[Chuck3000]

So after pushing out from johnsons beach the other day the motor wouldn't go down...however went up just fine. I pressed the switch up and down and it would go up but not down. Hydraulic motor sounded fine and I looked at everything and no obvious problem. Eventually it was tilted up as far as it would go and after a few minutes of pushing the down switch repeatedly motor started to go down...I held the switch until motor was all the way down.

Now when I push the up switch it goes up for maybe one press in three...and down switch works for maybe 1 press in 50.

Any ideas what's going on? Seems like maybe a bad switch to me since the hydraulics sound normal...but I didn't think switches could go bad like that. Anything else I should look for before I go out and buy a new switch?

Chuck

 

[sixpax4x4]

check all electrical connections on the solinoids at the tilt motor and switch. motor sounds as if it fine.

 

[wld1985]

yup.. check the solinoid... Take a screw driver and lay it across one another, see if it goes up and down easy that way.. if so then it's bad and needs a new one...

 

[taosx]

I had the same issue on a '92 115 OMC. Turned out to be the relay box (not sure of exact term, but a sealed black box mounted near the inside transom and electrical wired through)

 

[X-Shark]

but I didn't think switches could go bad like that.

Da! Yes they can. The fact that it does move normal when connection in the switch is made, proves nothing else is wrong. Now the switch needs to be tested with a ohm meter to be positive of this.

 

[sosmarine]

If the motor has a switch on the cowling try it, both directions. If, as you said the initial problem was it would not go down, but would go up, it could be a relay. If it isn't going up or down now and the motor is turning I would check the trim fluid level and for water in the resivoir. If you can hear the relays clicking when you hit the switch, then the switch is ok. Relays are fairly easy to change, depending on the make of the motor.

 

[lastcast]

Chuck, a quick check is to find the two relays, spray a good elec contact spray on them.Switch em and give er a try. I go thru a few every year (OMC). Also,If you need to lower you're motor there is a pressure relief screw on the left side of the motor. Good Luck.

 

[Chuck3000]

Thanks all for the suggestions, helped me learn a lot about how the system worked since I didn't really have any idea before. Turned out it was the switch. I took the throttle off and doused the switch in electrical connection and anticorrosion fluid and now it's 100%. Sure is nice when it's easy to fix, and now I can plan to put in a new switch on my own schedule.

Chuck