Hi guys,
Please let me know if any of you have run into this before. I had this issue before, but it went away for a long time. now is it is back, intermittently.
Pat IV 06 with 200 OPTI 06 Merc with Smart Craft
Backed boat into water with motor up. Lower motor. When key is turned on, very intermittently smart guages do not chirp or come on. When this happens motor will crank but with no ignition/start.. I thought I found the issue because of the wires behind the key switch were twisted tight big time. I straightened them out, checked for wire damage, none, and retightened switch assy in dash. Could never dupe the issue again untill about 4 lake visits later. What I found was that I could get the gauges to come when key was turned on after I trimmed the motor up high. After getting the smart guages to come on, motor would start and work all day on the lake, every time, no need to mess with the tilt again.
Last Sunday went to the lake again. Back boat into the water, lowered the motor, turned the key and no smart guages came on. Moved tilt up, down, up, down , up...no smart guages coming on. Pulled boat out of the water and to a parking spot. Looked (again) for tight battery connections. Looked at all cables/wires that move slightly when tilt is moved up and down back in the battery compartment. Hoping to find a chaf or something loose. Nothing. After about 4 more movements of the tilt and turning key off and on, guages lit up. I knew she would start then. Put her in the water and went fishing. Worked normal for a bout 6 or 7 starts that day. Again, no need to mess with the tilt.
1- I have never been able to get the smart guages to fail in the garage.
2 - Never been able to get the guages to fail arriving at the ramp to prep boat to back into water.
3 - Has only failed after boat touches the water during back in. (intermittently) ( this has me thrown)
I am thinking I have a loose/open connection.......... somewhere in the battery compartment area, feedthru from boat to motor, or the motor area connectors?? I have been all over it, just cannot put my finger on it. I would say it is not the ignition key switch. If it fails, I can turn the key off and on 100 times, no help. Will work after I move the trim full up and then turn key on, 95% of the time. I can then leave key on, lower trim and start.
Any ideas? Once it works, its good for the whole day. Thanks for any troubleshooting areas to look at.
It is over 225 miles to a Basscat dealer North of Houston from my place.
Please let me know if any of you have run into this before. I had this issue before, but it went away for a long time. now is it is back, intermittently.
Pat IV 06 with 200 OPTI 06 Merc with Smart Craft
Backed boat into water with motor up. Lower motor. When key is turned on, very intermittently smart guages do not chirp or come on. When this happens motor will crank but with no ignition/start.. I thought I found the issue because of the wires behind the key switch were twisted tight big time. I straightened them out, checked for wire damage, none, and retightened switch assy in dash. Could never dupe the issue again untill about 4 lake visits later. What I found was that I could get the gauges to come when key was turned on after I trimmed the motor up high. After getting the smart guages to come on, motor would start and work all day on the lake, every time, no need to mess with the tilt again.
Last Sunday went to the lake again. Back boat into the water, lowered the motor, turned the key and no smart guages came on. Moved tilt up, down, up, down , up...no smart guages coming on. Pulled boat out of the water and to a parking spot. Looked (again) for tight battery connections. Looked at all cables/wires that move slightly when tilt is moved up and down back in the battery compartment. Hoping to find a chaf or something loose. Nothing. After about 4 more movements of the tilt and turning key off and on, guages lit up. I knew she would start then. Put her in the water and went fishing. Worked normal for a bout 6 or 7 starts that day. Again, no need to mess with the tilt.
1- I have never been able to get the smart guages to fail in the garage.
2 - Never been able to get the guages to fail arriving at the ramp to prep boat to back into water.
3 - Has only failed after boat touches the water during back in. (intermittently) ( this has me thrown)
I am thinking I have a loose/open connection.......... somewhere in the battery compartment area, feedthru from boat to motor, or the motor area connectors?? I have been all over it, just cannot put my finger on it. I would say it is not the ignition key switch. If it fails, I can turn the key off and on 100 times, no help. Will work after I move the trim full up and then turn key on, 95% of the time. I can then leave key on, lower trim and start.
Any ideas? Once it works, its good for the whole day. Thanks for any troubleshooting areas to look at.
It is over 225 miles to a Basscat dealer North of Houston from my place.
