Power Trim Help!

[mikejohnson22]

This is my first post to the BBC, this website is great.
I went camping over memorial day weekend and had a problem with the trim. I drove from my campsite to the launch ramp with my engine trimmed all the way up and didn't put on the transom brace. After launching and fishing awhile I went to trim up the engine and it wouldn't go up all the way. I think driving without the transom brace might have damaged the seals. It would go up a little ways but would then drop back down. I got some trim fluid but not sure how to fill it? Do I need some sort of fill bottle? Once I opened the cap I could hear the pressure release and fluid started draining out? Now I'm stuck. No trim? Pump runs but no pressure. Anyone know the proper procedure for filling the trim fluid or how to troubleshoot it? My bug is a 1997 zx with the 150 yammie.

[STCL01]

First, there should be a manual valve to release the pressure on the system. I don't know exactly where it is on your model. You normally can turn this with a large screwdriver.

To properly fill the system you need to have the pressure off the system. To do that you raise your motor all the way and flip down the manual lock on the motor. You then lower the motor where it rest on the lock. This takes the pressure off the pistons and you can fill the system.

As for what you need to fill it, you can use a long funnel. I use ATF in mine and have an adapter that screws on the top of the bottle with a long tube. You can also get a funnel made for filling automatic transmissions. It has a longer tube on it that is flexible enough to get where you need to go. You may need an extra set of hands.

If that doesn't fix the problem you may have a bad checkvalve in side the system. Unless you are mechanically inclined I would not advise tearing into your hydraulic system.