolt (12mm) on top of main fork arm which retains small wishbone which holds sensor static down into middle of steering yolk. See if sensor will lift out - it may be baulked by transom - usually a tight squeeze and may need main yolk dropping to remove (lift out only). Rotate sensor and see if reading will change - it may be external problem with gear wheel or rack.
Have you had 2 year major service on legs yet ?