DF140 trim up voltage drop

[cfnico]

I have a 2006 DF 140 on a Mako 2101 lives in salt 6 months each year. Always trouble free, but last few weeks trim up switch is intermittent to activate with engine off and last two outings underway the up trim caused a warning light and tone to sound while trim activated and GPS to cut out; turn off. Wiring harness looks perfect. Can a faulty relay cause this? One time engine actually cut out. Always works fine if I avoid touching the trim. Any suggestions? Cfnico

[AllenHill]

I'm having same problem. Did you ever figure it out?

[artdf175]

This kind of sound like the power lead from the battery to the helm/ignition
there is a white wire that leads from, probably, the main battery switch, to the dash/ignition switch/neutral switch on shifter
this wire also has a fuse and a splice in that wiring
often hidden is corrosion in one of the connections so worthwhile to take them apart and re-connect..
touching the trim switch could also indicate a loose wire in the control handle
but the power cutting out the GPS and engine tells me it is someplace in one of the connections that get power from the white wire
Art…

[AllenHill]

I can't seem to find this white wire. Is it in the wiring harness? The only wire I see that resembles what you're talking about is a purple wire with an in line fuse that goes to my jack plate switch. Is this the wire you're referring to?

[redlowrey]

You explain the problem you have, and what the engine is doing, so we can tell you where to look.

[AllenHill]

The problem I am having is when I touch my tilt button I get an alarm, and the motor stalls. It shows a hot and check engine light. Horn sounds for about 5 seconds. Have checked all over for corrosion or loose connection, can't find anything. I know the motor is not hot. I've replaced battery, battery cables, thermostat, pulled wiring harness out from under floor and checked.

[redlowrey]

When you press the trim button, battery voltage energizes the relay coil and switches the heavy heavy current contacts together and the trim motor activates. The coil current is only a few hundred milliamps, but the motor current might be eighty, Take the cowl off and look where the starter motor battery cable is bolted up and you will see a red wire about four mill in diameter and about three inches long going to a terminal block, there will be a plastic cap on it. From there you will see another red wire that goes to your trim relay plus a power feed for the main control relay, take the cap off and make shore it is not corroded or loose. Your problem sounds like a voltage drop problem it should be easy to find. If every thing looks all right disconnect the relay connector which switches the heavy current green and blue then try the trim switch and see what happens, let me know, If you know how to use a multimeter you will find the problem quick.

[chackett]

I have a 1986 DT200 and I have what seems like a similar problem.

Whenever I press the trim up (or down) button, I get an audible alarm. Motor does not stall, but I do get the alarm.

My trim is wired in such a way that the ptt is operational without the key in (or on), and I obviously only get the alarm while the key is in and turned to the on position. I don't think there is power to the audible alarm unless the key is in and on.

I have checked all the same connections as described above, and all connectors are clean, tight and corrosion free. Before I went through all the connections, it seemed like it wasn't just the ptt that would cause the alarm. Any accessory would cause it, including the bilge pump, the nav lights, and occasionally the fishfinder. After I went through the wiring, only the ptt would cause it.

I also noticed that my PTT gauge and my gas gauge were slightly "jittery" .. so I checked the connections on the sending unit. That's when I discovered that disconnecting the outer (ground maybe) connection on the sending unit would also cause the audible alarm.

That's everything I know about my problem for now .. let me know if you ever get to the bottom of it .. I'll do the same.

Thanks,
Chris

[AllenHill]

Changed wiring harness on motor, seems to have done the trick. Took it out after changing the harness and ran for about an hour with no alarm.

[shansgonefishin]

Old post but adding this in case it helps someone!

Guarantee the issue was with brown wiring junction behind the ECM that can get corroded. I had all the symptoms the OP had, chopped it out and reconnected and I was good to go.

Shan

[Pkeele25]

I’m having the same issues with mine, I’m guessing the wiring harness is where I’m gonna go next, just ordered a rectifier because my voltage gauge is everywhere and cleaning the leads/terminals didn’t help that either. Ran all my wires and found one bad connection that was corroded, fixed it, and still same problem