"Hi,
I also have a Suzuki
"Hi,
I also have a Suzuki DT85, 1991 model, I guess the procedure will be similar on most model years. I frequently top up my hydraulic fluid as I have a small leak on the oil seal - not bad enough to make me remove the ram and fix it - much easier to top up! It is very easy.
Anyway, this is what I do. Suggest you always wear eye protection when working on hydraulic systems.
1) Tilt the motor up and engage the engine support/stay lever so the engine will not drop down. Settle the engine down onto the stay, then lift it up again a couple of millimeters so the weight is just off the stay, but the stay is ready to take the weight of the engine in the next steps. It may be a good idea to position some blocks or something similar under the gearcase just in case it slips off the stay - you dont want the gearcase hitting the ground hard!
2) Identify the fluid pressure relief valve screwhead, on mine it looks like a large flat screw slot, which is at the base of the trim/tilt motor assembly, on the RHS as you stand at the rear of the motor. On mine there are 2 large screw slots, one which is recessed under the motor body and one which is sitting about 5mm proud above the level of the motor body - its the second one, the one proud of the motor, which you want here (no idea what the other one does, I'd leave it alone!)
3) Using a large flat screwdriver, gently turn the valve screwhead anticlockwise to undo it. This is not in fact a screw, it is the head of the pressure relief valve and releasing it allows the pressure in the hydraulic lines to be released. It does not need to be turned a lot so go carefully, on mine its less than a full turn needed. You will see the pressure releasing when the entire engine settles gently down onto the support stays as it now does not have the hydraulics holding it up any longer (that was the point of leaving it a whisker above the stay rather than dropping it right onto the stay - that's how you know the pressure has been released properly)
4) Warning - DO NOT turn the valve head more turns than you need to, or remove it from the tilt motor body out of curiosity, a whole bunch of things will pop out and you'll need to get the manual to find out how it all goes back together (yes it happened to me)
5) Once you have released the hydraulic pressure, you can identify the fluid reservoir fill plug - this is a cross-headed screw fitting, right above the pressure release valve, approx one third the way up the body of the tilt motor unit.
6) Remove the plug completely - DO NOT do this until you have released the pressure as per the above steps, or you risk a very high pressure jet of fluid in the face! Replace the plugs O-ring if it looks damaged.
7) I found a large sized hypodermic syringe (without needle of course!) to be the best tool to fill the reservoir with - you simply keep filling up until it starts to leak out down the body of the tilt unit. Messy!
8) Refit the reservoir plug, and retighten up the pressure relief valve - dont overtighten as its quite delicate. You just need to get the valve firmly sealed closed.
9) Use the switch to tilt the engine fully up, disengage the support stay and remove any blocks under the gearcase. Cycle the engine completely up and completely down a few times, this will bleed any air out of the hydraulic lines (sounds like you will probably have some given your problem).
10) Follow the same procedure from step 1 to tilt motor up, release pressure and remove plug in order to top off the reservoir in case any fluid was used in the bleeding process.
11) Repeat as many times as you need to until no further fluid is required after cycling the engine up and down a few times
12) Go and catch some fish!
Hope this helps, I make the task sound worse than it actually is, it takes me around 10mins to do now and I do it every few times I have my boat out.
Good luck!
Neil."
