volvo 280 outdrive single prop

[2 men in a boat]

Hello,

Can any body help, we have just purchased our first boat.
It has a volvo 280 single prop outdrive, we were told by the original owner to only use the outdrive only when it is in the fully down position, as it will damage the joints if not. Is it possible to use it at a shallower angle for shallow water

[gonzo]

Is that the one with the electric trim?

[tuantom]

According to the Volvo manual, you can operate it in the tilt (assuming it's not a power trim model) at idle speeds only.

I know from experience that you'll damage the electric tilt motor before the u-joints. It's not designed for a load much bigger than the weight of the outdrive.

[2 men in a boat]

yes it is electric trim gonzo.And thanks tuantom.

[tuantom]

Tilt and trim aren't the same on these outdrives. Tilt is the small electric motor that sits on the port side of the transom plate - power trim was an option that used hydraulic rams.

[gonzo]

With the electric trim, you set the best running angle with the lock bar.

[powerabout]

If its a tilt only model whe running tilted you also have no reverse lock so the drive flicks up and hits that rubber pad ( should you put it in reverse) on the transom plate and then crashes back down giving the poor tilt motor mechanism a very hard time.

Re the u joints, running when tilted...thats the same as turned isnt it?
( granted it might be a greater angle)

[2 men in a boat]

Sorry its been awhile since your answers gonzo and powerabout, have been getting boat ready for our maiden launch. We have now launched boat first part went ok,second part not so well. Taking boat too swing mooring hit a sandbank in forward motion causing prop to rise up and fall back down. engineand prop still work but have no tilt,electric tilt motor can be heard running. we think that prop may have fallen back down on screw that tilts prop and damaged it.Any ideas???

[powerabout]

Have we determined its mechanical tilt model?

The elecric motor drive is a roll pin this is a weak point to prevent damaging the screw. It could be sheared?
If you remove the motor you will see that.

There is also a spring loaded cone clutch in there as well under the aluminium housing that you access buy unscrewing the large hex cast into the housing.

You might have to remove the tilt unit from the transom bracket, thats a potential boat sinker if your in the water?

You should also check the limit switch on the very top ( common to see this broken), this stops the motor from trying to retract the shaft too far in and cuts the motor. I think that was just to confirm the tilt rod/screw had moved away from the reverse lock
Havent seen one of these for over 20 years

What model engine do you have?

[2 men in a boat]

Hello powerabout.

Thanks for the information, going down to the boat on tuesday, going to check that the reverse lock still works, then take it from there.
will let you know results later. Engine is a marinised toyota landcruiser 4ltr .

[2 men in a boat]

Hello again powerabout,
Just to update you,got down to the boat on tuesday took trailer incase we had to get boat out of water, flat tyre and mud guard fell off on way down whic made us a couple of hours late. Any way, got to the boat, first thing was to check fuses, all ok so next thing we took electric motor off of tilt drive to check connection. Connection on end of motor looked fine, no rounding of edges or breaks, checked inside of tilt by using small openended spanner and turnning worm drive all ok.We were not sure what to do next, whilst thinking what to do, my mate picked up electric motor by shaft that locates in worm screw housing and fell off. The sleeve that covers and joins the electric motor and the lug that fits into the wormscrew housing is only fixed by two tiny grub screws.One grub screw had come undone causing motor to spin freely, quick tighten of screw and job done, weather caused by hitting sandbank or coincidence, who knows.Any way thanks again, 2 men in a boat.

[BMcF]

The failure of your power tilt (tilt only) was caused by the impact of the lower unit when it smacked the pad on the end of the tilt rod. I've run 270 and 280 tilt-only Vovlos for many many years (Donzi speedboats) and the one hard-learned rule that I never violate is to ever run without the tilt rod fully retracted, setting the lower unit hard against the trim pin and locking it down. Those that try to operate the single-worm Volvo trim-only outdrives in any other manner, even at dead idle, inevitably meet the same grief that you have.

The fact that its only those two tiny screws mounting the electric motor..a clear message that the tilt mechanism was never designed for any other purpose than tilting the lower unit for trailering or beaching with the engine off. I hope you got lucky...I've seen many of those tilt rods bend and only a very small amount of bending in enough to make the entire tilt assembly scrap as the rod will not freely travel throgh the housing bushing any more..