Engine Trim is Stuck/Broke

[maxumeyes]

The trim on my engine all of the sudden stopped working. It’s a 1999 mercury 60 hp outboard. It doesn’t work when I try the trim button on the throttle or on the engine. I can hear a clicking sound both when I try to trim up and down. Any ideas on what could be wrong here? Battery is fully charged. Haven’t messed with anything that I know of that would make it stop working. Anything would be a huge help. Thanks!

 

 

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[Sean Youngblood]

To test the motor itself, bypassing the relays and relay wiring, find the two heavy gauge wires that lead to the trim/tilt pump motor. One should be green and the other blue. You will probably be able to find a quick disconnect plug near where the wires exit the outboard engine cover that you can disconnect. Ground one wire to any metal surface and provide +12 volts from the battery to the other. The motor should run in one direction or the other. Now reverse the wires and the motor should run in the other direction. This will at least tell you if the motor is operating, so that you will have a better idea of what the actual problem might be. You can also pull out a relay (one at a time) and place a temporary wire jumper inside the relay socket across terminal 87 (the +12DC input voltage source) and terminal 30 (the outgoing wire to the trim/tilt pump motor) to make the motor run. It is worth repeating here: The voltage and current flows through BOTH relays, therefore when testing be sure you have a complete circuit.

[Sk8man]

Before you do anything check to make sure the connections on the terminals of the battery are totally tightened down (not loose) or corroded. Your battery can be fully charged but not making a good connection.

Edited May 6, 2020 by Sk8man

[sstout]

Is there a solenoid on the trim pump? My merc trim pump, granted 10 years older, has a solenoid on the top of it. Maybe that's gone bad? My starter solenoid went bad last year and it would just click and not start. $10 later, it was replaced and started right up. My trim pump has the same type solenoid as the starter, located on the top where the wires come in. If it's original, an older, it might have gone

Edited May 6, 2020 by sstout
Grammer

[maxumeyes]

Thanks all. I think I’m gonna replace the solenoid and see where that gets me


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[Sk8man]

The reason I said you may have a poor ground or loose connection  was based on the fact that I had the exact symptom you are reporting on my 135 Merc last weekend and when I traced it down that is what it turned out to be and it wasn't actually visible the wing nut on the terminal wasn't quite tight and that is all it took.I took the wires off the terminal and put them back on and tightened the crap out of it and bingo! I thought the connection was tight beforehand.

Edited May 7, 2020 by Sk8man

[Gill-T]

There is probably a fuse to the unit also

[Sean Youngblood]

The clicking noise is power to the relays.

[MCF]

There are videos on You Tube but sounds like a relay which may be as simple as disconnecting and cleaning the connections.