Weird electrical problem

[etap708]

Hey guys this is my first post here on this forum and i hope I could get som expertise from you!

I bought a 2005 Four winns 180 horizon 4.3 GL last year and I love it .. Today I took it out from winter storage and wanted to check on some stuff and then fire it up. Everything went really smooth, the engine started easily and run nicely. After a while I would check the engine temperature, I see that all the gauges behave very strange. One moment it shows the right value but after a few seconds they stand completely wrong and a moment later they change again and so continues. So none of the gauges works as they should. A little later, I decide to try the stereo and discover that it does not start at all. I kill the engine and test the horn. It is completely dead while the tank gauge jerk at the same moment I press the horn button and the leds inside the other buttons lights up brighter. The only thing that works well is the outdrive tilt, engine starter and engine room fan. What is going on ? I checked all the wiring and connectors under the steering wheel and fuses with no luck. Is there any other fuses or relays in the engine compartment? Could it be a ground issue?

I remember that Before the Winter storage I short circuit the battery for a sec or two when I removed my second one, could that caused this weird problem.
I hope somebody have some advice out there Appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks and excuse my little bad English.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Weird electrical problem

There is a fuse in the rear that supplies power to all the fuses up front.
What Voltage do you have on the fuse panel under the dash.
The problem sounds like a ground issue. Looking at the wires means nothing, you need to measure them.

 

[etap708]

Re: Weird electrical problem

There is a fuse the rear that supplies power to all the fuses up front.
What Voltage do you have on the fuse panel under the dash.
The problem sounds like a ground issue. Looking at the wires means nothing, you need to measure them.

Thanks! I'm gonna measure more tomorrow. I havent find the ground wires to the Engine yet. Are there someone who knows where they are attached. I have heard something about around the starter, and if so whats the easiest way to access there.

 

[T_Herrod]

Re: Weird electrical problem

There will be wires that connect to the starter solenoid. Loosen them with a wrench and try to re-tighten them. There may be corrosion built up between the cables causing a bad ground.

 

[etap708]

Re: Weird electrical problem

I have measured battery and behind dash. The battery show 12.6v, and when I measures the black and red cables connector under the dash I get from 6 to around 8v not steady. I've found the ground wires to the starter and the bolt that holds them look really rusty. Maby that's the problem. The hard thing is to lose the bolt when it is on the back side of the motor it's so little space to reach with a wrench.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Weird electrical problem

I have measured battery and behind dash. The battery show 12.6v, and when I measures the black and red cables connector under the dash I get from 6 to around 8v not steady. I've found the ground wires to the starter and the bolt that holds them look really rusty. Maby that's the problem. The hard thing is to lose the bolt when it is on the back side of the motor it's so little space to reach with a wrench.

Ayuh,... If cleanin' that stud mount to shiny clean metal don't fix it, do the (-) battery terminal,...

 

[gm280]

Re: Weird electrical problem

And once you do get ALL the wire terminals clean and shiny, apply some type coating to keep them that way (only after making and tightening the connections again). They do make a battery terminal spray to coat the terminals to keep from corroding. But most any type oily substance, grease, Vaseline or even clear spray paint will work...applied lightly of course! The object is to keep air from getting to the terminals and causing the corrosion in the first play. Even some liquid wire will work...

 

[etap708]

Re: Weird electrical problem

I've found the problem and I'm so relived. The problem was the ground point over the starter. I loosened the bolt and put some wd40 and copper paste on it. Now everything works as a charm again. Thanks for all good advice..

 

[Bondo]

Re: Weird electrical problem

I've found the problem and I'm so relived. The problem was the ground point over the starter. I loosened the bolt and put some wd40 and copper paste on it. Now everything works as a charm again. Thanks for all good advice..

Ayuh,.... That'll be back to haunt ya,....