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Retrofit Tilt Limit Switch?

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bradandrose

Member
I'm finishing up the installation of twin Honda BF150s on my boat and it looks to me that these motors don't have a tilt limit switch. I've got a big livewell on my transom and the limit switch on my Evinrudes made sure that I couldn't lift the port motor too far, which would crush the livewell. Does anyone know if there's a retrofit tilt limit switch available?
 
No trim limit is available, as far as I know. I have discussed with our District Service Rep and he agrees there should be, but Japan makes the final decisions on design.

When we have a trim limit application, we use a part that is made by Mercury.

15678A3 Trim cylinder spacer kit. http://greatlakesskipper.com/sea-ray-mercury-15768a3-quicksilver-boat-trim-cylinder-spacer-kit

As you can see, they come in a kit of two horseshoe shaped pieces. They are plastic.

You will need a spanner wrench to remove the cap from the piston rod #16 http://www.boats.net/parts/search/H... Later/BF150AK0 LA/POWER TRIM-TILT/parts.html.

It is not difficult to do..

You raise the engine to approximately the point to which you want it limited.

The engine is not high enough to lock it into place, so I recommend, for safety, to get something to support the end of the engine, while you take the cap off.

Unscrew the cap for the piston rod. Use a rag to absorb the trim fluid that is at the top of the cylinder. You will see the piston. Then determine how far the cap goes down into the opening. The space from the cap bottom and the top of the piston is the space that you will have to take up with the trim spacers. You might need one or two. If you need more than one, but not quite two, then you will need two. You will probably have to lower the engine a little more. You can put in the one, put the cap on (you do not have to tighten) and lower the engine a little. Then take the cap off again, absorb the excess fluid (to make room for the spacer). Push the first spacer all the way down and add your second. Push them both all the way down to the piston.

You will have to tap them on the piston rod. It is a snug fit.

Then put the cap back on and tighten. If for some reason, the cap is hard to tighten before it seats, lower the engine a little to relieve the pressure and give it more room.

As I said, I do this all the times we need to limit the trim on the larger Hondas. I may have been a little wordy, but once you do the first one, you will breeze through the second....as long as you get the cap loose.

Remember, you only take the cap off....you do not remove the piston.

Mike
 
Mike,

So the Mercury kit will work in the Honda Trim unit. I was going to look at one today and suggest it. Thanks for saving me the trouble.

Not to hijack this thread, but could you enlighten me on how water gets into the flywheel housing on a Honda BF90?
 
Water could get in several ways.... failing power head gasket, cracked block, salt eaten water plug (under powerhead)....the most likely are the motor went under water or the motor is tilted all the way down and water continually gets into the lower housing....and finds its way past the powerhead gasket or up the shift shaft, past the shift shaft seal. The early BF75 and 90's had an update to their shift shaft seals. Some of the early efi BF75 and 90's had a similar issue but had a running change in design of the midsection to allow water pressure relief.

Mike
 
hondadude said:
No trim limit is available, as far as I know. I have discussed with our District Service Rep and he agrees there should be, but Japan makes the final decisions on design.

When we have a trim limit application, we use a part that is made by Mercury.

15678A3 Trim cylinder spacer kit. http://greatlakesskipper.com/sea-ray-mercury-15768a3-quicksilver-boat-trim-cylinder-spacer-kit

As you can see, they come in a kit of two horseshoe shaped pieces. They are plastic.

You will need a spanner wrench to remove the cap from the piston rod #16 http://www.boats.net/parts/search/H... Later/BF150AK0 LA/POWER TRIM-TILT/parts.html.

It is not difficult to do..

You raise the engine to approximately the point to which you want it limited.

The engine is not high enough to lock it into place, so I recommend, for safety, to get something to support the end of the engine, while you take the cap off.

Unscrew the cap for the piston rod. Use a rag to absorb the trim fluid that is at the top of the cylinder. You will see the piston. Then determine how far the cap goes down into the opening. The space from the cap bottom and the top of the piston is the space that you will have to take up with the trim spacers. You might need one or two. If you need more than one, but not quite two, then you will need two. You will probably have to lower the engine a little more. You can put in the one, put the cap on (you do not have to tighten) and lower the engine a little. Then take the cap off again, absorb the excess fluid (to make room for the spacer). Push the first spacer all the way down and add your second. Push them both all the way down to the piston.

You will have to tap them on the piston rod. It is a snug fit.

Then put the cap back on and tighten. If for some reason, the cap is hard to tighten before it seats, lower the engine a little to relieve the pressure and give it more room.

As I said, I do this all the times we need to limit the trim on the larger Hondas. I may have been a little wordy, but once you do the first one, you will breeze through the second....as long as you get the cap loose.

Remember, you only take the cap off....you do not remove the piston.

Mike
Click to expand...

I've spent all afternoon internet surfing looking for a way to limit the tilt of my 2018 Tohatsu 150. Since Honda makes the large outboards for Tohatsu with different colored paint, I started looking for "150 Honda tilt limit switch" and Google led me here.

It wasn't the type of solution I was thinking of. But as a federally licensed aircraft mechanic, I know it'll work. When I was pondering the problem, I was more thinking along the line of an electrical limit cutout switch. I've ordered a pair of the cylinder ram shims and will do the mod before next spring.

Thanks Hondadude for sharing this idea. It was perfect!!!!
 
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