Engine trim noise

jgrills2

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I have a Honda 150 HP on my Overnighter. When I'm going along in the water at half-speed I hear a 'clicking' sound near the engine when I trim the engine up or down. Any ideas if there might be a problem with the hydraulics or something else back there?
 

DennisG01

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Need a better description. It's normal for relays to click when being activated. Describe the clicking in more detail.

What happens at idle or with the engine off?

You didn't mention if the trim still works properly?
 

jgrills2

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Hi Dennis,
It almost sounds like someone snapping their fingers loudly and it happens about twice a second during trim up or down under power. This just started happening last summer. I've had the boat and motor for 2 years. The Honda set up was new in 2015.
It doesn't "click" when I trim it in idle or with the engine off.
It works fine otherwise.
 

seasick

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Since it makes the noise while under power, I would tend to assuming that it is related to the forces on the motor. When driving forward, the force of the thrust is pushing the motor .
So I would see if I could make the noise happen by putting downward force on the lower unit while trimming. You can do that in two ways; either with the motor off and someone standing on the lower unit with the motor tilted halfway up ( and not running) or with the motor down, running and the boat well tied off at a dock. The second method would probably more closely simulate the conditions that you hear the noise.

Although it may not help at all, I would check the tilt fluid level and top off as well as grease any zerk fitting .

The comment about relay noise may also be a clue if there is a bad relay it may be snapping in and out under current load. In that case, if the clicks are far enough apart, you should be able to see if the movement of the lower unit also hesitates.
 

jgrills2

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Thank you Seasick, I'll check these options out.
 

DennisG01

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"Twice a second"... meaning the clicking continues for as long as you hold the button down?

See if you can narrow down if the clicking is coming from the trim motor or from the relays on the side of the engine. Remove the engine cowl and locate your relays. You are looking for two wires - heavier gauge than most - a blue one and a green one (along with a common red).

Also... remove/clean/inspect/re-attach these wires... and check any/all grounds you can find on the side of the engine.

"Clicking" is typically a word used to describe the relays "clicking" closed. I'm not sure of any sounds that could be made by the trim motor that would be described that way. But weird things sometime happen around boats!
 

jgrills2

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Thanks Dennis, I'll check it out.
 

Beyond A Wake

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Clicking can also mean gears clicking. Or if there is a safety catch that would be clicking.... It's not a mechanical trim is it?
 

Beyond A Wake

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So not hydraulic. If not hydraulic there is an electric ram that tilt the motor up and down. It could be in the screw mechanism that the clicking is, under load.
If the trim works but clicks I don't think it is a relay but some mechanical contact or a worn screw, too "loose" between contact surfaces..

Try as they said with load on motor while trimming on land Or trailer or at dock.

H
 

Fishtales

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Check fluid and relay. Latter could be sticky.