Engine will not start...help!!

[scottinvabch]

2003 Bayliner Capri, 3.0 Mercruiser engine.<br />Was out on the water today, boat running great and on my way back to the docks i ran through some huge wake and took a hard landing and the engine then cut off. Now it will not even turn over, when i turn the key in the ignition i do not get any readings on the dash at all...no volt meter, fuel gauge etc. The blower and bilge pump still work which makes me think that the battery is not dead. I have checked all battery connection as well. Im just not really sure what else to check for and any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Kevin70]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

I'm not an expert on this, but have you checked the fuse panel. Maybe the main lines into the panel were damaged.Also check the connections for the ignition swich itself.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

check the main plug from controls to engine, may have been jared loose.

 

[scottinvabch]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

I have checked the connection to the fuse panel and the connection from the ignistion switch and everything appears to be secure. Still not getting any readings or even an atttempt to turn over the engine.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

check the main plug from controls to engine, may have been jared loose.

Forget about the Dashboard,+ Go to the Back of the Boat...........<br /><br />Check All the Wiring,.... T/D has told you 1 place to Look........<br /><br />Is there Power from the Battery to the Starter,.?????<br /><br />Is there Power Beyond the Starter,.??????

 

[bamadave]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

Scott, what everybody here is trying to tell you is there is a large electrical connection plug near the engine, probably next to the circuit breaker for the starter that could have come loose. Wiggle it and see what happens. It connects all the power to the engine. It should have a clamp around it to prevent it from coming loose but it happens. Also, on most boats, you will see the main battery cables(large wires connected to battery) as well as a smaller gauge wire to the battery. This smaller wire usually is for the blower and bilge pump, so start tracing the larger wires to their destinations. Good Luck

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

also check the wiring at the 50 amp breaker on the engine electrical bracket. sometimes the breaker trips or the wires break off.

 

[scottinvabch]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

I have checked all the connections that everyone has said to check...found nothing loose or diconnected. I have hooked up a mulitmeter to the starter and a get a constant reading of about 6 volts even when the ignition switch is off...is this normal? I do not get a reading on the meter at all when i have it hooked into the ignition switch in the on or off position. Could there be a grounding issue somewhere??

 

[spartanpele]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

6 volts?? Hmmm...seems to me your voltage s/b above 12 volts at the battery. <br /><br />Do you have one battery or two in your system? <br /><br />Did you check your voltage of your battery while sitting? Check it while cranking? If your battery is only 6 volts while sitting, its dead.<br /><br />Your battery should be above 12 volts while sitting, and when you check it while running it should be above that as its taking a charge from your alternator. <br /><br />Get out the multimeter and check your batteries... Also, get your manual out (Seclo, Clymer, etc.) and go through the troubleshooting section of "engine won't start" and follow it step by step.<br /><br />But my bet is the battery and it might not have anything to do with the big wave you hit. You can also check your alternator fan belt to make sure its on and tight, etc....

 

[lateralaxis]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

theres a thread about a blown ign fuse in the merc-cruiser section

 

[scottinvabch]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

http://forums.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=012808 <br />I followed through the instructions in this FAQ but i am not quite sure i know where to go next. I am getting no lights when i hook the probe up to the ignition switch. I also get no light on terminal C of the slave solenoid. I do however get a light on terminal A and Terminal D which it looks like it that means i am getting a good ground. I am unsure of the solution provided in the FAQ when it says to use a test lead to jump between terminal A and C on the solenoid.

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

In Fig 4, you should have power on terminal A at all times, but only on terminal D when the engine is cranking.<br /><br />In Fig 3, you shouldn't have any power on terminal D, it's a ground wire. A should have power, it's the main feed and indicates that you do have power through the circuit breaker.<br />Also, if you jump between terminals A and C, you and it doesn't work, try going to A and B, if it does, it means the slave solenoid is not working.<br />If it still doesn't crank when you jump between A and B, then you have starter solenoid or starter problems.

 

[scottinvabch]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

Ok...i have traced it to the ignition fuse...it is a 15 amp fuse and it blows everytime i turn the ignition on...and the engine never even starts to crank. Any ideas on where to go next?

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

You have something really messed up there.<br />You should be able to crank the engine with the ignition fuse blown. It shouldn't effect the starting circuit at all.<br />What color of wire is going into and out of the fuse that keeps blowing?

 

[scottinvabch]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

It is the red and purple wire that is going into the fuse that keeps blowing.

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

No wonder!!!!<br />That's your main power wire coming from the engine circuit breaker. Why it has a 15A fuse is beyond me. What model "Bayliner Capri" do you have. I am going to download a Bayliner owners manual and see how they have that thing wired.<br />Something is a little strange here, and I'm not sure about that size fuse, or why it lasted as long as it did.

 

[baydreamer]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

Mine did that and It was the wire going to the electric choke. The wire was cut by a sharp edge on top of the manifold, look for large bolt with sharp edge beside carb on manifold or head. My boat would stop dead, replace fuse, 10 minutes of bouncing around, same thing

 

[scottinvabch]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

I have fixed it by bypassing the lanyard switch and now the fuse does not blow when i start the engine and it runs great! Thank you everybody for all of your help!

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine will not start...help!!

Several things cause me problems with this.<br />1. The lanyard switch only goes to the ignition system. You should be able to crank the engine with the starter, it just wouldn't fire.<br />2. There shouldn't be a 15A fuse in the Red/purple striped wire, it couldn't possibly handle the amperage.<br />3. You was getting clicks from solenoids when trying to crank the engine and it wouldn't go. That is not a lanyard switch problem.<br /><br />Mind telling us "The Rest of the Story" ?