Tilt/trim leaking down. Rebuildable?

[SaltH2OHokie]

1985 Mercury 115, noticed that the motor is settling down fairly quickly (left new house with boat on trailer, motor tilted up to where it was just sitting on the trim cylinders...drove hour fifteen minutes to old house and the motor was completely down).  Has always settled down, but normally over the course of days or overnight, not minutes...apparently getting worse.

Are there rebuild kits available?  Is it even a "serviceable" part?  I've done cylinders from backhoes and excavators...imagine these are similar, but tiny?

Any diagnostic procedures to narrow the problem area?  Motor is off the boat at the moment, so I'd like to get everything right during the down time so when the transom is done, the boat is ready to roll.

[fitz73222]

If there is no oil leaking from either tilt ram then they are ok. Check to see if the manual release knob on the trim pump is tight. If it is loose it will leak down. The knob is knurled alumimum mounted on your trim pump. Also make sure the pump is full of oil. I'm making the assumption that your engine still had the external trim system with the pump mounted in the boat via hydraulic hoses; correct?

[SaltH2OHokie]

No, all integral.  Looks just like tilt/trim on my buddy's early 90's XR4 150...as in 'identical' to my untrained eye.

[fitz73222]

Do you see any oil leaking from any of the 2 trim or 1 tilt ram (s)?

[SaltH2OHokie]

Not on a cursory glance, but I probably need to wipe it perfectly clean and dry, tilt her up, and watch before I proclaim it free of external leaks.

Assuming I do find some leakage...are the cylinders serviceable?

[fitz73222]

Yes, but not from Mercury. Seal kits discontinued long ago. I found a guy down in Palm Beach that makes the correct kits. I've rebuilt two newer style single ram units from his kits and they were perfect. I found him ebay or amazon, I will have to check.

[redemn93]

do you have contact info for the guy in palm beach?  i need a kit.

[fitz73222]

do you have contact info for the guy in palm beach?  i need a kit.

Which trim system do you have? Which engine? Single ram or 3 ram design?

[SaltH2OHokie]

Fitz, to update...now that I have the boat back, and motor back on the boat...no external leakage that I see after wiping everything down, cleaning it up, etc.  Bled the down a few times and that actually helped quite a bit, so I think the for the time being I'm going to let her eat.  Can you think of any reason that would harm anything?

[redemn93]

fitz, sorry i never replied.  its an 89 mercury v6.  3 ram.  side fill.  curious on price for it.  

salt, trim all the way up and open the fill cap, fill it.  do this a few times and see if that helps more.

[fitz73222]

Fitz, to update...now that I have the boat back, and motor back on the boat...no external leakage that I see after wiping everything down, cleaning it up, etc.  Bled the down a few times and that actually helped quite a bit, so I think the for the time being I'm going to let her eat.  Can you think of any reason that would harm anything?

Not sure how you are bleeding the "down" but the process is too tilt it up fully, wait a minute or two, take out the plug and fill it to the bottom of the threads, re-plug. Run it up and down several times and check again. You may just have a bad Oring on the manual release screw plastic stem. There are 3 Orings on it, but a whole bunch of cautionary statements about completely removing it so some research is in order.

[GoneFission]

Part number for repair kit should be 41478 - there's one on eBay for $50:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercury-Trim-Ti ... 35&vxp=mtr  

Good luck!

[SaltH2OHokie]

Fitz, to update...now that I have the boat back, and motor back on the boat...no external leakage that I see after wiping everything down, cleaning it up, etc.  Bled the down a few times and that actually helped quite a bit, so I think the for the time being I'm going to let her eat.  Can you think of any reason that would harm anything?

Not sure how you are bleeding the "down" but the process is too tilt it up fully, wait a minute or two, take out the plug and fill it to the bottom of the threads, re-plug. Run it up and down several times and check again. You may just have a bad Oring on the manual release screw plastic stem. There are 3 Orings on it, but a whole bunch of cautionary statements about completely removing it so some research is in order.

Followed advice I found elsewhere on the internet...against the law to post false information on the internet, right?  

This:

============================================
Filling: To properly check the fill, the trim/tilt rams must be extended. Raise OB all the way up (if you can't via the trim motor, then back off the manual release valve and with extra help, tilt/raise the OB all the way up and set it on its mooring/full raise lock, then re-tighten the release valve).

Tilt reservoirs are easier and best to fill IMHO when the boat is on a trailer, as you can lower the tongue all the way to the ground, as you want the tilt/trim reservoir as straight up & down as you can get it. This procedure is also best done with a helper to assist you, as they will keep their finger on the t/t UP button on the OB cowl, when needed.

Trim the OB all the way up and engage the full-up tilt support (or use a block ... you do NOT want an OB to fall on any bodypart  !). Slowly open the t/t reservoir cap (allowing air to escape) and insert the trim fluid tube/nozzle. I use a small long/slender nozzle on the end of the recommended trim fluid container to help keep it in there.

Now this is where your assistant comes in. Have them press the t/t UP button as you put in ALL the fluid it will take. Keep pressing UP while the OB goes all the way up (off its supports), you will hear the t/t motor hit the bypass valve (the motor sound will change) and until the t/t reservoir won't take any more fluid and it starts to drip/gush out. Mind you, your helper's finger is still ON the UP button ... and while their finger is still pressing the UP button, quickly put the trim reservoir cap back on. All done!

FYI: the concept behind "holding the UP button pressed while filling" allows the trim motor to suck in all of the fluid it can via the hydraulic system. Doing in this manner, you should not have to top off the reservoir again, hopefully for a loooooong time.

Bleeding: OB tilt/trim units are "self-bleeding" and you should always perform these "purge cycles" to follow even if you don't need to add any more fluid. To purge/check, remove the tilt lock (if engaged) and cycle the OB down by "jogging" it down, in 2-3 seconds runs. Then rest the motor a few seconds (akin to NOT cranking on a starter motor continuously), then cycle it UP all the way in one long blast.

Rest/pause again ... 10 seconds or more ... then repeat that complete cycle a few more times to ensure that it has bled all the air out of the t/t system. When bled of all air, you won't hear bubbling or gurgling as the OB starts its up or down cycle ... you should just hear a smooth start of the rams in motion.

This a faulty practice?