5.7L won't stay running

[Cheb44]

Hey guys I am having a problem I can't get squared away. Tried search but you know how that sometimes goes when your not sure of whats going on.

I literally just bought this boat. Its a 93 Celebrity with a 5.7 and alpha 1. I wasn't able to run it on the lake but we did run it on muffs and it started and idled fine the whole time.

Well took the boat out today started backed out pulled to the dock and let the boat idle while my parking assistant walked back down. So far so good.

We got maybe 300 yards, you know just far enough on the wrong end of the wind to ever paddle back, and the engine quite. When it quite everything quite no electrical power at all except the trim switch. The power would come back start the engine and if it did stay running at all it was only for about 10 secs before the power went again. Always electrical power except trim, for whatever reason.

The guy did tell me that the slave solenoid may be going out he thought. Would this cause a short to do this? I have to part but figured I was good cause I didn't think it would cause something like this, stupid I guess but oh well damage is done.

Anyway, any help you guys can give would be great, as now I am stuck with a boat that doesn't run that cost me a lot of money for me that my wife is not so pleased about now that it isn't working.

I really don't think the guy sold me it knowing this, they are good people (Its a dealer, but a good one). We had a hiccup while trying to initially start it is why he thought maybe the slave solenoid was going out.

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

Ok did some more delving and it is definately not the solenoid.

I also narrowed it down some. It does it when the throttle is in certain positions. Could this be the kill switch? When they go bad will they be intermittent at times?

Gonna use search for that, but any input would be great. The throttle thing limits it some though, gotta be quadrant, fuel, or kill switch, right?

 

[jopes]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

clean all your battery terminals, both on the battery side, and engine / starter side.

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

Ok you guys have been a great help lol j/k

I think I may have fixed it. Since it got dark I got the bright idea to see if I could see in arcing when moving the throttle and alas the throttle lever was arcing on the carb arm. Not sure why yet though. The arm was for some reason bent in a manor that caused it to touch that way. I bent it back to the way it should be and no arcing. My only concern now is why was it arcing in the first place?

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

clean all your battery terminals, both on the battery side, and engine / starter side.

that was my first thought as well. If you see my above post though it was grounding out at the throttle cable. Any ideas what could be doing that? I am assuming the throttle cable shouldnt be able to arc that way.

 

[Saqbcq]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

There is a neutral safety switch in the throttle housing. Might be the problem?

 

[Don S]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

The neutral safety switch does not kill power to anything but the start slave solenoid to prevent the engine from cranking.
You also have a lanyard kill switch which probably isn't it either. Merc puts them in the throttle control, so they will not stop power to the instruments.
Your trim pump is probably hooked directly to the battery, that's the way Merc recommends hooking them up.
I would be looking at things like the main harness connector on the engine, or battery switch failure, main engine circuit breaker etc.
Get a test light or a meter, then the next time the power fails, start checking voltages till you find where it stops.

 

[Saqbcq]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

that was my first thought as well. If you see my above post though it was grounding out at the throttle cable. Any ideas what could be doing that? I am assuming the throttle cable shouldnt be able to arc that way.[/QUO The best way to find out how power is getting to the throttle cable is to trace the cable see where its worn through. Good Luck

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

The neutral safety switch does not kill power to anything but the start slave solenoid to prevent the engine from cranking.
You also have a lanyard kill switch which probably isn't it either. Merc puts them in the throttle control, so they will not stop power to the instruments.
Your trim pump is probably hooked directly to the battery, that's the way Merc recommends hooking them up.
I would be looking at things like the main harness connector on the engine, or battery switch failure, main engine circuit breaker etc.
Get a test light or a meter, then the next time the power fails, start checking voltages till you find where it stops.

Thanks for the reply. I am still having problems. Its not responding at all now. When I turn the key it just flickers the gauges then nothing.

Guess its time to start tracing wires, this really sucks. It seems like it should be a simple enough fix but holy cow I just got the boat and haven't even been able to enjoy it yet. I have some crappy luck sometimes.

Oh well I guess I have a four day weekend coming up, it will give me something to do! :facepalm:

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

The neutral safety switch does not kill power to anything but the start slave solenoid to prevent the engine from cranking.
You also have a lanyard kill switch which probably isn't it either. Merc puts them in the throttle control, so they will not stop power to the instruments.
Your trim pump is probably hooked directly to the battery, that's the way Merc recommends hooking them up.
I would be looking at things like the main harness connector on the engine, or battery switch failure, main engine circuit breaker etc.
Get a test light or a meter, then the next time the power fails, start checking voltages till you find where it stops.

Also, sorry I am more familar with outboards, is the main engine circuit breaker on top behind the slave solenoid. It has a large red reset button so I am assuming that it is that.

Going to go home and see if my voltage is stopping there its not tripped but it is right next to the throttle cable.

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

Guys I really need some ideas here this thing is still not running.

What I thought it was with the voltage on the throttle cable was not the problem. I was able to fix that. It was one of the kill switch wires pinched behind the remote control.

I have tried to narrow it down but it isn't working for me. I am pretty sure I am getting voltage in all the places I am supposed to be getting it engine wise.

I don't know I am at a lose.

Just let everyone know whats going on with it, it will start run a few moments and die with no electrical power at all anywhere not even gauges. Battery cables are good. Sometimes the voltage comes back quickly sometimes it doesn't come back for sometime. Voltage at main circuit breaker is good. Where is the battery switch or is that for only dual batteries? I am not sure about that one.

I know this is something simple but I am to the point of burning it down its got me so frustrated.

Add to all this I found some rot in some of the floor and stringers in the hard to get to places I have been visiting to figure this problem out.

Anyway I really need some ideas on what to look at here.

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

Well crap I just ran it up to normal op temp and nothing. I jacked with a lot of crap so I am not sure what fixed it if its fixed.

That scares me. Nothing like going out in a boat your not sure about. :facepalm:

 

[gl65stang]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

hey fellas,

I am also having some issues with my 5.7 that i can't seem to figure out. First we were simply going to replace the blower motor because it would not kick on, so when we took out the blower we hooked it up to the battery and it started up just fine, then we had a throttle issue so we started the engine up a few times and fixed it. We walked away for about ten min to get a drink and now none of my gages work and my ignition swith does nothing, and turns nothing on? 1997 wellcraft eclipse 2000s 5.7L thunderbolt.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

hey fellas,

I am also having some issues with my 5.7 that i can't seem to figure out. First we were simply going to replace the blower motor because it would not kick on, so when we took out the blower we hooked it up to the battery and it started up just fine, then we had a throttle issue so we started the engine up a few times and fixed it. We walked away for about ten min to get a drink and now none of my gages work and my ignition swith does nothing, and turns nothing on? 1997 wellcraft eclipse 2000s 5.7L thunderbolt.

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,...
So start a thread of yer Own, explainin' Yer problems...

There's No reason to be Hy-jackin' Cheb44's thread....

 

[gl65stang]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

ok sorry about that buddy, im new to the site

 

[Cheb44]

Re: 5.7L won't stay running

lol your not hijacking much, very little obvious stuff going on here with mine and it sounds like you have something similar so no problems. I also would lose power to my blower that normally works whether key is in or not.

I think mine is fixed and I am hopping it was the good working over I gave to the main wiring harness plug. I have started it on the muffs 3 times throughout the day and warmed it up to op temps with no problems. So if I was you gl65stang I would start there? Maybe that will help.