Power trim problem

J

joechiro30

New member
I have the twin Suzuki 150 fuel injected outboard 2006 model. Went for a cruise today. The engines were doing fine all day. As soon as I get to the marina both engines start to trim up without me touching any buttons. I was able to trim the engines down by pressing on the trim down button on the engines themselves. But soon as I let go they keep trimming up again. I then ran to the throttle and pressed the trim down and this stopped the engines from trimming up and kept them still. They did not trim back down. I had to keep my hand on the trim down to keep the engines from trimming up and got back safe to the moorage. They are still trimming up with the engines off. I had to turn the batteries off to get them to stop. Any input would be appreciated as this may have happened to some of you.

There is a button that enables both engines to trim at once or single engines only. Changing these buttons had no change to the problem.
 
The same thing happened to our 2006 Suzuki Df90 several years ago. It turned out to be a really inexpensive part, a tilt trim relay. I think it cost less than $20. Hope that's the case with you too.
 
I hope that is too. Where do you replace it? Is it on the engine or inside the cockpit where the throttles are? Can you get that part at any marine store?
 
not two engines losing that switch at the same time. You should have a choice between separate control of engine trim, one toggle on each throttle arm. Or you should be able to choose twin trim that will trim both engines from a single toggle on either throttle lever. Put them into separate trim control and see if only one engine isn't the culprit of going into "self trim mode." If so, then that engine may have a failed internal trim relay.

Otherwise, you may have to look to the throttles on the quadrant or wiring.
 
potter water":nsqwwh5s said:
not two engines losing that switch at the same time. You should have a choice between separate control of engine trim, one toggle on each throttle arm. Or you should be able to choose twin trim that will trim both engines from a single toggle on either throttle lever. Put them into separate trim control and see if only one engine isn't the culprit of going into "self trim mode." If so, then that engine may have a failed internal trim relay.

Otherwise, you may have to look to the throttles on the quadrant or wiring.
Click to expand...

When I put it into single or seperate trim mode the starboard works fine using the toggle on the starboard throttle. But the port side trims up automatic still. It may just be the port side engine. "Internal relay". Is that easy to install?
That is very helpful information. All responds have been an awesome help. Thank you so much. Love this site and how helpful people are. That's why I love c dory!!
 
I have twin Suzy 50's and the relay is inside the motor head on the starboard side. follow the click when you run engine tilt switch on the side of the good engine. Then you can find the relay on the misbehaving engine. They are easy to access and easy to replace if that is the problem. At least they are easy to work on with the DF50's I have. Sounds like the relay may be the problem. The relay provides power to the pump motor, but the switch systems in the engine and at the helm actually trigger the relay, and determine which polarity is switched to the pump, up or down. Simple system, but still, could be a switch at the helm, the relay, or even the switch on the engine side, or worse, a wiring issue. In any case, trouble shooting by a pro shouldn't take more than 30 minutes, and parts less than 50 bucks, worse case.

Let us know what you find. At least now, you know that it is likely a problem only on one of the engines.
 
potter water":1io8hpbu said:
I have twin Suzy 50's and the relay is inside the motor head on the starboard side. follow the click when you run engine tilt switch on the side of the good engine. Then you can find the relay on the misbehaving engine. They are easy to access and easy to replace if that is the problem. At least they are easy to work on with the DF50's I have. Sounds like the relay may be the problem. The relay provides power to the pump motor, but the switch systems in the engine and at the helm actually trigger the relay, and determine which polarity is switched to the pump, up or down. Simple system, but still, could be a switch at the helm, the relay, or even the switch on the engine side, or worse, a wiring issue. In any case, trouble shooting by a pro shouldn't take more than 30 minutes, and parts less than 50 bucks, worse case.

Let us know what you find. At least now, you know that it is likely a problem only on one of the engines.
Click to expand...

I agree with Potter, have your mechanic troubleshoot it. That's what I did and he was the one who figured out it was a relay. The symptoms were the same, the motor going up and down on it's own and then getting stuck in the up position. The relay is found inside the cowling, I believe it's just a part inline with the wiring. If you want to fix it yourself, make sure you have a Suzuki manual and a dealer to order the part. Either that or order it off Brown's Point Marine, they have diagrams of all the motors so that you can identify the exact part.

Peter
 
Brown's Point Marine has them Google it and put in your engine model number.

If it happens on both engines, it's likely a stuck switch in the throttles at the helm if you have the switch set to trim both engines together.

Had both 115's and 150's on TC255's.

Charlie
 
Also 88 dollars for the Power trim tilt switch on the cowling

it may be a 400 dollar project to change the internal relays and the switches

Does any one know how we may be able to trouble shoot this problem to see where the problem may be at? Whether it is from the relay, switch or from the throttle switches, or wiring?

I would like to figure this out myself but if I can't I will get a mechanic to look at it
 
The first time we had a problem with the motor trim engaging, without any input from me to do so, was somewhere in the middle of our 2010 Southeast Alaska cruise & it occurred with the port motor rising on its own, while the boat was on plane at about 14 mph. This happened several times during one day of cruising with me only having to push the down on the trim control switch for it to stop each time. Then for four years & approximately 500 hours of operation including a three month Southeast Alaska cruise in 2012, the trim remained trouble free without anything having been done by me to prevent it. The gremlin came back this year in a very strange way, while the boat was docked & all systems shut off at Bridge Bay, Yellowstone Lake & JoLee & I were sitting on the dock talking to Kevin & Laura, fellow C-Brats & the owners of the 22CD, Grace, when out of the blue, they asked if we had something running on the boat. We didn't think we had, but when I checked, the port motor was in the full up position & the motor still running trying to raise it further. If we hadn't been near, I think the trim motor would have run till it burned out or the battery died. As it was, the only way I could get it to stop trying to raise was to hold the switch in the down position, which would stop it from trying to raise but not cause it to lower. There wasn't a neutral position. I taped the switch into the down position for a while, then tried working the switch & it abruptly started working correctly again. Living where we do in Wyoming, I didn't have time to get new switches or a relay before leaving to the Lake Powell gathering & it worked fine during that trip. Now with no more boating until Alaska next year, I will be replacing the switches, & relay, but they are not a cheap $20 fix. Though at least they look fairly easy to change out. The remote switch at the helm is $38 & relay $150 at BOATS.net & they don't carry the switch on the cowling, so no doubt through Honda it will be $50+.

I don't have a suggestion on how to determine which component is causing your problem, but with it being ongoing, a professional will know very quickly as suggested by others. With mine being so intermittent, the repair shop so far away & the components not difficult to replace, I will be doing the job myself as usual.

Jay
 
Thanks everyone for your input and help. It turned out to be a bad switch on the port side engine. We saw that salt water had corroded the switch and it was causing the switch to press on the trim up button. The relay was working fine. We didn't have to get a mechanic to figure this out.
The switch can be detached from the inside so if this happened again I could at least trouble shoot the switch and use the trim at throttle with no problem.
The switch was very easy to replace but it did cost 88 dollars for the df150 suzuki fuel injected engines. It is more common that the switch gets bad then the internal relay itself. Trouble shoot took 10 min. Installation took 5 min. Looking forward to getting back out there with confidence.
 
The dealer quoted 30 minute trouble shoot fee (60 dollars) and one hour labor which was 120.
Yes 88 is not that bad considering;)
Learn something new every season. The joy of boating;)
 
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