Re: '86 VIP Victory bilge question...
I just bought an '86 VIP Victory and can't seem to get the bilge pump working. There are indicator lights on the dash and even the light doesn't come on when the switch is flipped... I checked the fuses and theres 6 longer fuses under the dash and a spot for a shorter fuse beside them but I don'r know what kind goes in there...
Several steps to trouble shooting here. First, are you familiar with a multimeter? If not, I have a good tutorial on my site, just click the link,
The Proline Guy...Multimeter. Second, you need to see if you have power going to the switch. The feed goes to the middle terminal of the switch. You will have power, or 12V, whether the switch is on or off. If you have power, then turn the switch on and see if you have 12V on the bottom terminal. This will tell you if you have a bad switch or not. If you don't have power at the switch, find what wire feeds that middle terminal of that switch, that will lead you to the fuse that protects it.
Third, if you have determined, by either trouble shooting or by replacement of components, that all is good at the helm, turn the switch on and see if you have power back at the pump. Cut the brown wire at the pump (leave yourself enough wire to splice back onto it), turn the switch on at the helm, and see if you have 12V on that wire. If you do, the pump is bad. If you don't, then here is either too much corrosion in that 24 year old wiring, or there is an actual break in the circuit.
Remember, unless anything has been replaced in the last 5-7 years, you have very old wiring, and corrosion WILL take it's toll on everything I've mentioned.
So, given that, report back with your findings...
