Electrical help!

« **on:** December 16, 2010, 11:42:11 PM »

I have been trying to figure out whats making my boat not wanting to start or even have any electrical running with igition key "on" and both battries are fully charged. What I have is an 86 bahner 21ft open bow.. Its got new battery, 13 hours on 454 block, I am not sure what kind of starter it has, but I assume its for chevys of course since it has chevy gen 4 motor? But then I noticed it has an ford seornid (spell?) on its back of engine valve header. Doesnt normally chevy motors have Seornid on the starter?? I dont see why running two of them?? any one knows or have the same method? I will try take pics up on soon of it. I am bit afraid to do any removing, and it actually killed at yuma power tour, a guy helped out by hot wire from battery postive terminal to the coil to keep it running, using screwdriver on starter to start it.

« **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2010, 11:48:49 PM »

The Ford solenoid is there to eliminate the incredible voltage drop between the battery to the ignition switch "start" terminal and back to the starter mounted solenoid.

The larger terminals on the Ford remote solenoid literally just switch battery voltage to the "s" terminal on the starter mounted solenoid, the smaller ones (depending on which solenoid it is) goes to the yellow wire from the start terminal on the dash switch and if it has a second can go either to a good ground, or ti the ignition coil (+) terminal as a start/ballast bypass...It depends on the terminal designation on the solenoid.

Got a picture of the remote dealio?

GT

« **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2010, 12:15:48 AM »

All right.. I will need to try catch some daylight to do photos.. its sitting in backyard

« **Reply #3 on:** December 17, 2010, 01:41:12 AM »

RivRat, If you have no power anywhere when the key is on, its not a solenoid problem. Check the back of the ign switch for power, should have one wire that has power all the time. If not, start looking around under the dash and by the battery for a main fuse, its blown.

« **Reply #4 on:** December 17, 2010, 02:10:55 AM »

Done that at the river spent 3 good hours with test light.. no power coming in from the fuse panel..

« **Reply #5 on:** December 17, 2010, 06:36:56 AM »

Quote from: RivRat34 on December 17, 2010, 02:10:55 AM

Done that at the river spent 3 good hours with test light.. no power coming in from the fuse panel..

Start at the battery and work your way toward the larger red wire at either a terminal strip on the engine or typically a large circuit breaker.

Most times wit a standard set up, there will be a place where the large battery cable will be attached to the wire going to the dash panel. There should be a fuse/circuit breaker in between the battery cable and the smaller dash feed wire like proppy says...

GT

« **Reply #6 on:** December 17, 2010, 10:33:52 AM »

I been wondering if the ignition switch is bad

« **Reply #7 on:** December 17, 2010, 04:27:56 PM »

on my battery there is a switch and it went bad once too... its a cut off switch i guess but that was my prob.. maybe its that...

just a guess

« **Reply #8 on:** December 17, 2010, 10:58:28 PM »

Well, let me explain clearly here...

at power tour '10... Saturday it ran fine, just belt for altenator issues, it would jump off of its pulley. so I had that fixed by drove down to Yuma for new belt.. and spent rest day at the power tour no issues, radio works fine, igintion works fine.. then next morning (sunday) went back out.. works fine, no issues.. starts up sharp and quick.. runs smooth.. parked at the island with rest... 2 hours later took off gave two guest an feeler of my boat up the river, and back to the island.. no issues at all.. then parked for 6 hours.. yeah had radio on since tom was listening to his CD (im deaf).. all of sudden it just shut off itself.. so i turned the battery control switch off... and turned it on hour half later to have water pumped out.. it pumped fine... hour later getting ready to leave.. turned battery switch on to battery one.. does nothing, my key igition only turns the coil on and starter.. so I thought maybe battery one was dead. switched to battery two.. still same thing.. then used both on.. nothing still.. so i took my voltage tester (yes I do have it stay with boat) shows 12.200 volts on both battery, and fat hot wire from battery to the starter too.. then to the ford solenrid, shows 12 volts, then tested the power wire to the fuse panel behind motor block above the driveline cover.. shows no sign of power at all.. every fuse is fine.. checked for ground, loosen them and shake it around, tighten it again.. does nothing still.. My gagues will not show any use, even the RPM which normally goes to 1k when you click to start then back to 0 if its trying to start until engine has fired. it didnt even do that at all. lights didnt even work.. only hot wire goes to dash is from the fuse panel, and everything else is also powered to the dash from fuse panel. theres no batery goes striaght to dash or igition key. I did tested the igition with hot wire from battery, it works fine.

