MacGregorSailors.com

True story.

Old General Electric guru, retired from Power Division. Company has bad vibration in generator, doesnt know which bearing is bad. Have to cut open case to find bearing. Call in guru. He listens to generator for a day, puts chalk mark and says "cut here". They cut, find bad bearing, solve problem.

Bill is $5000. Accounting protests, asks for itemisation.

He sends back

1. Chalk mark $5
2. Knowing where to put it $4995

See the $50 charge above.

50 bucks aint bad...I just ordered a powerhead GASKET which cost 50 bucks from Mercury. Talk about highway robbery.

I guess it is a similar situation, except more like:

Material cost of gasket $0.50
Amortized design cost $9.50
Mercury markups $40.00

And that was just one of the gaskets, the other one between adapter plate and gearcase housing is 80 bucks! But I decided to hold off on that one to see if I really need it.

Yup, $50 bucks to repair the trim motor and another $50 (?!) to replace the plastic manual release that I had to drill out to lift the outboard but..... it's fixed!

I had to keep adding more fluid and then it would raise another inch or so, then add more...I was surprised how much it took but I couldn't see it leaking out anywhere else so I figured it was using it somehow...but it's fixed!

Did I mention how happy I am? Thank you everyone for all your help! A donation to the board is on the way!

Im happy for ya

So I'm at the cottage when my father pulls up in his pontoon boat and tells me that he's having trouble with his power trim. Seems it makes noise, but won't lift.

Since I'm now an Aya16 Certified Power Trim Technician, I jump off the dock to have a look. Lift the motor by hand, remove the plug and add some more fluid (much more). Now it lifts, but tiny bubbles appear at the bottom of the pump. I tighten up the bolts to seal the gasket better and ... my father is amazed - and saves a few bucks!

Thanks again Aya!

good job, to get the bubbles out take the cap off work the trim up and down a few times add fluid as needed and your done....but if he was out of fluid theres a leak somewhere. most likely spot would be the hoses to the cyl. from the pump...or if no hoses (small lines) the pump.