I noticed the other day my lower unit is slowly reversing, on it's own. Haven't had the battery hooked up since season closed a month ago. It seems to be 1/2 way around. It was starting to get balky at the end of the year so I bought a new switch per the trouble shooting guide PD has.

Where to start, pump controls or actuator seals?

Mine was having trouble going into reverse and I started asking questions like you. Turns out all all needed to do was put more grease in in the grease zerts. Try that if you havent


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I guess I didn't 'splain myself.

The unit is slowly spinning around while in storage, like a bleed down of the hydraulics.

That's a pump problem. You have an electrical leak or seeping juice to the pump some kind of way. That lower isn't gonna just spin around while idle. Even if the seals in the ram leak, it shouldn't do that. Do you have the old 3 wire Mercury pump or the newer Bucher 2 wire pump? I actually had this happen on my Trim pump. It was found that the hydro pump internals were bad. I would come out and find it completely trimmed all the way down. But in my situation, the 250+ lbs of engine was forcing the hydro oil out of the cylinder. it would take all night to do it. But in your case, there is no load, no weight to force the oil out. Try disconnecting power to the pump and let it set and see if it does it again. If it doesn't, change out the switch.

Battery has been out of the boat since first week of Dec. I will check for sure on the pump, but I know I have the "valve block" and solenoids. The pump was relocated under a deck, some crud could have gotten in the system. Is there a way to flush it or is it more likely a mechanical failure?

Thanks for the help

I know my older 3 wire mercury pump has an internal check valve and overpressure back to tank. Mine starting acting up. I extended it to full open or close, whichever you like. Once extended, hold the rev switch for about another 2-3 sec. You will definitely hear a difference in the hydro system, because it will be dead headed. This will flush out any trash that could be in the overpressure or check valve. Now this is for the older units, you can try on the newer Bucher units, but I'm not sure of the internals.

Also, to check to see of the seals may be leaking, unbolt it from the half moon gear and let sit. see what ram does. Could be internal seals of ram, but you will notice that if doing what I mentioned above. Will be very little change "in loading up" the pump or "dead heading" because flow will be going through the leaking seal.

Junk

Douche^^

Don't bother, ducknut. People like him enjoy the attention, and offer nothing to help anyone else.