Lazy drive... trim pump needs repair

[BajaIceBreaker]

I have a lazy drive... when i'm running trimmed out, it slowly drops and I have to kick the trim button and bring it back up. It even drops if it sits on the trailer for a day or tow with the drive up.
I went to the marina and they said there's not repair kit. I beg to differ... there's got to be a solution other than buying a new pump for $800.

Does anyone have any advice?

I swithced out the trim cylinders with the other drive, so it's definately a pump issue.

Help... please.

 

[insanity]

You can buy new pumps on Ebay for $250, some cheaper than that.

 

[old377guy]

Try the no cost/low cost checks first. Are all of the fittings tight at hose, distribution block, lockout valve, couplers and pump housing? Have you bled the system, just run it up and down several times for starters? Got water in your fluid? Remove and clean valve body from pump, gunk in check valve circuit? Any leaks in hydraulic hoses themselves? Switch pumps side to side to be certain. All ok?, THEN check out Ebay. Good luck.

 

[BajaIceBreaker]

Damn!!! Just as I said it wasn't a trim cylinder, I was wiggling the drive up and down, and noticed the seal at the end of one of the trim cylinders is leaking oil. I think this may be a new issue... but I obviously have to take care of this first. Is there a rebuild kit for those? Or just replace?

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

There are rebuild kits and they are pretty easy to work with.. The biggest factor as to whether you simply replace or not is exposure to salt water. A number of years in salt can render it unserviceable.

 

[BajaIceBreaker]

I don't run in salt, but I'll take that to mean, I better take it apart to evaluate weather it's rebuildable. Do you know the part number?

 

[Ratickle]

I don't run in salt, but I'll take that to mean, I better take it apart to evaluate weather it's rebuildable. Do you know the part number?

I think they change depending on year and drive model.

 

[HiZ]

Get me year and drive model I can get some for quite a good cost, new w/ 3 year wty
bheise@widmermarine.com

 

[gcarter]

SEI is now offering cylinders for many drives for about $120.00 each.
This is about $40.00 more than the cost of a rebuild kit.

http://www.sterndrive.cc/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=MercruiserTrimCylinders

 

[Ratickle]

SEI is now offering cylinders for many drives for about $120.00 each.
This is about $40.00 more than the cost of a rebuild kit.

http://www.sterndrive.cc/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=MercruiserTrimCylinders

Great information, Thanks.....

 

[BajaIceBreaker]

I am still puzzled. After rebuilding the trim cylinder, the problem seemed to go away. However, mid season, the problem came back. I'm beginning to think the pump may just need cleaning, like old377guy suggested. Or, new trim cylinders. This problem has been haunting me way too long.

 

[Ratickle]

I would think if there is zero leakage around the trim cylinder, it has to be the pump.

But I would probably swap out the cylinders again to make sure it was not a cylinder issue for sure.

 

[fund razor]

I am curious how the oil looks.

 

[BajaIceBreaker]

Interresting you ask... the oil looks fine. No water.. not brown, doesn't even go down.... anymore. It did leak a while back, that's when i rebuilt the cylinders. But now it's not leaking, and the drive keeps falling... slowly.

 

[old377guy]

I'd put my money on the check valve(s) in the valve body. It's free and comparatively easy to work on.