1988 Bayliner Capri OMC I/O problem!!!

Dgavin9

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1988 Bayliner Capri. Has a OMC I/o motor. I have the key switch and emergency shutoff switch off the dash so I can access the wires. The key does not start the boat. I can hook the power from my radio to either the pink wire on the key switch or to either pink wires on the shutoff switch and the dash lights cut on and I can turn the key and it will start the boat. The key however will then not turn the boat off. The connection between the wires must be broken to shut the boat off. My dash lights do not come on when the key is turned on but my blower and trim do work. Is my ignition switch bad? Is my ignition coil bad? Can someone please tell me what's wrong
 

wrench 3

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It sounds like you're not getting power to the ignition switch. Try connecting the power to the ignition switch terminal with the red wire with a purple tracer. That's if you have a red and purple (your pink is supposed to be purple). The terminal on the switch should be marked "B".
If everything works normal, check the two 50amp inline fuses close to the starter solenoid. One runs the tilt/trim and the other one runs most everything else.
 
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jerryjerry05

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Under the dash should be a fuse panel.
​Check the fuses.
​All wires hooked at the battery?
Sometime there is a power lead with a fuse????
The ignition switch is just a 3 pole switch.
Test light, as you turn the key.
#1 constant power, #2 power when the switch is turned on and #3 is energized when the ley is turned to start.
 

wrench 3

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The fuse panel under the dash is what's running the radio etc. On that old of a boat it's probably hooked directly to the battery. The ignition switch should be running off of the engine harness via the starter solenoid.
 

Dgavin9

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So instead of giving power to the radio, I connect a wire from my fuse panel to the B terminal on back of ignition switch. This allows me to turn the key on and my dash lights come on. And start the boat with the key. Also lets me turn the boat off by turning the key off. However, if I remove the wire from the fuse panel to the B terminal, the boat will shut off. What is going on?
Also today, I put muffs on my motor and a water hose. Started the boat up as it has not ran in AWHILE. There was slight smoke coming from the propeller as well as a little from the motor. The motor oil is very dark so I prob need to change it soon. (I cannot figure the drainage system for the oil). I turned the boat off after letting it run, everything sounded good, didn't smell good. When the boat turned off I realize liquid l draining from my I/o motor to the bilge area. I felt it and it was real warm. Didn't have a real smell to it. Only thing I can think of is its coolant and there is no plug?? Help please
 

wrench 3

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The normal feed to the ignition switch isn't getting through. Like I said previously, check the fuses on the engine by the starter solenoid. If the fuses are OK then you have a wiring problem.
The original engine oil drain is a fitting on the dipstick tube to pump it out. There are add on kits with a hose that you can run out through the drain plug in the hull.
To find out where the liquid in the bilge is coming from, you will probably have to run it on the muffs again and check for leaks.
 

bruceb58

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JerryJerry is correct.

On Cobras, the feed to the ignition switch will be a fuse in the fuse panel at the dash.

I had a 1987 Cobra and that was where mine was as well. In fact most boats are that way.

The only fuse at the starter solenoid is a huge fusible link that protects the large feed wire to the fuse panel at the helm.
 
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jerryjerry05

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Thanks Bruce,
The contact on the fuse panel are by now REALLLLY corroded(mine are) pull the wires and clean the contacts.
​The "smoke" could be steam?
Smoke from the motor??? Blow by?? Do a compression test and maybe a better description of where the smoke is from??
The warm water could be from a drain or a casting plug pushed out from freezing?
Changing oil : there is a garden hose fitting somewhere on the top of the motor that hooks to a suction pump to drain the oil.
 

wrench 3

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I was working off of the wiring diagrams on boatinfo.com, it doesn't show a fuse up front on the earlier Cobras. So this morning I went out to the work shop and dug out the manual. The wiring diagram in the service manual does show a 20 amp fuse in the harness close to the ignition switch.
The boat manufacturer could have changed thinks up there though.
 

Dgavin9

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The red is where the water drains from. That's the left side of the motor if your in the boat facing the motor, it's next to the starter. Could the line in purple supposed to be connected to it and supposed to take the water or coolant to somewhere else??
 

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Idlespeedonly

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The fitting circled in red is the block drain.
There is supposed to be a plug in there.
You should have the same fitting on the other side with a plug in it also..
That hose you show is just a drain for the bell housing.
 

Idlespeedonly

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BTW, get used to saying starboard(the side we are discussing) and port(the left facing the front of the boat(bow)).
It minimizes a lot of confusion.
 

Dgavin9

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Can you provide me a link to find a new plug for here? Or know a website I can look for one at? Thank you!!
 

Idlespeedonly

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Here ya go.

Click on the 1/4
They thread into a 1/4NPT hole.
 
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Dgavin9

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No Title

Found this on the opposite side. Same thing?
 

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wrench 3

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The hex fitting that the water is coming out of is most likely the inner half of a drain tap such as a Sierra marine 18-4218. You could unscrew it from the block and either install a 1/4" pipe plug or a new tap. I prefer the taps. They stand up better to yearly use and with that style you can still remove the center screw and rod out the hole.
It sounds like you have a raw water cooling system, so your just leaking lake water or whatever your pushing into the back.
The second picture isn't clear enough to tell if it has a plug in it. But if it does, just make sure that it's tight and don't worry about it until you winterize it. Assuming that you have winter.

Iddlespeed-
Sorry for doubling up on your post. I didn't catch the second half on the first read.
 
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jerryjerry05

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Someone left the drain plug out when they winterized the motor.
Never leave them out.
They can rust and cause problems when putting back in.
 

Grub54891

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Yup, them are block drain plugs. Look in cupholders, sink or drawers, glovebox,, ect. Some people put them in places like that while stored, then install them in the spring. they should have wings on them like a wingnut, if not they may just be brass pipe plugs.
 
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