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  #1  
Unread 05-23-2014, 06:55 AM
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jamesbalog jamesbalog is offline
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Default outboard troubles... electrical

Have a 1990 johnson 175 which had electrical failure last night.... motor ran great all day, as I was cranking the motor to run in for the day it just stopped.


I have power to the motor but I didn't have time to do much trouble shooting

I can hear the solenoid clicking but the starter wont kick up. My tilt/trim also will not work. It tries but doesn't have enough juice to make the motor move.

All I have checked so far is the voltage on the battery and the voltage through the cables to the motor, all is good there. I ran out of light and couldn't get into it any further. only thing I have ruled out so far is battery and cable issues.



My question is does anyone have a guess as to what may be wrong or where I should look first tonight?

Thanks
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  #2  
Unread 05-23-2014, 07:02 AM
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just a guess, but both systems you mentioned (trim & starter) have high amp draw. i would think a bad cable connection or a bad cable.
check voltage at the motor while trying to start or trim

one of the real motor heads will be along soon
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  #3  
Unread 05-23-2014, 08:13 AM
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Look for a bad ground connection at the motor.... ALSO it is very important to check voltage under a load..... You could have a high resistance connection that passes 12v easily but as soon as you hit the starter switch or trim the voltage might drop to 1 or 2 volts
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  #4  
Unread 05-23-2014, 08:39 AM
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The ground looked good, i will try to test it under load tonight. i couldnt do that by myself last night.
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Unread 05-23-2014, 12:33 PM
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Easy test is run a set of jumper cables from a known good battery to your starter and then to your tilt/trim unit. See if they work. If they work, then you have a bad cable (either pos or neg), bad connection or bad battery.
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  #6  
Unread 05-23-2014, 03:26 PM
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i ran jumpers from the same battery that was on the boat to the motor last night and got the same results... maybe the battery is bad.... ill have it load tested tonight
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  #7  
Unread 05-23-2014, 06:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesbalog View Post
i ran jumpers from the same battery that was on the boat to the motor last night and got the same results... maybe the battery is bad.... ill have it load tested tonight
Just put your car near the boat and run the jumpers from it to the outboard. Why spend money if you don't have to?


Oh, and make sure you ground to the motor being tested, not to your outboard engine itself. (If your motor ground is corroded and you ground to your engine then you'll get bad results). The idea is to eliminate potential problem areas, and if you have a bad ground and you use it during the test then you'll never find the problem.
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1987 V20 w/1987 150HP Yamaha on a Shoreland'r Trailer
1978 16.5 Airslot w/1996 120HP Force on a Four Winns trailer
1996 V21 w/1993 200HP Mercury on a Shoreline Trailer
All towed by a 5.7L Hemi Durango.


If God didn't have a purpose for us we wouldn't be here, so
Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply, Speak kindly.
(Leave the rest to God)

Silence, in the face of evil, is itself evil. Not to speak is to speak, not to act is to act. God will not hold us guiltless.

Last edited by Destroyer; 05-23-2014 at 07:01 PM.
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  #8  
Unread 05-24-2014, 06:50 AM
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jamesbalog jamesbalog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Destroyer View Post
Just put your car near the boat and run the jumpers from it to the outboard. Why spend money if you don't have to?


Oh, and make sure you ground to the motor being tested, not to your outboard engine itself. (If your motor ground is corroded and you ground to your engine then you'll get bad results). The idea is to eliminate potential problem areas, and if you have a bad ground and you use it during the test then you'll never find the problem.

boat was in a slip making things a bit more difficult.... but the results are in, it was a bad battery

old battery showed 12.5 but under a load it wouldnt put out much of anything.... new battery and problem solved


thanks everyone
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  #9  
Unread 05-24-2014, 01:50 PM
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Cheap and easy fix.
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  #10  
Unread 05-25-2014, 01:22 AM
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I am late on this--but if a battery has full voltage does not mean it has any amps to speak of in it.

good easy find.

remember--a alternator is NOT a battery charger!
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