Expert: Everett Peacock - 5/10/2008

Question
I have a 1983 4 Winns with a Mercruiser 470 in/out.  The wiring to the trim sensors failed.  Thinking I could bypass the failed sensors I direct wired from the connections on the motor to the trim pump.  Now the fuse on the trim pump blows after about 1 second of operation.  Can someone help me to correct this problem?

Answer
 First of all, the trim sensor is seperate from the trim motor wiring..one side of the gimbal housing where the drive connects to the boat is the trim indicator, the other side is the trim limit switch. The wires come in to the boat on both sides..dissconect the wires you installed on the pump. which sensor is bad the trim position sensor or the limit sensor.  If the limit switch is bad you can connect the trim limit wires together,  but you will be able to trim the drive up all the way with the trim switch while underway, so make sure you do not trim too far up while running..If the position switch is bad, you can replace the sensor but the problem is that the wires outside the boat to the sender corrode out.  To replace it the harness to the sender, that goes thru the transom has to be replaced,
Remember the position and limit switches do not connect to the pump.
If it is a limit problem connect the two wires together inside the boat.
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