newbie stupid question-tilt cylinders and other stuff

[swo]

OK, newbie alert. I have what's probably a bunch of really stupid questions, but never having owned a 'real' boat before, and now having one sitting in a slip, I need to ask if a couple of things are normal. First, the tilt cylinders/pistons (whatever you call 'em) are fully submerged--is this ok/normal? There aren't any other outboards in the marina slips yet, so I can't compare. It just seems counter-intuitive to me that it's OK to cycle through tilting the engine out of the water and back in, with the submerged metal rods moving in and out of their cylinders. If this is ok, do the seals require replacement/maintenance at any specific interval?
Another question possibly related to the above. When I pull into the slip and tilt my motor up, and then hook up a hose for flushing (Johnson 140 4-stroke--not the best place for the hose flushing port!), I notice a slight sheen of oil/grease/something in the water. This can't be a good thing, unless it's common for a new motor to have excess grease/oil that causes this. Again, I guess I'm wondering if I'm leaking hydraulic fluid from those cylinders, or if a bit gets pulled out of the cylinders when I tilt the engine? It's not a huge sheen, but certainly noticeable, and hopefully doesn't get me in trouble with the marina.
Final dumb question for today: when I do flush the motor (with the flushing port and motor off, not with muffs), water comes from the p-hole as expected, but also from around the prop. I know there's some sort of lower unit seal in the same vicinity of where the prop is, but I need to know if it's normal for the flushing water to be flowing out of there during the flushing process? I sure hope so!

Sorry about the beginner questions--just hope someone can set me straight with my new boat (Wellcraft 180 fisherman).
Thanks!

[CJS]

Welcome aboard. Ask all the questions you want, thats what the site is here for. You may want
to make use of the "Search" function on some but let's work down your list.

1. No, it is NOT normal for the power tilt pistons to be completely submerged.

2. I'm no 4 stroke expert, but I can't imagine having oil leakage while flushing.

3. You should not be running the engine with hose hooked up to the flushing port.
No water to the impeller. Put the muffs on and run it while tilted up. There has
a lot of recent discussion on this. Try the search.

http://thehulltruth.net/forums/threa...sts=14#M279106

Have you talked with your dealer yet? They should be the first person to ask
and then post here and someone will tell you if what they said is accurate or
if you're getting smoke blown up your butt.

Where are you located? Keep us posted. Good luck.

[baypro21]

I have that same motor, yes it is normal for water to come out the pee hole and from around the prop while using the flushing port. I believe you already know this - motor should not be running while flushing with the port, only in water or on muffs. I wouldn't worry too much about what you're seeing on the water. The exhaust is thru the hub (at the prop) no engine burns 100% of the fuel going thru it, when you flush you're probably washing out a little unburned fuel. Just keep a check on your oil level to make sure. That's a great motor isn't it? What boat is it on?

[swo]

Thanks for the responses so far. I'm not running the engine when I use the flushing port, so I'm OK there. As far as those pistons being submerged, what are my options? Obviously, it must be due to the boat design and engine weight, but short of adding a bunch of weight up forward in the storage locker, I can't see any options.

[CJS]

Baypro, it's a Wellcraft 180 fisherman. How about the issue with the pistons
on the power tilt? Are yours submerged?

[baypro21]

I'm not sure if mine are submerged, I'll look this weekend and let all know.

[Vega]

Also sometimes oil in the water would be like type of spray cleaners like Corrosion X or any anticorrosive liquid that spill out when you tilt the motor.

[CJS]

SWO - Any updates? I'm curious as to what your dealer may have said.

[Bruce W]

Yeah - I'm curious, too???

Sounds like too much MOTOR or not enough BOAT?

Would like to be a "fly on the wall" at the dealer!

Regards,
Bruce W

[CJS]

Any updates????

[baypro21]

Didn't get to the coast this weekend with 2 soccer games, cheerleading tryouts, and ADMIRALS DAY. If all goes as planned will be down there next Thursday PM. Should get the boat in the water fri. or sat. (or both) - I'll post when I get back.

[swo]

Oops, a couple of you asked for an update, but I let this thread slip--sorry. As far as the oil sheen, the dealer found a problem with an o-ring--it was a fuel leak. They fixed it last week (under warranty), and haven't had a problem since.

The boat goes in for its 10 hr service (ok, I went a few hours over) this week, and the punch list is pretty short. I'll ask about the tilt pistons being submerged, but I don't think I have any recourse there. The 180 fisherman must not like the 140 4-stroke Johnson's weight.

[Bruce W]

swo,

I assume the MOTOR is NEW and came WITH the boat? As others have said - those trim pistons have NO business being submerged when the boat is at rest!

It seems the dealer may have sold a boat with too HEAVY a motor for it? A dealer should know which motors can safely be installed on any boat they sell. Was the motor rigged at the FACTORY or did the DEALER rig it after it was delivered?

Either way, I think you have some recourse, based on the "condition" you have described! DON'T accept this, as the submerged (soon to be corroded!) pistons will end up causing problems with trim/tilt operation, PLUS, it may represent an UNSAFE situation, if there is, in fact, too much weight back there!

Keep us informed!
Bruce W

[SC]

Move some weight to the bow see what happens. Or you can put it on lift.

[JackB]

This is just a thought. When docked I assume you tilt the engine all the way up and move the tilt support under the bracket. At that time continue lowering the tilt and the pistons should retract into their housings. In the real world I do not see the dealer replacing that engine. On smaller boats those pistons will be wet anyway, if nothing else, from wave action.

[swo]

JackB-
Can't use the tilt lock; there's not enough clearance to get the motor all the way up out of the water due to the location of the hydraulic steering on the transom.

The stainless piston shafts themselves aren't all the way under; where they enter the tubes is just below the waterline. Checking other boats along the dock, that same entry point is just above or at the waterline.

The transom drains are still a couple of inches above water, so I don't know if there's too much weight back there. I'll mention it to the dealer, but I don't think I have much recourse on this one. I guess I'll find out how good the seals are on the pistons

Thanks for all the comments!