Thread: Tilt and Trim

Bought a new 115 Evinrude 2020, have had a prob with the tilt slowly lowering when stored in the shed over a couple of weeks, till the Skeg is on the deck and coming under weight. Took it in under warranty and they cannot fault, said Evinrude have a margin the motor will drop when stored. They will investigate further at my expense? Now tell me I’m wrong, but hydraulics don’t move, unless there’s a bypass somewhere? He suggested I store it on the trailer lock. Thoughts please.

Should you not store it in the down position anyway.
That's what I was always told by my boat shop, and travel on the motor bracket so it can't drop.

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Have always stored with the engine in the vertical position except on the mooring where it was locked up due to no water at low tide. Wouldn't expect any "creep" when left up unlocked but never tried it.

I have 2006 Yamaha 70 two stroke. In storage, the motor will creep down in manner you describe. I ‘found’ a plastic road marker that I place between motor leg and power head to stop the annoying sag whilst in shed. My motor has one central hydraulic ram and two small ones, being one each side. Haven’t looked lately, but it appears a seal from one (top of) ram is leaking so if that ram is holding motor up, the pressure within would force oil out. Not a lot, but annoying. I need to make a pronged spanner to fit the ram cap to remove said cap to replace seal.
Caution: in worst case scenario, o/b could leak down and refuse to move up from controls. There is a bleed valve, prob on rhs of leg to undo, thus releasing pressure. You can then manually lift motor up.
I would be pissed if my new motor leaked down like you describe. Suggest you suss for hydraulic oil drips on rams.

Have a 2006 Evinrude 150, 800+ hours and it is stored lowered but not right down or will touch concrete, so maybe 10-12 degree s left?
It seems to sit in that position no problem, probably sat 6 months recently. If it had moved it would have rested skeg on concrete, so don't think a sealed hydraulic unit should really move?
Most outboards have a travel lock you should be able to flip up, or jam a block of wood in there?

agree,was just about to suggest a block of wood....now truck deck hydrolics is interesting one...a LOT of guys store at night with deck slightly up so any water runs off,not this K1W1 to my mind its just putting seals and valves under un necessary load...the two older fert trailers I use daily will creap down ever so slightly if left up with load on board...wouldnt dream of leaving them up overnight,Ive seen what happens when a hose goes suddenly and its not pretty.

Years back I saw advertised a type of sleeve that fits over the ram, apparently better than leaving the motor up on the little metal travel lock.

Not normally supposed to leave rams exposed if you can help it otherwise they can pit, especially on marine hiabs.

Originally Posted by 25 /08 IMP

Should you not store it in the down position anyway.
That's what I was always told by my boat shop, and travel on the motor bracket so it can't drop.

Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk

I store in the down position, to drain the motor of water? Always have, my old 1997 Johnson V4 never moved on the tilt

In the first instance I wouldn't have expected a new setup to slowly bleed down but I'm not at all familiar with the Evinrude hydraulic system. I can only surmise that if it bleeds down now it will not improve over the service life of the engine.

When sitting in the fully trimmed up position there is going to be pressure behind the tilt ram and to my mind this is never something you want to leave in place for an extended duration. As noted by the collective experience above it just seems logical to store the boat with the motor trimmed down and the skeg resting on a block of wood so the loads are removed from the rams and seals are not left under excesive pressure.

If that ram bleeds down overnight I would investigate further because the last thing you want is for that to happen even more rapidly. That would cause you a number of potential issues in future, the worst of which might be some severe damage to the skeg while towing. I do use the Uplock when towing despite the OEM manual stating its for maintenance purposes. I figure it takes a little load off the primary ram on our rough roads but I have been looking at a better solution. Some of the motor wedges you can buy are shit though, I've seen a few that can actually damage the top wiper seal so thats a waste of time.

Maca, to be honest if it were mine I'd be trying to sort it out. I just hate things like that.

Originally Posted by planenutz

In the first instance I wouldn't have expected a new setup to slowly bleed down but I'm not at all familiar with the Evinrude hydraulic system. I can only surmise that if it bleeds down now it will not improve over the service life of the engine.

