Exhaustive search...

[jello1973]

With no results... Help! I have a1994 Caravelle w/ 3.0 Mercruiser. Yesterday after spending all afternoon on the lake with no problems the boat just DIED! And will not restart... When I can get it to turn over, it cranks fine but no firing.
Directly above the keyswitch there is a button the keeps popping out, almost like a tiny breaker, when I either try and turn the boat over or I just turn the key to "on". When this button "pops" it kills EVERYTHING until I wait a few moments and then I can reset it then the cycle continues... I checked both ends of all the grounds and made sure they have a clean solid contact.
Any ideas?
BTW.. The keyswitch was replaced a few mos. ago if that helps

 

[Don S]

Re: Exhaustive search...

Sounds like a circuit breaker. Either you have a short that is causeing the breaker to pop, or the circuit breaker itself is bad.
This may sound like a silly question, but it has helped me find a lot of problems very quickly.
Have you done any work on the boat since the last time you used it. Like adding something to the dash or wiring, or screwing something to the side of the boat, cutting holes, anything?

 

[jello1973]

Re: Exhaustive search...

I have done some work, yes. But only cosmetics. I haven't drilled any holes or driven any screws in. Although, I DID remove the old radio but didn't replace it yet. Other than that... Nothing else

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Exhaustive search...

What did you do with the power leads, speaker wires,and antennae from the old radio? Are any of them near something they might be hitting?

 

[jello1973]

Re: Exhaustive search...

I capped off the wires from the radio... I know it's something simple, but I can't seem to find it.

 

[jello1973]

Re: Exhaustive search...

Update!
Today I bypassed that "Breaker" above the key switch and the motor only turns over but will not start. Initially it fired but only once and only for a second. If I leave the key in the "on" position... the wires leaving the key switch going back to the battery/starter get EXTREMELY hot very quickly...
Any opinions?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Exhaustive search...

Any opinions?

Ayuh,...

You got a Dead Short in that circuit,...
And,...
You're pretty darn Lucky you didn't Burn up the Whole Boat....