Electrical isssues

[dclynch]

So heres my question I have a 2003 Bayliner 212 Capri with a 5.0 . I am having electrical problems that I can't figure out and am wondering do I take it to a boat mechanic or a electrical shop. Here are the issues I am having my temp gauge works intermittently. It will occasionally go up to 160 then falls slowly back down this is under power trolling or idling it doesn't move. When I turn on my running lights after about 30 seconds my alarms go off and my fuel gauge drops to empty all my other gauges except temp gauge read normal good voltage and oil pressure. I have traced out and checked the wiring with my meter and I can't find anything wrong. I am scared to use the boat with no temperature gauge. Frustrated to the max and ready to sell and give up boating although the wife is not happy about that.

 

[alldodge]

So heres my question I have a 2003 Bayliner 212 Capri with a 5.0 . I am having electrical problems that I can't figure out and am wondering do I take it to a boat mechanic or a electrical shop. Here are the issues I am having my temp gauge works intermittently. It will occasionally go up to 160 then falls slowly back down this is under power trolling or idling it doesn't move. When I turn on my running lights after about 30 seconds my alarms go off and my fuel gauge drops to empty all my other gauges except temp gauge read normal good voltage and oil pressure. I have traced out and checked the wiring with my meter and I can't find anything wrong. I am scared to use the boat with no temperature gauge. Frustrated to the max and ready to sell and give up boating although the wife is not happy about that.

I would look for a bad ground. Start at the battery and check the cable end where it attaches to the block. The boat should have a black ground wire going to a buss bar behind the helm, or to the fuse panel. Probably have some corrosion on it, and if there is no ground, might want to add one. If you don't find a main ground wire Bayliner may be using the ground coming from the main harness which is a smaller black wire and not designed to handle everything.

 

[gm280]

dclynch, I can honestly understand your dilemma and know how such things can get frustrating. However, don't give up yet. First you need to do is start at the battery, and remove the connections and clean both positive and negative terminals until they are bright and shiny. Then go to the engine and do the exact same thing. And don't forego the ground. That ground connection is the most over looked problem in so many erratic electrical connections. And then follow on with every connection you can see. I realize they may look good, but corrosion happens between the connections and therefore you can't simply look at a connection and think it is good. And even measuring across the connection with a meter isn't proof enough either. Because problems don't show up until more current is passed through it. So do those things and report back here with your results... JMHO!

 

[stonyloam]

Yeah, I agree with the others, if there is a delay then loss of power, sounds like a high resistance connection might be heating up and losing contact.

 

[NHGuy]

It would also be a help to unplug the main cannon plug and shine up the metal there too.

 

[Bondo]

So heres my question I have a 2003 Bayliner 212 Capri with a 5.0 . I am having electrical problems that I can't figure out and am wondering do I take it to a boat mechanic or a electrical shop. Here are the issues I am having my temp gauge works intermittently. It will occasionally go up to 160 then falls slowly back down this is under power trolling or idling it doesn't move. When I turn on my running lights after about 30 seconds my alarms go off and my fuel gauge drops to empty all my other gauges except temp gauge read normal good voltage and oil pressure. I have traced out and checked the wiring with my meter and I can't find anything wrong. I am scared to use the boat with no temperature gauge. Frustrated to the max and ready to sell and give up boating although the wife is not happy about that.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,..... Clean the Grounds,.....

Startin' at the (-) terminal of the battery, to each appliance on the boat,....

Ya pull 'em apart, scrub 'em clean, Shiny metal Clean, 'n put 'em back together, tighten, 'n grease 'em to keep 'em corrosion free,....

 

[alldodge]

Just to reinforce the cleaning, this happened today. New engine, cleaned all cable except battery switch. Engine would crank slow, but this is a high compression engine and a fresh rebuild. Engine would crank over fast every time I would put house and start battery together. Started thinking I was going to need to add another battery in parallel to fix.

Today pulled the battery switch off, and looked at terminals, all looked clean. Removed the cables and saw bare copper and only slight darkness on surfaces not in contact with the washers and nuts. Took my pocket knife and scraped on the luges, did see a bit more shin to lugs but not much. Put it back together and she turns over fast.

 

[dclynch]

Thanks for all the replies. I will clean all the connections and I also have a battery switch with 2 batteries I will clean that also. It may be a while before I report back leaving in the morning for the hunting lease to get it ready for deer season.

 

[dclynch]

Okay finally got everything cleaned and pulled her out of the garage and went to fire it up. Little background over labor day son took boat out and said it started hard and when coming back in coughed and would not run over 3000 RPM's thought water in fuel so pulled filter and drained everything looked fine so put on new filter. So tonight tried starting and it would crank but not fire. Put timing light on and verified spark. Pulled number 1 plug and it was dry as a bone. I then pulled the breather had son work throttle and no fuel. I then pulled the line going to the carburetor and the line from the tank. We then took a bottle of gas and put the line from the tank in the bottle and jumpered the fuel pump and it would not pull the gas out of the bottle. So pretty sure the fuel pump is bad. As a note can hear the fuel pump cycle when trying to start and when jumpered ran continously. What do you think has to be the fuel pump right?

 

[alldodge]

We then took a bottle of gas and put the line from the tank in the bottle and jumpered the fuel pump and it would not pull the gas out of the bottle

Sure sounds like the fuel pump to me

 

[dclynch]

It was the fuel pump replaced and back to running. I also cleaned all the grounds. Still no luck. I do have another question. I pulled a plug on the intake and installed another temperature gauge. What I found is when I had the boat backed into the pond the new gauge went to 220 then dropped to 180 I am assuming when the thermostat opened. I replaced the themostat earlier with a 160 degree. What I am wondering is if the new gauge is not accurate as I believe the over temp alarm will go off before it gets to 200 degrees. What does everyone think. It will be top of my list next season as it is getting winterized today.

 

[alldodge]

pulled a plug on the intake and installed another temperature gauge

Did you install it where item 10 would have been in link below? Was it a mechanical or electric gauge?

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show....png&inbr=12834&bnbr=90&bdesc=Intake+Manifold

 

[dclynch]

Yes I installed it where item 10 is in the link and it is a mechanical gauge

 

[poconojoe]

The t-stat may have a gasket that has has brass connections on it that need to contact the engine block. Sometimes people use sealant on the gasket that may prevent it from making contact. I believe this can prevent the temp gauge from working properly.

 

[alldodge]

The initial temp increase to 200 could be a single item or combination of an air bubble and how close the probe is to the intake casting when installed. The alarm in most cases is around 212 so then again it could be a bad temp switch or it didn't really get that hot. I would guess it didn't get that hot

 

[dclynch]

Thanks Guys. Where can I find a diagram of my thermostat housing? When I replaced the thermostat there were no gaskets in place.

 

[dclynch]

After looking at the diagram All Dodge posted I looked at the Thermostat housing I don't have part 9 Thermostat sleeve. My thermostat just sits in the top of the intake. Could this be my problem?

 

[alldodge]

Could you provide the engine serial number?