When sitting in the fully trimmed up position there is going to be pressure behind the tilt ram and to my mind this is never something you want to leave in place for an extended duration. As noted by the collective experience above it just seems logical to store the boat with the motor trimmed down and the skeg resting on a block of wood so the loads are removed from the rams and seals are not left under excesive pressure.

If that ram bleeds down overnight I would investigate further because the last thing you want is for that to happen even more rapidly. That would cause you a number of potential issues in future, the worst of which might be some severe damage to the skeg while towing. I do use the Uplock when towing despite the OEM manual stating its for maintenance purposes. I figure it takes a little load off the primary ram on our rough roads but I have been looking at a better solution. Some of the motor wedges you can buy are shit though, I've seen a few that can actually damage the top wiper seal so thats a waste of time.

Maca, to be honest if it were mine I'd be trying to sort it out. I just hate things like that.

@planenutz I leave the boat in a shed at my bach, I usually leave it just off vertical, unsupported. On average Im there twice a month, in two weeks it will lower approx 20mm, but it continues if left until the skeg has contacted the floor and pre loaded. The repair tech, about 20 yrs old, says Evinrude allow for movement down, but couldnt tell me how much and said he couldnt fault, had it sitting 3 days. I said, if its hydraulic, it should lock and not move, he said that was incorrect. I told him I was a retired Fitter and it must be new thinking with hydraulics, but if it was pneumatic I could understand. I think he is just a kid with no experience.
To have the engine serviced, as a matter of interest, being the first time from new, about 5 hours on the clock, $440.00 + gst labour plus a few parts and some grease, plus a computer read out on performance. Well first and lst time, theres SFA to do servicing a new outboard?

Id be pissed if my new motor was creeping down.

First service is probably just lots of checks.

Originally Posted by Maca49

@planenutz I leave the boat in a shed at my bach, I usually leave it just off vertical, unsupported. On average Im there twice a month, in two weeks it will lower approx 20mm, but it continues if left until the skeg has contacted the floor and pre loaded. The repair tech, about 20 yrs old, says Evinrude allow for movement down, but couldnt tell me how much and said he couldnt fault, had it sitting 3 days. I said, if its hydraulic, it should lock and not move, he said that was incorrect. I told him I was a retired Fitter and it must be new thinking with hydraulics, but if it was pneumatic I could understand. I think he is just a kid with no experience.
To have the engine serviced, as a matter of interest, being the first time from new, about 5 hours on the clock, $440.00 + gst labour plus a few parts and some grease, plus a computer read out on performance. Well first and lst time, theres SFA to do servicing a new outboard?

I had my o/b serviced when under warranty but now do it myself by roughly following the checklist in the service manual. I grease nipples, change plugs, replace gear case oil, remove prop and grease spline and check for any general deterioration. I replace impellers on the 70 and aux 8 hp with no issues.
As I lake fish only these days and have two tanks, two batteries and two motors, I reckon I can get home under power…or blow ashore in a worse scenario.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Id be pissed if my new motor was creeping down.

First service is probably just lots of checks.

Yeah, but your not a marine technician!

Originally Posted by Ingrid 51

I had my o/b serviced when under warranty but now do it myself by roughly following the checklist in the service manual. I grease nipples, change plugs, replace gear case oil, remove prop and grease spline and check for any general deterioration. I replace impellers on the 70 and aux 8 hp with no issues.
As I lake fish only these days and have two tanks, two batteries and two motors, I reckon I can get home under power…or blow ashore in a worse scenario.

I towed it back from Taupo, because of two warranty issues. One the tilt and two the hydraulic steering, which they removed to fit the new motor. They didn’t bleed it correctly an if you pushed the motor right and left, the rod moved in the cylinder. He had a go at that, but couldn’t improve it. He actually did, but think his missed putting the sleeve back in the steering arm and the bolt now slops around. Like many tradesmen, it better to do it yourself and will in the future, as I did with my old outboard for twenty years. I’ll talk to the business owner on Monday.