Trim Gauge not working - Maxum Boat Owners Club

iceman · 06-21-2018, 01:05 AM

I've got a trim gauge up at the helm that tells me whether the Bravo 3 stern drive is fully up, fully down or somewhere in between. I had the stern drive serviced (with some other engine work) and when I took the boat to the ramp last time I noticed the gauge isn't registering. It's "pinned" at the top of the scale, but when I turn the ignition on it jumps a little. The trim switch operates fine, the drive goes up and down OK.

I looked at the connections behind the gauge and they look OK. I looked at the trim sensor on the stern drive and it looks OK also.

I'm not sure how the wiring goes from back to front. Is there a place where a connector might have been pulled out? Anything else in the circuit that might have failed?

mmwjr · 06-21-2018, 01:19 AM

Did the shop have the sendor off? If so they may not have installed it properly. There is one tab larger than the others that should be set if I recall to the 12 o’clock position with 5he drive down then it can be adjusted by loosening the two screws to rotate it. Inside th3 engine compartment the two wires connect to the engine harness with butt slip on connectors near the distributor.

Phillbo · 06-21-2018, 01:56 AM

Mine has never worked. When cruising I can tell where it is by how the boat is riding. When launching and retrieving I can tell when the out drive is down or up by the change in the sound of the pump.

Baby Blue · 06-21-2018, 02:17 AM

I installed new trim sender and limit switch 2 years ago
This season trim guage all over the place.
I think they are finicky!
Mark

iceman · 06-21-2018, 03:31 AM

I don't know if they removed it. I attached a photo I just took of it. I don't see the tabs you mention. The wires are heading back towards the boat which seems right, but the words on the sendor are upside down! (Looks like the photo got rotated, so "up" is to the left.)

mmwjr · 06-21-2018, 03:41 AM

You have to remove the two screws then pull off the sendor to look at the backside to see the position tabs. Under Documents is the transom manual that shows this and how to align it.

mmwjr · 06-21-2018, 03:49 AM

Page 4A-9 of the Alpha manual.

iceman · 06-21-2018, 04:20 AM

I see it in the Bravo manual, page 4A-14. I'll take the sender off tomorrow and see if the alignment marks look right.

mmwjr · 06-21-2018, 12:20 PM

To test the gauge disconnect the sense wire (brown/white) and it should read full up then ground the sense terminal and it should read full down.

iceman · 06-21-2018, 11:58 PM

Tried to remove the sender but the two screws wouldn't budge. I assume there's corrosion on the threads. I hit it with some penetrating oil to see if that loosens it up.

Since they are stuck, I'm assuming the mechanic didn't remove it last month. So I'm leaning towards the wiring (connection to the engine harness) is messed up.

Overboard · 06-22-2018, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

Tried to remove the sender but the two screws wouldn't budge. I assume there's corrosion on the threads. I hit it with some penetrating oil to see if that loosens it up.

Since they are stuck, I'm assuming the mechanic didn't remove it last month. So I'm leaning towards the wiring (connection to the engine harness) is messed up.

If you want to remove the screws I recommend (I had to do it this way) using a good bit and a cordless electric impact driver as it will rattle the corrosion and they should come right out. I would’ve stripped out the screw doing it with a screwdriver. Then never seize when re installing.

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mmwjr · 06-22-2018, 01:33 AM

You should be able to find the wires coming in from the transom assembly near the top and trace them to the connectors.

I would also do the gauge test I mentioned in my earlier post so you can r7le that out.

arichard · 06-22-2018, 05:40 PM

I use an impact screw driver with a rubber mallet for this type of screw. Always comes off and far less chance of stripping it.

iceman · 06-27-2018, 11:48 PM

Thanks for your help guys. It turned out to be an unconnected wire for the trim sensor. With Mike's description I was able to find the two wire pairs coming out from the transom (limit and trim), and one wire of one pair was dangling. On the engine harness I noticed a wire labelled "analog trim" that was unconnected also. Put those two together, and the trim gauge is working again.

mmwjr · 06-28-2018, 03:38 AM

Glad you were able to resolve the issue. Wish you an uneventful rest of the season as all you have been through over the last year.