Motor will not tilt down

[RRice]

Good evening all. I have a problem and could use some advice if anyone can help. I have a 2003 Yamaha T60 4stroke that is stuck in the raised position. I keep the boat in the water and have not used it for several months. When I try to lower the motor I hear a clicking sound but no movement up or down. I purchased one battery last year and one last night both fully charged. I would appreciate any and all suggestions. Thank you, Robert

[Boblee]

Check the battery connections most likely at the batteries but remove terminals and clean then check at motor if still a problem check voltage at motor terminals while operating.
The transit support bracket is not engaged?

[TonyHouk]

Robert,
I know on my Nissan, don't now about my Evinrude yet, there is a screw on the left side of the engine mount where it will allow me to move the motor either up or down. I know that won't help for the long run but it will help in an emergency. It sounds like a relay. Can't help much from here. But... Here is a link to a website that talks about engine. I hope it helps.
http://www.marineengine.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi
Tony

[RRice]

Thank you I will check these out.

[TAM]

Maybe too simplistic, but... Our Honda has a flip down lock to keep the motor up during travel. Could be engaged accidentally.

[RRice]

I did check The travel support they are up.

[March]

It could be a number of things. The up and down movement is controlled by a hydraulic pump. If the hydraulic fluid is low, or if you lost it all together, you might also get that effect. Wonder if the circuit is sealed, as in a regular shock absorber or if you can add fluid in case you are low.

Just a thought--even though, in this case, one would have expected the engine to stay down, I guess?

[Hamin' X]

I agree with Tony, it sounds like a relay. The relay may not be bad though. Check the relay terminal for tightness and corrosion. As suggested earlier, check and clean the battery terminals. You may not be getting sufficient power to the relay. You can check this problem by jumping across the relay contact terminals, the ones that go to the pump motor.

~Rich

[Night Sailor]

Long ago I had the same problem. It was a faulty relay. The mechanic told me this: if the lift motor that drives the hydraulic pump doesn't run, it's a battery, connection, or relay bad. Test them in that order. If the motor runs but doesn't lift, then the hydraulic pump is either low on fluid or needs rebuilding or replacing.
The hydraulic cylinder assemblies s do have a pressure release valve on them, whereby you can back off (out) on the screw a few turns, and release pressure in the cylinder so the motor can be lifted or lowered manually. Similar to an automotive hydraulic jack. Hope this helps.

[RRice]

Well I used the manual release to lower the motor and get the boat home from her slip and found a rusty tilt/trim motor with a nice hole in the back side. The yamaha part is well over $300.00 so I will be buying an aftermarket motor from Arco for around $189.00. Hopefully I will be fixed and sailing soon since the weather is getting nice here in Florida.

[ChrisNorton]

So I have had a similar problem on a 50hp Mercury Bigfoot 4-stroke. Batteries are charged, terminals seems fine. It will go up with absolutely no problem. I get nothing (not even a sound) when I try to go down. Haven't been totally stuck yet though. If I wait 20 minutes it will go down again. This happens whether I use the trim buttons on the throttle or the ones right on the motor so I don't think it a bad switch. Once it gets back to working again it goes up and down with no problems.

Does this sound like a relay? If so (stupid question) does anyone know where the relay is on my motor and what it looks like? Is it something I can easily replace?

Thanks,
Chris

[pokerrick1]

Does this sound like a relay? If so (stupid question) does anyone know where the relay is on my motor and what it looks like?

There is no such thing as a stupid question unless I ask it

Rick

[Kelly Hanson East]

Chris - it sounds like you have a thermal overload protector on your motor that is tripping. If you drop the motor down, leave it for a day and then put the motor up, will it then fail to go back down for 20 minutes ?? That would confirm the above diagnosis.

[ChrisNorton]

No, not really. I store it in the up position as I am in a salt water slip. Sometimes it won't go down on the very first try after it has been sitting for any number of days (1, 7, more). Other times it goes down fine at the dock, raise it to go sailing and then it won't go down. It will always go up during all scenarios and at all times. If it is all the way up you can still hear the motor engaging. When it has the problem going down it doesn't make a sound.

The time to get it to go back down again also is not consistent. It could take 30 seconds or an hour. Typically by using the tilt up button which always works eventually seems to get the down to work. Or starting the motor or just turning it over.

It is really fishy.

[Kelly Hanson East]

....mechanics shrug.....