225 etec issue/question

[erebus]

So my new to me 23 Sceptre came with a 2012 225 etec.
Launched the boat weekend before last and had one successful sunset run on Pleasant Bay mid-week.
After getting back to the mooring, while trimming up I noticed the trim/tilt motor was laboring a bit at the end of the tilt.
Voltage was dropping a little too.

Went out yesterday to check it out and the trim and tilt motor is DOA.
No up, no down, no noise no nothin'.
Threw a new relay pack on it, which clicks away happily and provides 12 volts to the TNT motor, but at the motor there is nobody home.
Checked continuity at the motor and it showed 120 K-ohms, which is so much resistance as to almost act as a full open.
Hauled the boat out and ordered a new trim and tilt motor.

At the yard today I was getting ready to start my disassembly, opened the manual release valve and could not, no way, no how lift the motor up.
Two guys yanking on it and it was just bouncing and coming up hard.
Would easily go down though.
WTF?
Usually you can lift a motor (any brand) easily with the release valve open. I don't know whats going on.
Tomorrow I need to get the floor jack out and see if that'll do it I guess (or the forklift?).

Any etec guys out there have any insight?
Motors only got 146 hours on it.
I'm kind of stumped.

[NoBones]

Seized up tilt tube, or at top of ram pivot pin , Ask me how I know.....
Commonly called "Rod & Eye" .....

[erebus]

Originally Posted by NoBones

Seized up tilt tube, or at top of ram pivot pin , Ask me how I know.....
Commonly called "Rod & Eye" .....

Hmm, the tilt tube takes grease. Or at least when I pump grease in it goes somewhere.
Although it took awhile to get it to take any.

Pivot pin, could be binding I suppose.
It tilts down super easy though. Just glides down with very little resistance.
Go to lift it up and nothing.
That could explain the dead trim and tilt motor though.

[Capt Terry]

Over 20 years ago I had to replace tilt tube on 1985 Merc 150. Mechanic told me they usually remove engine from boat. It was a little tricky but I did it without removing engine. I inserted the new one from starboard side while extracting old one to port side. Had to cut off the old one as I extracted it.

Another time mechanical steering was tight due to corrosion inside tube. Hooked a wood rod with a right angle drive drill. Had a slot at the other end of wood rod with production wrapped around it to hone the ID of tilt tube. Tedious and time consuming but worked for a few years until engine died.

Probably DNA to you, but thought worth passing on. Best wishes!

[erebus]

Got the trim system removed entirely.
Easy on an etec because you don't need to split the case or remove the motor from the transom or anything. Bash out two pins and remove the motor wires.
Because the motor is pretty new and low hours it came out easy peasy. Maybe 30 mins tops.

I did break two of the bolts that hold the trim and tilt electric motor to the valve body, and had to drill them out and re-tap which was a pain in the ass but, oh well.

The issue about not being able to lift the motor up by hand with the manual release open was solved by opening the manual release all the way.
My "helper" was only turning it like one or two turns while I was getting a hernia hanging onto the skeg.
It's almost four turns fully open.

Probably should have enlisted his help before the beers came out, but it was a long day at the boatyard and he deserved them.