So this guy who helped me hot wire the coil to keep it running said he thinks and postively thinks its the solenrid? I guess I will buy one for 60 bucks and see if it helps??

« **Reply #9 on:** December 17, 2010, 11:44:25 PM »

Quote from: RivRat34 on December 17, 2010, 10:58:28 PM

Well, let me explain clearly here...

at power tour '10... Saturday it ran fine, just belt for altenator issues, it would jump off of its pulley. so I had that fixed by drove down to Yuma for new belt.. and spent rest day at the power tour no issues, radio works fine, igintion works fine.. then next morning (sunday) went back out.. works fine, no issues.. starts up sharp and quick.. runs smooth.. parked at the island with rest... 2 hours later took off gave two guest an feeler of my boat up the river, and back to the island.. no issues at all.. then parked for 6 hours.. yeah had radio on since tom was listening to his CD (im deaf).. all of sudden it just shut off itself.. so i turned the battery control switch off... and turned it on hour half later to have water pumped out.. it pumped fine... hour later getting ready to leave.. turned battery switch on to battery one.. does nothing, my key igition only turns the coil on and starter.. so I thought maybe battery one was dead. switched to battery two.. still same thing.. then used both on.. nothing still.. so i took my voltage tester (yes I do have it stay with boat) shows 12.200 volts on both battery, and fat hot wire from battery to the starter too.. then to the ford solenrid, shows 12 volts, then tested the power wire to the fuse panel behind motor block above the driveline cover.. shows no sign of power at all.. every fuse is fine.. checked for ground, loosen them and shake it around, tighten it again.. does nothing still.. My gagues will not show any use, even the RPM which normally goes to 1k when you click to start then back to 0 if its trying to start until engine has fired. it didnt even do that at all. lights didnt even work.. only hot wire goes to dash is from the fuse panel, and everything else is also powered to the dash from fuse panel. theres no batery goes striaght to dash or igition key. I did tested the igition with hot wire from battery, it works fine.

So this guy who helped me hot wire the coil to keep it running said he thinks and postively thinks its the solenrid? I guess I will buy one for 60 bucks and see if it helps??

Betcha the price of a new solenoid that aint it........Unless this thing is wired completely Redneck...

You literally and simply have to have a wire coming from either the battery or the starter solenoid going to the dash.....

Hold the phone................, do you have an ammeter?, if so you should have two hot wires going to the dash (typically orange and red).

I am betting there is simply a broken wire or maybe a fusible link wire....

GT

« **Reply #10 on:** December 18, 2010, 07:16:12 PM »

Quote from: RivRat34 on December 17, 2010, 10:58:28 PM

Well, let me explain clearly here...

at power tour '10... Saturday it ran fine, just belt for altenator issues, it would jump off of its pulley. so I had that fixed by drove down to Yuma for new belt.. and spent rest day at the power tour no issues, radio works fine, igintion works fine.. then next morning (sunday) went back out.. works fine, no issues.. starts up sharp and quick.. runs smooth.. parked at the island with rest... 2 hours later took off gave two guest an feeler of my boat up the river, and back to the island.. no issues at all.. then parked for 6 hours.. yeah had radio on since tom was listening to his CD (im deaf).. all of sudden it just shut off itself.. so i turned the battery control switch off... and turned it on hour half later to have water pumped out.. it pumped fine... hour later getting ready to leave.. turned battery switch on to battery one.. does nothing, my key igition only turns the coil on and starter.. so I thought maybe battery one was dead. switched to battery two.. still same thing.. then used both on.. nothing still.. so i took my voltage tester (yes I do have it stay with boat) shows 12.200 volts on both battery, and fat hot wire from battery to the starter too.. then to the ford solenrid, shows 12 volts, then tested the power wire to the fuse panel behind motor block above the driveline cover.. shows no sign of power at all.. every fuse is fine.. checked for ground, loosen them and shake it around, tighten it again.. does nothing still.. My gagues will not show any use, even the RPM which normally goes to 1k when you click to start then back to 0 if its trying to start until engine has fired. it didnt even do that at all. lights didnt even work.. only hot wire goes to dash is from the fuse panel, and everything else is also powered to the dash from fuse panel. theres no batery goes striaght to dash or igition key. I did tested the igition with hot wire from battery, it works fine.

So this guy who helped me hot wire the coil to keep it running said he thinks and postively thinks its the solenrid? I guess I will buy one for 60 bucks and see if it helps??

