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How to troubleshoot tilt/trim sensors and gauges?

btravlin2

Regular Contributor
Hey Guys......the rehab continues with the Stamas. Took it for the maiden trial run the other day and it ran out nice, except for being stern heavy with those beast Hondas. That's my upcoming foam project. But for now, I'm trying to figure out why neither trim gauges are working. They haven't worked from day one of the motor/harness installation. There's nothing about troubleshooting this in the shop manual.

The spring-loaded arms swing freely. I tried ohms between the hot 12v and sending wire on the back of the gauge. I also tested ohms between the sending wire and grd. The meter read OL both times. Then I tried volts between the same sets of wires and got a full 12v between hot and grd, but about 3 volts between hot and the sensor wire.

All of these measurements were taken while a buddy worked the sensor levers up and down.

I'm just throwing darts in the dark. Can anyone advise me on a troubleshooting procedure? I don't want to buy new gauges only to find out the old ones are good, and I still have the same problem.
 
From my HOW TO files...

The Trim Gauge can be tested by: Power the gauge by connecting a positive 12 VDC wire to the "I" terminal and a ground wire to the "G" terminal. Have no other wires connected to the gauge. Pointer will read full UP (all but the Johnson/ Evinrude and Suzuki 4-Stroke 2002 outboards - they will read full DOWN). Next, with the power still connected, short the sender terminal at the gauge to ground. Pointer should go to the full DOWN position (all but the Johnson/Evinrude and Suzuki 4-Stroke 2002 outboards - they will go to full UP).
 
Chawk......I forgot to mention that I have done these tests as well, but I'll do them again to make sure. The result the first time around was......no movement of the needles. (but I may be a little fuzzy on my memory, since I didn't take notes). I'll do it again and get back.
 
Yep...you have to be sure that the gauge is getting powered up first.

When measuring the resistance of the trim sender...you probably already have, but follow the leads from the sender through the engine casing to the three pins connector. The two outside pins going to the sender should have some continuity (some value of resistance) between them. If you check the resistance of the center wire to either of the outside pins and you move the sender, the resistance should vary from zero (short circuit) to the value of the resistance that you measured on the outside pins. If all you measure is an open circuit, you need a new sender.

If all is well after that....to be sure the gauge is getting the proper signal from the sender, you set your meter to volts. One lead to ground and the other lead to the signal lead at the gauge (disconnect it from the gauge...so the gauge does not distort the reading). As the sender is moved back and forth, you should get a variation from 0 volts to 5 volts.

Mike
 
You should have close to battery voltage at both trim sending units with the switch on. If not you have wiring issues or the guages are bad. Are the sending units properly grounded?
 
Hi...i am a new user here. You can follow the process as suggested above Power the gauge by connecting a positive 12 VDC wire to the "I" terminal and a ground wire to the "G" terminal. Have no other wires connected to the gauge. Pointer will read full UP . Next, with the power still connected, short the sender terminal at the gauge to ground. Pointer should go to the full DOWN position.
 
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