225 Opti Trim pump

[Nasher]

Had a bit of a shock today.

The used 225 Opti I brought was delivered on a proper Outboard pallet, and it was lifted from this direct onto the transom of my RIB.

I've had it connected up electrically for a while now and have tested the trim up and down, which works perfectly. However I've always done it from inside the boat.

I wanted to drop the lower unit today so I could change the impellor, and lifted the engine from behind the boat using the cowling mounted switch.

I was expecting to have to do a bit of cleaning etc around the rams, but was a little shocked at how rusty the trim pump outer casing is:




It works perfectly, but I'd imagine if it's not already holed it soon will be:




It looks like I can get to both mounting screws with a bit of bother, assuming they come out, does anyone know if it can be changed in situ?
The manual suggests removing the whole hydraulic assembly which is a lot of work.


.

[Matt]

Yes, it can. Yours is the slightly later version - as long as you can get the 2 bolts out, which are a bit more accessible than mine, you can do the trim pump in situ.

And even then - if the bolts are buggers, it is possible to get the trim system removed, you need to loosen off the stbd bracket to move it away a bit, but can otherwise leave the motor connected to the boat. You'd want to support the weight a bit while the stbd bracket is loose - I have a lifting eye you can borrow if you want. Along with a DDT that we should plugin to give the motor a check over for you at some point.

Double check, but I think this is the motor you need, too, at a much more favourable price than mercury:
https://repowermarine.com/trim-pump-...-878265a4.html

[Nasher]

Thanks Matt

I must admit my first thought knowing the cost of a replacement was going to be to reuse the old one by refurbishing the cover, it's working fine.
Although seeing the link you've put up I may just try one of those.

The Allen Cap heads look really rough, and I won't be surprised if they snap or round out, so I'm 1/2 expecting to have to strip the whole system from the engine.
Following your post I've found the section in the workshop manual showing how to move the stb bracket outwards a few mm, but like you am worried about supporting the engine weight.

I have a lifting eye, but once again I'm stuck with my engine crane not being tall enough.

I won't be going in there with my hands unless the leg is supported somehow anyway, so can use my crane for that, or even a 2ft tractor axle stand that I happen to have. I'll be doing that even to try the bolts as I value my fingers.

With the leg supported I can machine a shim to fit between the top of the transom plate and the underside of the bracket so at least the weight is down onto the transom rather than bending the pivot tube.

But yes, it would be really good to plug your DDT in and see exactly what I brought etc. Thanks

[Nasher]

Replacement pump arrived yesterday, it appears to be well made and protected from corrosion.
I didn't go with repower marine, as having done a bit of googling I realised that all the non-OE replacements being offered are identical, but vary in price from @£90 to £160 depending on who's advertising them.

I went with these guys:
https://www.motoelectrical.co.uk/pro...m-for-mercury/
Who were certainly not the cheapest, although cheaper than Repower, but delivered next day and their online reviews are better.

I blagged an hour or so yesterday afternoon and refitted the lower unit.
This is my first Big Mercury, and wow, isn't fitting the lower unit less of a faf than some other brands?

With the lower unit back on, and the motor tilted right up I strapped it up to a builders trestle so there was no chance of it coming down and tried the two Allen head bolts holding the pump on after scraping out the heads with a right angle scriber.

The rear one is easy to get to with a 5mm hex bit on an extension bar, and appears to have loosened off OK. I don't think it's snapped.

The front one however, despite being easy to see can only be got to with an Allen key.
It's moved, but of course the key clouts the bracket before it's moved enough to move the key around to the next flat. The motor body is in the way.
I've since found a 5mm key in my garage that I was too enthusiastic with at some stage and have twisted, so I'm hoping using it and a good one I'll be able to wind the bolt out.

I'm tied up all weekend now, so probably it will be next Friday before I can try again

[Nasher]

Well that went a little better than it could have done.

The head broke off both bolts, which initially looked like a big problem, but the pump came off what was left of the bolts sticking out of the pump body really easily and allowed me to clean up around them.
I formed a dam around each bolt with plasticine, half filled it with WD40, then topped it off with Diesel.
This was an idea I had years ago and appears to work, the diesel stopping the WD40 from evaporating so quickly whilst mixing with it to form a good penetrating fluid.

After 24hrs, and with plenty of room to work as the motor was out of the way, I locked 2 nuts together on the remains of the bolts and the both wound out really easily.

So the pump motor is now replaced and that's another step closer to running the engine up.

It's unbelievable really, I only work 30hrs a week now, but because of everything else going on in my life I struggle to find a couple of hours here and there to pop round to the yard 5mins from my house to work on the boat.
So frustrating.