Tilt/Trim Problem On '78 140

[Xlrator]

I'm in the process of tearing this down. I'm trying to take the lower unit off, but I can't squeeze it out with the angle the engine is sitting at on the stand. I tried to operate the trim pump with a battery but it didn't work. I have the 3 wire system. I had the black at -, blue on +, and green on +. Nothing. I just need to tilt it up a bit to take the lower unit off. Is there a screw to open and let off pressure and just lift/lower it manually?

[ShorePounder]

There should be a knurled knob on the trim pump that should let you do what you need to do. A trim motor on my old inline took a dump on the water and wouldn't trim back down so we opened that valve to let the motor down and I was able to get back home without any trouble.

Worst case scenario has you cracking the lines open to the trim rams to relieve pressure. It's messy, but it will work, the real downside is that you'll have to bleed the trim system before putting it back in service.

[Xlrator]

Well, it's far from being back in service, I'm guessing I'm gonna have to rebuild the trim system also. I'll look for the knob and give it a try.

[chynewalkr]

hey, theres a screw in the side of the clamp bracket that u can turn to relieve the pressure. its on the starboard side and is a flathead type screw. you could try tapping the trim motor with a plastic mallet,things may be frozen up in there since that motor wasnt run for years, worked for my dad once.

[Xlrator]

Yeah I opened the screw under the motor, the one facing the starboard side inside the transom bracket and the one on the starboard side ram. Lifted it up and down and covered everything in my garage with fluid! I got the L/U off but I still cant get the trim rams to go down. The tilt one was free.

I removed all the bolts holding the assembly in there, but I cant get the rams & pump out. This has to come out without removing the engine, right?

Ben

[Xlrator]

Oh, I reconnected the pump motor to the battery and it was pumping, but after I blasted the fluid everywhere. But when it was full, I got nothing. I was hitting the trim rams with a hammer and block to free it.

Ben

[chynewalkr]

you have to fill the resovoir with the engine tilted all the way up, then put the plug in trim it up and down a few times, and then top it off again

[chynewalkr]

my manual says fill with system trimmed up! i dont know about mercs though

[Xlrator]

I got the rams free. The motor works good if I take it out of the unit. When it is in, there is so much drag or force on it the motor struggles and seems like the wires are ready to glow. I took all the fluid out and it still does it.

I haven't got my manual yet so I'm winging it for now. But would a rebuild kit fix this or would I have to replace? Where could I get a kit if I need it?

Thanks
Ben

[Xlrator]

O.K. I'm gonna need a couple things. The resivoir has a dent on the top, let water in. I need a new one. Part 321031 The piece that sits under the motor is real hard to turn, possibly rusty inside cause some of the springs were rusty. Could I just replace that entire part cause I could not back the 4 hex heads out?