Bad Battery?

[CPro]

Can a bad battery still show 12 to 12.5 volts?

I was running the boat (a 1997 Mercruiser 3.0LX) with the muffs on in the driveway the other day and it stalled out on me. I had just finished cleaning it up..and some water had sprayed on the engine a bit. The boat was idling along..but then it just stopped. I haven't been able to get it started since.

The boat turns over, and sometimes will fire up for about 1 second but then it quits as soon as you let off the ignition.

I charged the battery up last night & will test that out tonight. Another thing I noticed is that the 50 AMP circuit breaker seems to be seized up...it says "push to reset" but there is no way that you could depress that thing. I'm assuming this means I need a new one? According to the manual, the starter and ignition system both run off of this circuit breaker...and since the starter works, I'm assuming the circuit breaker connection is still good.

 

[Don S]

Re: Bad Battery?

I charged the battery up last night & will test that out tonight. Another thing I noticed is that the 50 AMP circuit breaker seems to be seized up...it says "push to reset" but there is no way that you could depress that thing.

If it's not popped, you can't reset it, and if it cranks and fires, then it isn't that breaker.
You mentioned some water got on the engine........ How much?? Did it stop when the engine got wet????

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Bad Battery?

Will it run a little longer if you pour a little gas in the carb?......​

 

[CPro]

Re: Bad Battery?

The engine block was somewhat wet (it wasn't like it was soaked) when it stopped. It was wet enough that some water could have dripped into a connection.

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

It sounds like the coil is getting power only in the crank position, not on run.

 

[CPro]

Re: Bad Battery?

how would that happen?

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

Something shorted out, or came loose? You said it fires at crank, but dies when you release the key. There are two separate wires for that. Try tracing the wire from the I connection on the ignition switch to the + on the coil.

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

See if you have 9 or so volts on the + coil when the key is on.

 

[Windykid]

Re: Bad Battery?

Does this engine have a distributor?

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: Bad Battery?

How old is the gas? My Jeep was acting the same way after sitting for about 3 months and it turned out to be bad gas. It would run as long as the key was in the start position but would die shortly after releasing the key but not immediately. It would however start and run at times especially when cold. I put a bottle of HEET in the tank and it's been fine ever since. Still a good idea to drain it and put in new gas.

 

[CPro]

Re: Bad Battery?

yep, it has a distributor...why do you ask?

As for the gas - I had bad gas this spring but I have overcome that hurdle (argh). It's been one heck of a spring...!

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Windykid]

Re: Bad Battery?

Pull the cap and make sure there is no water in it. Spray with WD/40 and wipe clean.

 

[CPro]

Re: Bad Battery?

OK - so far I have tried the following:
*pulled the plugs - they don't look too bad, but I have definitely been running it rich. They are darker than I would like but don't look like they are past working in any way.
*cleaned battery terminals
*checked all the fuses that I know about
*the inside of the engine is dry now
*looks like fuel delivery is not an issue, seem to be getting plenty of fuel
*as before, the engine was running rich so I leaned it out some
*checked spark by holding the wire from the coil near it's terminal on the distributor - looks like I am getting spark.

I'm about to start pulling the panel and checking the ignition connections...please leave a msg. if you have any advice for a boatless fisherman...!

Thanks,
Trev

PS - it's still doing the same thing - it will almost start...kind of fire a few times and then it just dies out.

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

You are getting power to the coil in crank, not run. See if you have voltage to the coil with key on.

 

[CPro]

Re: Bad Battery?

I did check power to the coil with the key turned on...I had 10 volts there.

I also just ran some gas into a small bottle..and guess what I found?!?

What the heck would make it milky like that? I always thought if it was water it would separate out...this is pretty homogeneous looking..no clear separation. How does this happen? Is this a result of washing the boat and getting a little water in the fuel or is this something else? Maybe I'm just getting all the water from the bottom of the tank and the rest isn't so bad? I'll soon find out...I'm about to go siphon a bunch out of there.

FYI, I do not currently have any additives in the tank..I have about 9 gallons of gas that was put in within the last few weeks. It had to have been contaminated while being washed I guess...?

 

[paultech6]

Re: Bad Battery?

If you left your tank empty during winter layup you left a whole lotta space for condensation build up in your tan which is caused by outside temperature fluctuations.
Make sure your boat is tipped all the way up in front as the pickup tube in gas tank is at back of tank and suck it all out. Water does tend to settle at bottom of gas as its heavier but you look like you have more water than gas.
Fill tank with fresh gas afterwards add some water sorb and a little stabil wont hurt it either.
Change your gas filters in carb and if you have water fuel separator change that also.
when you get down to half a tank change the separator again you will be good.
There is a possibility you may need carb rebuild but if you can get it running it the fresh gas will get thru carb. Then check out how she runs . Like I said you may need carb rebuild due to waht mess went thru carb.
The biggest problem the marine industry is now having is the new gas with ethanol . Its only 10% but Mercury recommends using stabil all year round if your boat will sit longer than two weeks at a time
Ethanol tends to absorb moisture and can cause phase separation in your gas.

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

Make sure you get a pump, and get it all out. Congrats, you solved the problem.

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

It takes awhile for the water to settle, or looking at that jar, for the 5% gas to rise to the top.

 

[CPro]

Re: Bad Battery?

Thanks for the advice...I'll look forward to getting all this gunk out of 'er!

Thanks,
Trev

 

[Coors]

Re: Bad Battery?

Once you get the tank clean, add seafoam before you put the gas in (to let it mix when you put gas in. Crank it over with coil disconnected, and fuel line in a jar; spin it until you get clear gas, change the water/fuel separater, then the only problem, if you have one, is crap in the carb bowl.