Wiring question #pics#

[QuackDuckDuddle]

Hey guys! Im new to the forum, and have learned sooo much by searching and browsing, what a wealth of info here. Im having a bit of a problem with wiring and hoped someone here could walk me thru this. I am in the process of a full overhaul on my boat, new engine, drive, manifolds. A friend of mine ripped out the old engine and bolted on me so Im trying to figure out how to get this thing back together. I purchased a new starter when I got the new engine and cant figure out how to wire it up. I have a few loose wires that I dont know where they go. I have a few pics below that show what I have. I know that that the large red wire from the battery goes to the large post on the starter, but thats all I know. I have 3 selenoids mounted near the linkage up top, I guess 2 are for the tilt and trim, is the other one starter related? Or is the obsolete, since I have a selinoid on the starter? Im really confused, any help would be greatly appreciated. There are 5 wires here, that dont have a home. I do have a manual, but the wiring diagram is really confusing, and none of the colored wires they describe match what I have left. Thanks!!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Ayuh,....

What is it,..??..?? What Year,..??..??

 

[QuackDuckDuddle]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Ayuh,....

What is it,..??..?? What Year,..??..??

Woops,, sorry. Its an 88 4.3L with an omc cobra drive

 

[Robj]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

The black wires definitely look like ground wires to me. For the starter wire, just engage the start position and check for voltage on the other end of the non-black wires.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[Don S]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Until you trace them down and KNOW what they go to and rather they are Positive and Negative. Do NOT hook them up to anything.
Get your engines wiring diagram out and start tracing.

 

[QuackDuckDuddle]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

The black wires definitely look like ground wires to me. For the starter wire, just engage the start position and check for voltage on the other end of the non-black wires.

Have a great day,

Rob.

Yeah.. I tried that. No power coming from any of the other wires. Here's my question I guess. Power goes from that battery to the starter right. But how does power get to the rest of the componants? Does it go from the starter someplace to one of those selinoids mounted up above? When I turn the key on, I have no power anywhere, which make sence cuz the power is only at the starter.

 

[Don S]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Don't assume those are black wires, they may be just black covering over a red or some other color wire. That is why I say start tracing the wires and find out where they go. Assume they have no color at this point, till you can prove different

 

[Robj]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Don is the resident expert but to me those look like ground wires. For my engine the power for all the other circuits in the boat come from another heavier red wire that attaches to the back of the starter, same place where the wire from the battery goes. Be careful not to let the smoke out of the wires, because after the smoke is gone they won't work.

Have a great day,

Rob.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

I agree with Rob

The blacks are most likey ground wires. I have several ground wires on my boats and additionaly several RED positive wires as well. You should have other positive wires there as well......

You should do as Don says though and make sure the BLACKS are truly black and if you can check continuity from one end to the other to be sure what they really are you will be much better off... You have a mess of wires there and I would be working on cleaning them up and orginising them before the motor deal goes into play.

 

[QuackDuckDuddle]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Don is the resident expert but to me those look like ground wires. For my engine the power for all the other circuits in the boat come from another heavier red wire that attaches to the back of the starter, same place where the wire from the battery goes. Be careful not to let the smoke out of the wires, because after the smoke is gone they won't work.

Have a great day,

Rob.

smoke in the wires? HuH?

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Thats just a joke.....People in electronics say .....Theres magic smoke in wires and in circuts.....When you let the smoke out ( blowing something up ) the wire / part or circut is no longer good because you let the smoke out.

Thus if you let the magic smoke out of your wires youll need to not only replace the wires but possibly whatever is connected to the wires as thats where the smoke may be let out from........

Just a joke about blowing up or burning up something

Have fun

 

[liquidlew]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Seems to me you'd want to find out just where those wires go and whats on the other end, that could possibly tell you something. Hey, that's a neat color on that valve cover!

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

i don't think don is posting just too see his name on the site.when he says don't hook them up till u know where they go after tracing them he means it.could mess things up big time.if the wires were not marked when u took the motor out than u need a diagram.this ain't a joke ive seen what could happen when wires get cluster f----d up in a engine bay.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

That's right chiefalen. I've certainly seen lots of positive battery cables that were black...(in cars, boats, and others). Better safe than sorry...

 

[SeaRay Dan]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

The extra selenoid my be for an emergency start, my boat has is but it has never worked.

 

[Don S]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Here is a couple of wiring diagrams that should help you get it wired right.

Engine Wiring

Inst. Panel Wiring

 

[superpop]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

I would go to Radio Shack and buy a meter, then start tracing stuff down. I would bet that the Black wires are grounds but you never know what some hack did with the wiring. With a meter it is very simple to hook the black lead up to the ground on the battery and start touching stuff with the red lead and vice versa. That will tell you what is hot, at least the unswitched leads. I know on my Wellcraft they were nice enough to post the standard wire colors that they use for everything on just about all of their boats. I would check with your manufacturer as well, maybe they can at least tell you if they followed any standards when they were wiring it up.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

I have 3 selenoids mounted near the linkage up top, I guess 2 are for the tilt and trim, is the other one starter related? Or is the obsolete, since I have a selinoid on the starter?

The "extra" solenoid is an assist solenoid. It's there to ensure you have enough power to the starter -- the reasoning being that you will lose some voltage in the long run from the switch on a typical boat. Keeping in mind a solenoid is nothing but a switch, here's the way it works: (Think of the flow of electricity like water flowing - it starts at the + terminal of the battery and needs to flow back to the negative terminal).

From the battery it goes to the large terminal on the starter. That supplies power to two areas through the two additional wires connected there - one wire supplies power to your trim system, and the other wire goes to the assist solenoid. From there the power goes to your ignition switch. From the switch, in order to start the engine, it goes back to the assist solenoid and energizes that "electrical switch", which in turn supplies power to the starter.

Sounds complicated I know - - but it really isn't once you understand how it all works together. If you know how it is supposed to work, it will help you find out why it doesn't.

I do have a manual, but the wiring diagram is really confusing, and none of the colored wires they describe match what I have left.

Again, don't go by the color of the wires. Someone could easily have changed / spliced wires. Plus over time, the color of wires changes - fades, gets dirty, etc. Simply trace the wires back and see where they go.

 

[QuackDuckDuddle]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Thanks for all the help and info. I am going to get in there and trace the wires that need a home. May as well do it right the first time, rather than fry expensive parts. Thanks again for all your imput everybody.

 

[QuackDuckDuddle]

Re: Wiring question #pics#

Hope you read this Don, I just wanted to say thanks. Im really glad you pushed me into studying and using the wiring diagram. Those wires that looked like black groud wires, actually did turn out to be power wires for the tilt and trim. Ive learned a valuable lesson here. Thanks again.