I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

[johcar2]

A bit ago we took the boat out, Bayliner 19', with OMC 230 hp V8. The outdrive went down fine once we launched. It ran fine going out, on the way back the motor started surging and I guessed it had water in the fuel. So we limped back to the ramp and put the boat back on the trailer. I attempted to raise the outdrive, only the clicking of relays. Did some checking of connections and fuses, all fine. Tried again, still only the clicking of relays. OK, disconnect the cylinders, raise it by hand and tie it up with a rope. That got us home. Once there I did more checking with a voltmeter, connections were all good, fuses were good, relays were good, but I could not short the relays to get it to go up or down. That is weird. OK, it is getting dark, later. I then went up and tried the radio as it had not been working either. Nothing, obviously inside the case as we have power. Now it is dark, time to go in. Later that night I go out to check some other things in the shop and I hear music. Come to find out, the radio is now on and playing quite well. But I cannot turn it off. Quick way to cure that, disconnect the positive lead on the battery and we'll deal with it the next day.

Next day, I took care of the water in the gas, changed the fuel filter and thought, OK, let's start it and make sure all is OK. Hooked the battery, expecting to hear the radio play, but no it is quiet and will not come on again???? Back to starting, it started and ran OK. Now let's get back to the outdrive lift, try it and it works as intended, goes up and down easily.

So, do I have a ghost in my boat or is there some reasonable explanation for any of this.

 

[Don S]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

What year and drive do you have?

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

88 model Bayliner with an OMC Cobra outdrive.

 

[ac0j]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

I think you have corroded or bad connections in the electrical system. Start checking and cleaning connections! Start at the battery and work your way through them all.

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

I'm ahead of you on that one. It has a new battery, new battery cables, new starter, and I used the anti-corrosive grease on all connections. Also checked and cleaned all the connections of wiring to the relays and fuses, applied the anti-corrosive grease to those connections also. Is there a limit switch or relay somewhere in the circuitry? Whatever it was that caused it not to work was quickly reset once the battery was disconnected. Now I tried the battery connections when we were trying to get it up at the lake, twisted the terminals on the battery, but never disconnected them. As for the radio, that has to be somewhere inside its case as I have power just outside it. I guess its time for a new radio also. It is the power lift that is my main concern, why did it just go dead?

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Possibly you have something drawing down your charging system. Nothing worked after running it because the battery(s) were dead. Enough time passed that the batteries were able to regenerate and have some charge again. Just a theory. Do you know for sure that your alternator is charging correctly?

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Battery is NEW (980 CCA), was fully charged when we went out and we not out more than an hour. Alternator is charging, so that is also a dead end. Thanks for trying, much appreciated.

 

[Don S]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Disconnect the trim pump motor, make some jumper cables and hook it directly to the battery and see if the motor itself works.

 

[HCMQA]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

First off never unhook the positive battery cable first. This is the best way to short things out. Always negative first.

Second I think you missed airdvr's point. You have a new battery. You went out for a while and possibly your alternator is not charging because you have not stated that you have put a meter to it. And you were running on just the battery so it seemed that the charging system was working. The battery was drained just enough so that when you got back to the ramp there was not enough power left in the new battery to raise the od.

Once the new battery sat a while it sort of regained enough juice to run the radio and the trim motor.

Check the alternator. Just because the battery is new doesn't mean there isn't a problem with it.

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Don: I think you missed the part where I stated it works, but only after the battery was disconnected. After the battery was hooked back up it works just as it should. Thanks for the try, much appreciated.

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

HCMQA: Oh, I forgot to mention that I could start the engine, but not run the trim/lift when this happened. And I did check it with a meter, 12.7 volts with the engine off. I have not checked it with a meter with the engine running because it would easily start. Now with the old battery, even when it would not start the engine it would still run the trim pump. We did hit something in the water on the way back, is there any limit switch or safety relay that would have kicked the trim pump off until it was reset. As for the radio, it is still not making a sound one. Come to think about it, the ghost thought is starting to sound a bit reasonable. bgof

Thanks, much appreciated. You know you run into something every now and then that just does not make any sense and an ol fart like me just has to find a reasonable answer. I am going to check the voltage with the engine running, just to make sure that is not the problem. If anyone has any other suggestion, my ears are open.

 

[Snowfish]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

First off never unhook the positive battery cable first. This is the best way to short things out. Always negative first.

:facepalm::facepalm:

 

[slag]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

:facepalm::facepalm:

ditto

Oh, I get what he's saying. Its true. If you disconnect the positive cable first, any ground you touch, whether its a metal piece of the engine, a metal boat hull or frame member, whatever, will spark. If you disconnect the negative first, the only way you will have problems is if you touch the positive terminal while removing the negative cable with something metal.

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Well, it is not the alternator, voltage increases right after you start the engine. At the battery, 12.7 to over 14 before I quit taking the voltage. At the alternator, voltage increased to over 16 volts once it was started. As for the radio, it came on, but no sound. Tried to shut it off and it worked easily. Turned it on again, same, no sound but it does change stations and show that the volume has been increased or decreased, but again, nothing you can hear. This time, took three attempts to shut it off. Since it is late, guess I need to check and see if it came on again.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

You have bad connections in there somewhere.... Someone might of also been butchering the wiring.. Check places it could be pinched.. If you have wiring that is suspected to be bad... Change it..

The clicking and the trim motor not spinning.. Bet ya anything the trim motor needs to be replaced or rebuilt... I had one do the same thing.. Stupid thing would work this time and next time wouldn't.. Would take the motor off and it would work.. Put it back on it wouldn't or would just a few times... Sound familiar?.. I changed out the motor.. Been perfect ever since..

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Joshua: As for the suspected butchered wiring, already taken care of. That was the positive cable to the starter, much smaller wire than needed and starter went out. Replaced both with what was called for, that problem taken care of and now that starter spins the engine very well. As for the trim motor on its way going out, that is a possibility. The only thing is this boat has less than 200 hours on it. While that is possible, just not probable, but at least now I know a bit more on what to do when it does happen. Put it this way, if it happens the same one more time, I'll be looking for a trim motor. As for the radio, it has internal problems and just needs to be replaced, that too can happen. But first, get all running well and reliable. Thanks and have a great Holiday!

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

It's a 88... Hours on that boat mean nothing... Have you owned it since 88?

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Joshua:

I've only owned it about a month. As to your comment on the hours on it, are you saying that it is one that holds up quite well over time and use?

Thanks

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

No.. I was meaning that 200 hours mean nothing as far as service on a unit that old... 200 hours lets say on a 4 year old boat would be better.. Understand.. Use your hour meter for you own service records if you want.. My boat doesn't even have one... I just change the oils and service yearly..

The trim motor wont last long exposed to the weather... Are you sure the boat was stored inside?

 

[johcar2]

Re: I hope someone has an answer for this weird one.

Joshua:

Well the trim motor is in the same compartment as the engine, (on the side of the rear hull) thus covered, out of sight. As for the boat being stored inside, I know it spent the last year in the water. Don't know its history before that, but it looks as though it has been outside more than in.