Trim pump questions

[slownsx]

While on a very short trip on the lake today power trim was very slow. Back at the ramp I popped the hatch and had fluid under pump area. I brought it home washed it out and cannot find a leak anywhere after moving it up and down a dozen times. Oil is full to the top of the cap. I want to drain and refill but some people say 30wt. and some say atf? which one to use? Whats the best way to drain, just disconect hoses at the rams? Do you have to bleed this when you refill? oh yeah 1994 18classic 350mag alpha

[MOP]

While on a very short trip on the lake today power trim was very slow. Back at the ramp I popped the hatch and had fluid under pump area. I brought it home washed it out and cannot find a leak anywhere after moving it up and down a dozen times. Oil is full to the top of the cap. I want to drain and refill but some people say 30wt. and some say atf? which one to use? Whats the best way to drain, just disconect hoses at the rams? Do you have to bleed this when you refill? oh yeah 1994 18classic 350mag alpha

ATF is what is normally used 30wt is to heavy and will labor the pump, question did you put oil in after you found the mess. Reason I ask is when you find the unit has pushed oil out and is showing full there is water getting into the system from a ram leak, does the oil look cloudy?

Phil

[DonCig]

I used to splash red ATF in the tansom, then I called Bennett. Since I have a single ram system, I do not need to fill the oil tank full. No more mess. I also used something that Bennett reccomended, it was not red ATF, but another clear/yellow oil that make a lot less mess. The problem that I am having now is blowing off one of the transom compression fittings. The lines are old and hard so I will replace them this winter.

[slownsx]

the oil has a yellow milky color to it. The boat has sat longest between outings since I have owned it. I did not add any oil and was only on the water for about 3 minutes before I noticed the problem.

[MOP]

the oil has a yellow milky color to it. The boat has sat longest between outings since I have owned it. I did not add any oil and was only on the water for about 3 minutes before I noticed the problem.

I think the yellow oil is the newer non poluting type, looks like one of your rams has developed a leak. Many times the ram will only suck water in and you will not see any fluid on the ram, I would extend them a few times and run you finger along the rod to see id one is a little slippery that will be your leaker.

Phil

[DonziJon]

the oil has a yellow milky color to it. The boat has sat longest between outings since I have owned it. I did not add any oil and was only on the water for about 3 minutes before I noticed the problem.

MILKY..an extreme condition would look like 'butterscotch pudding" which indicates water has got into the system, either by condensation.... which is Most Likely,.. or a seal leak. MILKY colored lubricant ALSO applys to the Outdrive, and the engine crankcase. In either case, change the lube and check it again at some later date depending on boat usage.

NOTE: Outdrive Trim and Trim Tabs..ie Bennett, are two seperate and different systems. I have found contradictory recomendations as to whether automatic transmission fluid OR motor oil is recomended for the Outdrive Trim pump. There are at least three different outdrive trim pumps used, depending on the year of boat manufacture. Each has it's own requirement.

I "believe" Bennett uses ATF. Double check before adding anything. The fluid in the outdrive (Mercury High Performance lube) is Clear GREEN when it is new. It should pretty much stay that way from season to season...maybe getting darker as it becomes contaminated with metal particles with use. I change mine whenever I detect a change to a lighter and more milky color...OR.. every other season if all appears well. Remove the top plug in the outdrive and stick a neutral colored/white plastic "cable tie" in through the hole to get a sample. If it's any kind of green your OK.

[DonziJon]

While on a very short trip on the lake today power trim was very slow. Back at the ramp I popped the hatch and had fluid under pump area. I brought it home washed it out and cannot find a leak anywhere after moving it up and down a dozen times. Oil is full to the top of the cap. I want to drain and refill but some people say 30wt. and some say atf? which one to use? Whats the best way to drain, just disconect hoses at the rams? Do you have to bleed this when you refill? oh yeah 1994 18classic 350mag alpha

If you disconnect the hoses at the rams you have to bleed the system. Otherwise: Normal Air bleeding is automaticlly accomplished during between 6 and 12 UP/DOWN cycles. I went through this myself a month ago. If your outdrive travel "Limit Switch" (the hockey puck looking pack on the left side of your outdrive) is faulty, the rams may lift the drive higher than it is supposed to go and perhaps introduce air.

[mrfixxall]

ok ,,,does your boat have a y pipe??? if so check ware the trim pump lines go into the transom....what happens is that the gray and black hoses rub on the y pipe and melt a hole in the lines and when it cools off the lines stay stuck to the y pipe and seals the leak,,,,try moving the lines and bottom out the drive and raise the drive and hold it or have somone hold the switch and ck the lines........

[Barry Phillips]

I began to find trim fluid under my pump, the source of the leak was the fill plug, which dose not thread on or into my unit, so the plug popped out one day and began leak through the fill whole. Bennett recommended red ATF. Do not fill the reservoir to the to cap the fluid needs some room for expansion. You can drain your pump body by disconnecting the lines at the pump; just place a pan under it to catch the mess. I guess you can purge the lines at the ram connections at the transom. Check out Bennett’s web site they provide pdfs of several procedures including trouble shooting, electrical connections etc. You can also e-mail or contact their service department. If both tabs are slow it sounds like the source of the problem is the pump, weather it’s bad fluid and or the pump itself.