Need help fast guys! Tab stops.
 

Okay, so I know there are like a bazillion threads on here about removing the tab stops on Fountains, but without spending the entire day searching for these tomorrow, I need some imput guys, PLEASE!! I'm in Thunder on KY Lake poker run this Saturday, and I've GOT to get this figured out, ASAP. It will be my first poker run, and I don't want to miss it.

I just removed my tab stops on my 27' Fever, and suddenly, neither tabs work. :mad: Immediate response: check the breaker. Result: good. What puzzles me is that both pumps are making clicking sounds when I hit the buttons on the dash, but neither tab will move. Thought the connections might be bad, so checked those, cleaned them, no help. The switches work fine, and the pumps are getting power, so my best guess is that the solenoids went bad. We tried every trick we know to make 'em work, but no luck. The odds of the solenoids going out on both pumps simultaneously?? Probably not. The stops have no kind of connection or grounding capabilities, and are basically just inanimate objects providing a stopper, so I wouldn't think that simply removing them would cause BOTH tab pumps to malfunction.

If anybody has any experience with this, or knows, or even thinks they know what's wrong here, please help!!! I've got one day to fix it, and I've got to work most of the day. Please help!! Thanks in advance!!!

use a jumper lead and touch from batt pos to blue wire and then green wire going to trim pump motor, both small and big terminals at solenoid on trim pump. then go from pos on pump solenoid and repeat. you should be able to decifer if you have a supply or ground issue by doing this.

it does sound like you have some kinda limiter electricly like the trim and trailer limits on the drive


good luck

Battery fully charged?

Only other thing that comes to mind is now you are using part of the stroke that has never been used before. Maybe some type of internal buildup on the cyl. wall causing the piston to stick. Long shot on that though I'd guess.

Try putting the tab stops back on and see if they work again.

We tried jumping the solenoids (with a couple screwdrivers), but to no avail. And as far as putting the stops back on, well, one tab is too far up to allow the stop to fit, so no dice. I think US1 Fountain might be on to something saying that it's using part of the stroke that's it's never used before. I'm not sure exactly how that could effect it, but hey ,it is an 11 year old boat, and those tabs have NEVER moved there before. Maybe some kind of electrical limiter too? This is so annoying!! Thanks for the input so far guys!

These are the 2 plastic halves that clamp around the cyl. rod. Right? Stock K-PLanes I assume.
If all you did was to remove those stops, there is no electrical do dad, limiter, or anything associated with the trim rams other than powering the pump assembly. You either have a dead battery or 2 sticking rams. Odd that both are sticking, but none the less. Might try to strap a long 2x4 to the bottom of the tab for leverage while hitting the switch down button.

A buddy of mine has a tab that is seized on the pivot shaft. With the cyl. disconnected, we can not budge the tab even by jumping on it, it is so tight, but the hyd. cylinder is strong enough that it moves the tab no problem. Didn't know there was an issue. That makes me find it hard to believe your tab went up, but not back down because it is sticking. But I was wrong once before. :)

Try pushing down on the tab while someone operates the switch. I agree with US1 The piston in the tab ram may have "passed" the point where the oil under pressure enters the ram.

I've tried pushing down on them, but I'm gonna put a 2x4 on there for some leverage. Might even try to rig up a jack in there on some blocks if I can manage it. Am I correct in thinking that since both pumps still make a "clicking" sound when I press the switches that the solenoids are probably not bad? Or could they be bad and still click? I'm going to try to jump them more effectively and see if the pumps will work at all. My only other thought is that maybe somehow the "both" tab switch might somehow have affected it since both pumps malfunctioned at the same time?

even if the rams are stuck the pumps should run, similiar to when you trim all the way down,same noise. you may be getting power to the trigger wire on the solenoids from the both switch which may be getting power from another source other than the trim pump hot lead as with the stock harness from merc. hense why the clicking and no movement.

good luck

Thanks guys. Figured it all out, finally, and I've got to say I'm a little embarrassed I didn't realize the problem earlier. Turned out to be the 40amp breaker for the tab pumps. Bypassed it to get them to move, then simply replaced the breaker, good as new. Duh!