Volvo/Penta Tilt/Trim problems

[FishinPole2]

Hi Folks,

I have a 1993 26 foot Skipjack with a Volvo Penta diesel I/O. Engine AD41B (S/N 2204144967, Dual Prop Drive model DP-D (S/N 3102129961). Trim /tilt started giving me problems. At first unit would not go down but now the unit will not go up.

I was able to determine that the motor is okay. If I apply voltage directly to the motor, I can cause the outdrive to go up or down, depending on voltage polarity. Outdrive travels full range and the trim indicator reads correctly.

The controls consist of an UP, a DOWN and a BEACH pushbuttons. Indicator is a round display with both LCD and LED's. The LCD indicates trim angle in number from -5 to about +40. The LED's indicate if the trim is set outside the usable range. Indicator is displaying properly.

I am looking for a true, readable electrical schematic and possible explanation of how the system is supposed to work. There are 4 relays involved. Two at the controls and two at the hydralic pump. The Volvo Penta manual that came with the unit has a sketch that is more a "pictorial" and thus lacking in detail.

Access to the pump/relays is very limited. Hate to spend too much time on my belly in the bildge unless I have an ideal what to look for.

Any help with source of schematic/parts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Stas,

aka FishinPole

[yottyboy]

Hi Folks,

I have a 1993 26 foot Skipjack with a Volvo Penta diesel I/O. Engine AD41B (S/N 2204144967, Dual Prop Drive model DP-D (S/N 3102129961). Trim /tilt started giving me problems. At first unit would not go down but now the unit will not go up.

I was able to determine that the motor is okay. If I apply voltage directly to the motor, I can cause the outdrive to go up or down, depending on voltage polarity. Outdrive travels full range and the trim indicator reads correctly.

The controls consist of an UP, a DOWN and a BEACH pushbuttons. Indicator is a round display with both LCD and LED's. The LCD indicates trim angle in number from -5 to about +40. The LED's indicate if the trim is set outside the usable range. Indicator is displaying properly.

I am looking for a true, readable electrical schematic and possible explanation of how the system is supposed to work. There are 4 relays involved. Two at the controls and two at the hydralic pump. The Volvo Penta manual that came with the unit has a sketch that is more a "pictorial" and thus lacking in detail.

Access to the pump/relays is very limited. Hate to spend too much time on my belly in the bildge unless I have an ideal what to look for.

Any help with source of schematic/parts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Stas,

aka FishinPole

Clearly there is either a bad solenoid or a bad wire. When my Cobra trim went out (similar to VP) the cost for a new solenoid pack was something like 400-odd dollars. My solution was to buy two new Cole Hersee solenoids at $15 each and rewire them into the pump. Works like great. There should be a red green and blue wire going into the motor. I think red is positive, blue is down negative ground and green is up negative ground. Or maybe it's the other way round, oh well, easy to figure out. Can't tell you what the switch solenoids do. You really only need a dual throw switch that's momentary on-off-momentary on. Those are about ten bucks from Genuinedealz.com. Trim position indicators are ridiculously inaccurate.

Look on fleaBay for a Cobra trim pump. It should have the same wiring and fitment.

Try this link,it may be what you are looking for. Or here, the complete listing for VP drives.

[geronimo]

Sounds like a faulty switch or sending unit (solenoid) or replacement of both..

[FishinPole2]

Hi Folks, Thanks for your input.

This model VolvoPenat outdrive does not have any solenoids. Through relays, the motor wires are reversed to run the outdrive up or down. There are just two wires connected to the hydralic pump motor. A GRN/WHT and a BLU/WHT. The motor is fully insolated from system ground. Connecting these two wire directly to a battery causes the outdrive to go up or down, depending on voltage polarity. Reverse the battey connection and the outdrive goes the opposite way. By direct connection, I can make the outdrive travel up or down full range and the trim indicator reads correctly. My problem is not with the motor.

At the helm there is a three pushbutton switch assembly (UP, DOWN and BEACH) that has 5 wires connecting to a big harness of wires. When it was working properly, the DOWN would cause the outdrive to go down throughout the full range. The UP would control the outdrive through a small, limited range such that the cooling water intake (mounted on the outdrive) was always under water. If you wanted to lift the drive out of the water (to trailer and/or beach the boat) you have to push both the UP and BEACH together to get full up travel. I think the indicator has circuits that control the limited range because there are no limit switches on the outdrive. There are 10 wires going to the indicator.

At the helm, these pushbuttons control two relays. These two relays control two other relays which are located at the pump. The wire harness for just the outdrive has 23 wires leaving the helm and running to the indicator and aft to the pump. It would be much easier to troubleshoot if I had a schematic. I was hoping someone could steer me towards some documentation that is detailed.

As I said before, the wiring diagram that came with the unit is more of a pictorial, not any real, usable details. I'm hoping that by posting my problem and keeping it alive, I can scare up some info.

The pictorial has labels on various wires that are in some kind of Volvo/Penta code. Wires that go through a connector change color which is a real pain to understand. A wire that is WHT can change to BLU/RED when passing through a connector.

Again, thanks for your input. I am still feeling hopeful that the right person will read this posting.

Regards,

Stas,

aka FishinPole

[yottyboy]

Well, I think you already have it figured out. You won't find anything on line that's free since the shop manuals are copyrighted material. Maybe someone here has the manual and can scoot you a scan. Otherwise you'll have to fork over the bucks for the repair manual if you need the reassurance that you are going down the right path. If you follow the link I gave you that vendor can hook you up.

Solenoids and relays are pretty much the same thing. Relays have the tendency to go south because they are not sealed against moisture like a metal encased solenoid. Cole Hersee even makes a solenoid that is sealed in epoxy. It won't fail due to corrosion. I'd put my bets on that helm switch controller thingamabob. Probably 4-500 clams from Mr. Volvo. Again, I like simple so I'd go with a single switch and use my ears to tell me when the drive reaches the limit of travel.

Rotsa ruck.