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Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins 1986 290

dazk14

Contributing Member
I have stuck/frozen trim pins on an 86 VP 290 drive. Trim cylinders shot.

A VERY experienced mechanic (and passed away) said to internally pull them using a 6mm bolt and the appropriate sized (wider) washers to extract them from inside.

This is when the grease gun and VP tool don't work.

I tried tonight and swear I'm going to break the grade 10.9 metric bolt - no pin movement.

Any other ideas? I mainly need to provide reverse latch operation - so trim isn't a biggie.

The reverse latch isn't working, can anyone talk me through the repair. I looked at the "hooks" and they appear fine, but the mechanism moves easily up and down by finger pressure (outdrive is roped up).

If I can get the drive to stay locked in reverse - that would work!

Any help would be appreciated!
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

Heat! seriously.... in most cases heat is your friend whereby expanding the aluminum just a bit can make a world of difference.
The grease gun provides hydraulic pressure.... it should work while the area is warm and expanded!

Use caution... as you do not want to ignite, burn or break anything.
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

Like ricardomarine said, heat but carefully. My mechanic replaced my hydraulic cylinders last year and he spend days applying heat then tightening the bolt..let it sit awhile then do it all over again. The pins eventually came free.
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

I've got a mapp gas torch. Is that enough?

Since I'm working from inside the boat, Is that where the heat is applied?

This is a salt water boat.

Thanks for such quick replies!

Mike
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

To my experience, the quickest and safest way is to remove the whole transom assy from the boat!
Depending on equipment (hoists etc), it might take a day to remove and install engine and transom, but at least you run less risk of burning your boat to charcoal.
At the same time you get the opportunity to change/check steering bushings and seal, transom condition etc.
Not to forget you work a lot safer!
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

Well, I will say this to that!


Pulling the engine can benefit in other areas, that is for certain if.... I say IF there are other things that one can do while it is out of the way.
  • PDS bearings for the V-8 for example.
  • Cleaning up the bilge area.
  • Neatening wires/hoses.
  • Complete re-gell coat or bilge paint.
Removing the shield is a task, but it may come to that..... and it certainly isn't worth risking damage if removing it is a better option.

These are among the easiest engines/drives to remove, IMO.
You may even find that with the engine out of the way, your access to these pins is so much better, that the shield does NOT need to be removed.
Hard to say from my keyboard here.

I will say this: you'll be wishing you had pulled the engine if a half hazard attempt ends up causing more damage than if not! Now you'll end up pulling the engine anyway, and you are now buying more parts than originally planned.

Sometimes there are just no short cuts. :)

.
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

Thanks Rick,

I tried (to no avail) applying Mapp gas heat next to the pin from inside the boat. It's only a 4 cylinder so there's enough room to work.

What portion of the pin gets stuck?

As I see it, the main risk seems to be stripping/breaking the bolt/pin.

What does this part generally run and do you recall the ballpark shop time to R&R.

If the pins cannot be pulled and I pull the drive, do you think I might be able to use a right angle drill, and drill out the shield on the other side of the pin and hammer it from the backside.

I could then Marine Tex the hole created.

Thanks!
Mike
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

I didn't mention in my previous post..we removed the engine and the out drive shroud to properly get at the pins with the heat...
Tom
 
Re: Pulling Frozen 290 Trim Pins

Note that the pins may/can be corroded and stuck in the cylinder base housings just as easily..... not necessarily or exclusively in the transom shield only!

I would keep at it occasionally tapping them back in (with a very soft punch)..... then pull some again! I would not force them....... Use patience ..... slow and easy..... just like how the corrosion did it in the first place!
Think of it as Foreplay!:D
 
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