And just where is this wire coming from ? Please dont tell me its the only wire on one of the big terminals on that solenoid, and the other big terminal is coming from the starters "fat red wire"

« **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2010, 12:17:45 AM »

not sure whatyou are asking... i guess i need some expert wiring guy to come n look at for me or i bring to someone nearby

« **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2010, 01:50:39 AM »

You can take the solonoid apart and there is a brass lug. The lug gets burned from starts, you can turn it around, or clean off the lug . Me I would just turn it around and use the other side.

« **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2010, 08:25:45 AM »

Quote from: SS-201 on December 20, 2010, 01:50:39 AM

You can take the solonoid apart and there is a brass lug. The lug gets burned from starts, you can turn it around, or clean off the lug . Me I would just turn it around and use the other side.

I dont understand? I mean.. turn what around?

« **Reply #14 on:** December 21, 2010, 02:01:50 AM »

the large lug, the one that goes thru the switch and makes contact with the other one, there are two take off the lock nut and pull out.

« **Reply #15 on:** December 21, 2010, 10:15:38 PM »

Quote from: SS-201 on December 21, 2010, 02:01:50 AM

the large lug, the one that goes thru the switch and makes contact with the other one, there are two take off the lock nut and pull out.

Oh ok got it.. duh me..

lol.. Well whenever the rain stops, I will have the chance to go work on it.. Its outside!

« **Reply #16 on:** December 22, 2010, 02:25:28 AM »

actually its a brass disc that goes to th lug to make contact you will see when you take it apart.

« **Reply #17 on:** December 22, 2010, 09:31:39 PM »

I had an intermittent issue from a bad fuse clip. I have also had a solenoid issue. Yours does sound like the latter. I'm in San Diego so if it is still drivin you nuts let me know. I have a 76 sleek so I know how to find gremlins.

« **Reply #18 on:** December 22, 2010, 09:34:37 PM »

Actually re reading your last paragraph it may be the solenoid. Are you getting any power to the dash at all now ?
The power wire that goes to the solenoid .... does it branch off to the fuse box ?

« **Reply #19 on:** December 23, 2010, 09:57:50 PM »

Quote from: Danger731 on December 22, 2010, 09:31:39 PM

I had an intermittent issue from a bad fuse clip. I have also had a solenoid issue. Yours does sound like the latter. I'm in San Diego so if it is still drivin you nuts let me know. I have a 76 sleek so I know how to find gremlins.

Im in Ramona, and no it wont be drivin, though it is christmas weekend, so your offering for some help? cool what can I offer you?

« **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2010, 09:59:05 PM »

Quote from: Danger731 on December 22, 2010, 09:34:37 PM

Actually re reading your last paragraph it may be the solenoid. Are you getting any power to the dash at all now ?
The power wire that goes to the solenoid .... does it branch off to the fuse box ?

I have not had the time to check my boat since Oct.. its already dark before I get off work.. and every mornings its been too freezing lol.. waa i know.. Gonna try it tomorrow morning since its my day off for weekend!

« **Reply #21 on:** December 24, 2010, 06:11:56 PM »

Well guys, know what.. it actually was the Solenrid.. I had the day off today from work, spent all day looking through all the wires. Did find some not so good looking connector ends on some areas, so I cut, strip, and replace the ends. Tried that.. still not the issue.. So I finally gave in and bought an select brand solenrid that comes with lifetime warranty.. i say thats good for 25 bucks! and installed.. boom my boat started and everything works.. only issue is my running lights isnt working..

« **Reply #22 on:** December 26, 2010, 10:49:02 PM »

Awsome, btw I would have done it for free. It ain't hard to run down gremlins in a jet boat. I keep a spare noid with me and a remote starter.

« **Reply #23 on:** December 27, 2010, 07:38:56 AM »

Yeah that'd be my next thing to do.. spare parts.. always prepared! Although I didnt think before cause im not fan of fords, and ive heard rumors about thier solernid lately ever since it happened.. So yeah.. also next thing I need to do is figure out how to make the boat going faster since now it has tunnel ram.. the rpms sits almost 1k higher at same speed as it was before..

need to change the imperiller?

« **Reply #24 on:** December 30, 2010, 06:00:45 PM »

Yeah I'm a chevy guy, A vette, two silverado's and a Z/28... jeez, but I gotta hand it to this Ford 460 man. It amazes me it never left me stranded and pushes my 23 footer to 55. That impellar stuff is chicken bones and wizardry to me.... Start another thread on it.

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