I want to make sure I'm not missing something. I bought a 25hp Merc cheap. It runs well, good compression. It just needs maintenance, carb, water pump etc. It seems though it had been run without the tilt pin and probably not lubed. Now it won't tilt up. It's a manual tilt. I think I just need to break it free and clean and lube the bracket hinge but I don't want to force it a break anything unnecessarily. I don't see any mechanism that's keeping it from tilting. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Shift it into forward without it running and see if it'll tilt. Those motors have a locking mechanism that keeps it from kicking up when in reverse, but if it's out of adjustment it might be grabbing in neutral too. Let us know how that goes and if it's still not working I'll post a few more things to look at.
Thanks HaM. I went back and looked at it more closely. When I shift it into forward there is a vertical rod that pulls up the mechanism/latch which would normally catch onto the trim/position pin, so that seems to be working correctly. The thing is there is no trim/position pin there for it to hold onto. I have always had Evinrude/Johnson where you have to manually disengage it to tilt it up, sorry for seeming so clueless here Is there any other internal mechanism to keep it from tilting?
Ok, you're sure there isn't a horizontal pin that the tilt lock hooks onto? The lock itself should have a couple of hooks on it that move up and down when you shift. Try raising the lock manually with your finger or a screwdriver and see if it releases. Maybe it's just not lifting far enough. Here's a diagram out of the service manual that shows the lock. It's identified as part "D".
Yeah, I'm sure. The lock moves up and down freely and I tried to hold it all the way up also while lifting.
If you are sure there is nothing mechanically designed to stop it from tilting then use some penetrating oil to help break it loose. I'd thin some ATF fluid with acetone and then carefully heat up the joints in question with a heat gun (don't burn the paint) brush on the mix and let sit for a day. Lather, rinse, and repeat as needed. Had to do the same on a 6hp Evenrude recently. BTW that ATF thinned with acetone is one of the best perpetrators I've found and cheap too.
