www.iFourWinns.com

Last couple of trips out on the boat I've had problems with the trimming the outdrive down after tilting it up. I think it is most likely the switch because when trimming the outdrive up, the switch feels fine ... you depress it with a normal amount of pressure, and you hear a click and start hearing the trim motor working. When trimming it down, the switch feels "mushy" (yes a very technical term) and you have to really push on it to get it to trim down, and sometimes it takes a while to get the switch to engage. So having said all that .... I have a few questions:

1. Do these boats come with a secondary switch in the engine compartment or on the drive itself to get the motor down in the event of the switch on the control arm not working?

2. Should there be a trailer tilt switch on this boat somewhere that I can't seem to find, in addition to the trim switch on the control arm?

3. Does anyone know if I'll likely be able to find a replacement trim switch for a control box that old? The current side mount control box that Volvo sells has a totally different trim switch setup.

4. If I am not able to replace the trim switch in the control arm, will the current side mounted control box that Volvo sells likely be compatible with my boat, and will replacement be just a swap out?

Thanks

Jason

_________________
'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

1. No, there is no switch in the engine compartment to use in the event of a failure of the trim switch.

2. No, on a 1999 boat with VP power , there is no trailer switch ( there was on earlier ones, but that was deleted due to reliability issues with the trim sender/ the electronics it used). The trim switch gives the full movement range

3. If VP do not sell the switch, then it may be possible to find out who the supplier was. The manufacturer and their part number may well be on the switch. VP are unlikely to have made the shifter, maybe Teleflex did, so they may be able to supply the switch.

4. The current shifter is unlikely to be compatible with your set up; the ends of the shift and throttle cable at the shifter end are likely to be different to current. ( but the same at the engine/ outdrive end). I vaguely remember seeing some adaptors, but that was some time ago. If you do change to a newer shifter, a cable change is probably not a bad thing anyhow , the Teleflex TFXtreme cables give a much nicer shift and throttle movement.

Have you tried unplugging the trim switch plug and then plugging it back together and seeing what happens. Its worth a shot. Mine came loose this year and it would let me trim down but would not let me trim back up. It came loose during travel, zip tie broke loose. Hopefully its something this easy for you.

_________________
1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Graham, thanks for the replies. I was able to find out on the Four Winns website that it is an OMC shifter that is no longer made, using Teleflex cables. I spoke to someone in customer service who told me that Teleflex cables should be compatible with newer Teleflex control boxes. He gave me the number to the gentleman who handles controls and now I'm waiting to hear back from him regarding which box would be the right one for this boat.


Toddely, are you talking about at the engine side, or inside of the control arm?

_________________
'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

Engine side, its a black plug that is round roughly 1" around and its zip tied on top the engine on the starboard side. ( that is where mine was located on a 97 5.7L Gl).

_________________
1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Ok thanks, I'll take a look when I head down later and see. It would be great if it were something that simple, but it does seem that the trim button is physically broken so unfortunately I'm thinking the control box is going to have to be replaced.

_________________
'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

When I bought my boat last year the trim switch was acting just like you are describing..........the switch action felt fine but the reaction to lifting and depressing the switch was erratic.......I was able to take the switch apart and with the use of a "burnishing tool" and a cloth soaked with degreaser I was able to clean up the contacts.......I reassembled the switch using a smidgen of dielectric grease on the contacts........it's been flawless ever since.......


Cost = 0.....................Cost of a new shift assembly would have been $$$$$

_________________

2005 Four Winns Funship 214 VP 5.7/Duo Prop

Johnny thanks for the tip, but not quite sure if I'm ready to try that. Only about a month left of decent boating weather here and I'd hate to be out of the game for a week or two if I broke something. I'm ok with swapping out parts, but fixing components like that ... well subtlety isn't my specialty lol. Also on mine the trim up action is good with the switch, but the trim down it almost feels broken. I guess I'll take a look and see what it would be like to get that apart and go from there.

_________________
'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

Ok so heard back from the tech guy at Teleflex who informed me that the cables on the boat would not match up with one of their controllers (as you already told me Graham). He recommended getting in touch with an Evinrude/Johnson dealer to try and find a part number for the trim switch, and just replace the switch.

So after going for a little cruise, I decided to see if I could take a look at the switch, so I took apart the control arm and after playing around with the switch for a little bit, it seems to be working pretty well now. I am going to see if I can find a replacement switch because it does still feel a little off, even though its working.

Thanks for the all the help guys.

_________________
'99 258 Vista Cool Breeze II

Thanks Toddely for this suggestion. I was out today and my drive would only go up, not down. I tried the basic troubleshooting, swap relays, check fluid level, etc. Pump was running, just not going down. I saw your post and looked for this round plug. Sure enough, the zip tie had come off and the plug had come loose. I put it back together and zip tied it again. Voila, trim is now working again! Thanks so much for posting!

_________________
'99 Horizon 200

No problem. I'm glad I could help someone out. Also glad it was an easy solution as well.

_________________
1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4