tilt and trim issue with DF90

[rkoneal]

Hello,
I have read a lot of threads here about tilt and trim problems so I was reluctant to start a new topic on it, but I still cant figure out exactly what is wrong with mine. I have a 2011 DF90 and it will trim up just enough to not let the cavitation plate come completely out of the water. It stops moving up at that point but the pump motor sounds like it is continuing to pump. Remote switch and motor mounted switch is the same. It will trim down with either switch and I can use the plastic trim limiter to set the down limit. I have SMIS guages and have tried the procedure to clear the up limit. The fluid level in the pump is completely full.
Any ideas as to what I need to do next to fix (or find) the problem would be greatly appreciated.

[MikeyOrange]

I'm answering based on my recent experience with my '08 DF250, PTT and SMIS gauges. Moonlighter is the recognized expert on the gauges, but I'll offer my 2 cents. The SMIS gauges do not control the up or down limit that the motor will tilt to. It can only report the position (in percentage or degrees). On mine, the tilt limit switch is on the tilt tube, beneath the steering rod connection, and kind of hidden from view until you find it. It is a plastic toothed gear that can be rotated to control the upper maximum limit that the engine will tilt to. It has a small nub that can just be moved CW or CCW to change the upper limit. It is connected to an electrical switch that will cut off the PTT motor when pushing the 'up' switch. It does not effect the operation when the 'down' switch is used. What confuses me on your post is you state that the motor continues to pump even after the upward motion stops. This sounds like a low oil condition to me. Any leaks around the tilt rod seal or trim ram seals (that was my issue)?

When I was trying to fill the reservoir on mine, I was using a squeeze bottle with a hose that fit into the hole, but there seemed to be a baffle or something inside that tended to block the oil, making it seem like was full, when in fact it wasn't. I resorted to using a large syringe/needle that i could insert and inject the oil further back into the reservoir. It also takes several up and down cycles to purge the air out (remove the oil fill plug and you should hear the pressure release).

The diagram of your DF90 PTT is quite a bit different than the DF250 PTT. I'm not seeing the tilt limit switch that I was describing on my DF250.

[MikeyOrange]

You should be able to find the Installation and Operation manual for the Suzuki SMIS gauge (or Lowrance L-400, basically) online (58 pgs or so). It describes how to calibrate the SMIS gauge tilt reading to correspond to the full down and full up positions. Once that is done, the gauge simply tells you where the engine is in relation to those two points.

[rkoneal]

Thanks for the reply Mikey. I do have the manual for the SMIS gauges and have the plastic trim limiter n the tilt tube. I lifted the motor manually and cleared and reset the up limit and I did the same with the down limit using the trim limiter. That was just to be sure the limit switch was not contributing to my problem. I don't believe any of my switches are the problem but don't mind checking again if anyone feels like it could be one. I think of the trim range as the "safe to operate the motor" range and tilt as lifting the foot out of the water. Right now my tilt/trim system works perfectly in the trim range but will not tilt up. The trim motor changes sound a little as the motor reaches the spot where it normally changes from trim to tilt. Normally this is where the motor changes sound a little and the motor seems to rise faster when tilting up. Now the motor sounds as though it may be bypassing and just recirculating the oil rather than continuing to lift. I have gone through the troubleshooting items in the manual and tried most of the things suggested on this forum. Any suggestions/ideas would be appreciated.

[Murray]

Manual release valve leaking?

[rkoneal]

Murray,
I wish. absolutely no leaks from anything. Only a little oil around the fill hole where I checked the level and found it was full. Manual release operates correctly. I used it to raise the motor so that I could check oil, etc. I'm wondering if the motor is just getting weak and can only lift that far. I'm not sure how to check for that or even if it is possible considering the motor will raise in the trim range.

[Murray]

Run the tilt switch up while grabbing the lower unit and see if it will tilt up all the way with assistance. That would answer your too weak question. You might have to find someone who knows hydraulics.

[rkoneal]

Thanks Murray, that is simple and brilliant. I should have tried it while I was trying everything else. I was thinking an amp meter and some wire someplace or some other mechanic magic and that's my excuse for not thinking of just grabbing the lower unit and trying to help it up, that and the fact that it damn near killed me trying to lift it manually the first time.