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Does anyone know what the white wire on the trim sender unit does? My trim gage is not working and I noticed this wire has been cut. The two black wires are still in tact though.

Also, how hard is it to fish the trim sender wires through the transom if I find that I need to replace mine? Thanks!

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2001 Four Winns Horizon 180LE, VP 4.3GL/SX
2006 Ford F-150 Extended Cab 4x4, 5.4L

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Well it turns out that the white wire does not connect to anything. I am not sure if this is used for some kind of safety switch on other models, but I found the connection where the trim sending unit plugs into the main harness and there are only two connections in that harness (for the two black wires).

The good news is that I found out my trim sending unit is not the problem. The bad news is that the problem is that one of the black wires was broke in two places. One was about 1/4" from the sending unit itself and the other was about 1 1/2" from the sending unit. I am hoping I can solder a new section on to connect the two back together, but the sending unit side is pretty short and I don't know if I will be able to get a good connection. Does anyone have any other ideas for fixing this issue? Also, if I would happen to have to replace the sending unit, is it even possible to replace this without some major disassembly?

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2001 Four Winns Horizon 180LE, VP 4.3GL/SX
2006 Ford F-150 Extended Cab 4x4, 5.4L

1/4" doesn't seem like enough to solder/splice wire with. Attaching a crimp on connector may work, but unless the sender could be opened so a new wire could be soldered direct, I'd consider buying a new sender, and running new wire all the way to the cockpit.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

The white wire is I believe used if the drive is fitted with the electronic drive trim limiter.

You might just be able to solder onto the 1/4" section, but you'd have to be carefull with the heat; also you'd have to make the joint(s) completely waterproof. It's worth a try I'd say though, as it can be a real pain to change the unit. A lot depends on the design of the boat; it would have been an absolute nightmare on my '99 225, but would be quite easy on my '04 245, as access to the inside of the transom shield is so much easier.

Also, from outside the boat access with the drive fitted to the transom shield is not that easy; the cable is also cable tied to the steel trim hoses. The cable is fitted with a rubber plug which pushes into the transom shield from the outside, and has a retaining clip fitted to this plug on the inside of the shield (easy to lose!). New sender units do not come with the plug fitted, just the terminals ( which have to be pushed into the old plug).

If you do change the unit, some advice; the later units are easy to break if you remove them at a later stage e.g. to access the pivot bolts. The piece that engages into the pivot bolt is made of 2 pieces of plastic. The inner piece sticks inside the pivot bolt head and snaps very easily. That $0.10 piece of plastic is not available on it's own I believe and the whole unit is then scrap! What I have done with mine is to file the hexagon into a taper and use plenty of waterproof grease; it still fits in snugly into the pivot bolt, but comes out without breaking.

Regards,

Graham

OK, that does it. I'm convinced Graham is a VP insider .

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Changing the trim sender unit on my 180 LE will be a huge pain in the rear. I looked at it last night and I can get to the connection where the sender connects to the main harness fairly easily, but getting to the plug that goes through the transom is nearly impossible. I can just barely touch it, but there is no way I can actually see it. Hopefully soldering it back together will work for this season. If not, I will just have to bite the bullet and spend the $60 and a couple hours to replace it.

Do you know if you can remove the sender unit wires without removing the plug in the transom? Maybe use a little soap or something to lube the wires up.

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2001 Four Winns Horizon 180LE, VP 4.3GL/SX
2006 Ford F-150 Extended Cab 4x4, 5.4L

No, I'm not a VP insider, if I was I could probably get a decent discount on parts! (as it is, with the prices in "rip- off" UK, I found it cheaper this year to buy 2 seasons worth of VP service parts on line in the US, pay for DHL shipping and pay the UK import duty and sales tax of 17.5% rather than buying them at a UK dealer!).

Regarding the plug, it's actually moulded onto the cables, so cannot be moved. If you're buying a new unit, if access is as difficult as you describe ( which sounds just like my '99 boat situation!), another option; rather than spending hours trying to get the plug out/ new one in, you could consider cutting off the cables a reasonable length away from the new sender and soldering them onto the old cables- you'd have more cable to work with.

The joints would have still have to be made absolutely waterproof afterwards. Maybe with a couple of coats of a PU sealer like 5200, but don't make the cable too rigid; it has to flex as the drive is turned from side to side. This would still be a lot easier with the drive removed.

Regards,

Graham