Tilting an Outboard or Sterndrive by Hand: Using the Trim Manual Release Valve

Shift to neutral, turn the key off, remove it and pull the lanyard. On the water, make sure the boat isn't drifting into danger first: anchor or tie up if you can. If you're aground in waves, current or a busy channel, put on life jackets and call TowBoatUS, Sea Tow or the Coast Guard on VHF 16 rather than climbing over the transom.

On most outboards it's on the trim and tilt unit between the clamp brackets. Boating Magazine describes it as a screw on the side of the engine bracket at about the height of the hydraulic reservoir. Which side depends on the brand. Writing in Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, a Texas outboard dealer places it on the right side of the bracket on Mercury outboards (as seen from the helm, looking aft) and on the left side, about midway down the transom bracket, on Yamaha and Evinrude; Yamaha pro angler Bobby Lane also notes it's on the port side of the mount on his Yamaha. Treat those as starting points: models differ, so confirm in your owner's manual. With the boat in the water the valve may be below the waterline, and you may need to find it by feel through a hole in the bracket. It's usually a slotted screw, a hex or Torx head, or a small knob, and some need a short (stubby) screwdriver to reach.

On sterndrives, the trim pump usually sits in the engine compartment, and some (not all) have a manual release valve on the pump body. Check your manual; some drives can't be lifted by hand at all.

Don't confuse it with the fill plug at the top of the reservoir. Opening the fill plug with the system under pressure can spray fluid.

If the motor is tilted up, check that the tilt support lever (tilt lock) is engaged or that the motor is blocked, and that everyone is clear. If the motor is down and you want to raise it, you can go straight on.

Turn it counterclockwise (to the left). Boating Magazine says a turn or two is usually enough, and the dealer writing in Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine finds that three-quarters of a turn to one full turn usually starts a raised motor settling. Some owner's manuals call for more (a few turns), so your manual sets the number for your model; start small and open it a bit more only if the motor still won't move. Don't unscrew it all the way: on many units it's a small part held by a retaining clip, and backing it out fully can let water into the hydraulics or drop the screw overboard.

Grip the motor low, at the gearcase or the anti-ventilation plate, never by the propeller, and lift steadily. Boating Magazine's advice is simple: know your limit. A small outboard is a one-person lift; a big one needs two or three people, and a sterndrive may need a hoist. If it feels locked solid, check the valve is open a bit more and that nothing is jammed in the brackets. Don't force it.

Once it's up, engage the tilt support lever (tilt lock), as Mercury and Yamaha both describe for trim work. Then close the valve (step 8) so the hydraulics hold too. Never work under or behind a raised motor held only by your hands or by the trim with the valve open.

To lower a motor that's tilted up:

1. With the valve still closed, lift the motor slightly to take the weight off the tilt support lever, and fold the lever away.
2. With a helper holding the motor, open the valve slowly.
3. Let the motor down gently. Keep fingers away from the brackets as it settles.

Turn the valve clockwise until it is snug. Don't crank it hard; it seals with a small seat and can strip or break. The motor should now stay where you left it.

Push and pull gently on the motor. It shouldn't move. If it sinks or swings easily, the valve isn't fully closed, or the unit has an internal leak (see the trim hose and cylinder leaks guide). Yamaha says that fluid on the outside of the trim unit, or a motor that won't stay tilted up or stay trimmed out while running, means the seals or internal valves need a dealer's inspection. Run the engine only with the valve closed. At low speed, check that the motor doesn't kick up when you shift into reverse.

With the valve closed, the motor stays at whatever angle you set by hand. If it's trimmed up, the bow may ride high, the boat can porpoise on plane and the motor may draw air; run slower. If it's all the way down, the bow can plow as you add power. Aim to set it by hand somewhere in the normal running trim range before you head home. If you're in shallow water, choose the most open route home. Shallow running with the motor tilted can overheat it if the cooling water intake comes out of the water, so watch the telltale (pee stream).

Don't trailer with only the tilt support lever holding the motor up; Suzuki says plainly that its tilt support lever is for storage only and could break under the strain of transport. Use a transom saver or the method your manual describes (see the transom saver and trailering prep guides). Close the release valve so the motor can't bounce.

A manual release is a get-home trick, not a repair. Once you're back:

• Check the battery, fuses and relays (trim relay troubleshooting guide).
• Check the fluid level (trim and tilt fluid guide). Boating Magazine notes that topping up is often a temporary fix and there may be a leak you can't see.
• Grease the tilt tube and bracket fittings on your manual's schedule (see the outboard grease points guide) so the motor moves freely next time.