Self-Test fails for System Check Monitor for 1998 Evinrude 50HP

[RCCola]

I am new to boating and this board, been following for several weeks, all the great help everyone here has been handing out, I love it, whoo hoooo! Just bought used Princecraft Pro 162 with 1998 Evinrude 50HP, works great the 2 times I took it out and still does. I purchased the Clymer shop manual and read that when the key is turned to the ON/RUN position that the 4 LEDS on the system check engine monitor gauge are suppose to illuminate and the warning horn is suppose to sound for ½ second. Well none of the above happens … I checked the 20 amp fuse and that’s good … I removed the connector from the gauge and checked for 12 volts between the purple and black wires with the key switched to ON – I got nothing, next I checked for continuity from the black wire to the negative on the battery, got good reading there so I am down to problem being the purple wire I think. The purple wire gets its voltage when the ignition switch is turned to ON/RUN is what I see by looking at the wiring diagram … well … the question that I have is this.Do I need to split the remote control case to be able to check continuity on the ignition switch and if so, is taking that apart a big deal – am I going to have major problems getting that back together ?The purple wire seems to me to be hot wire for accessories, only hot when key is on, would taking wire from positive battery terminal splicing into the wire just before the connector going into the gauge be a good test for me to try just to see if I can get a good self test or taking a reading someplace other than the switch itself? Motor ran great the two times out but now I don’t feel confident running it tell I get a good selftest, any help with this would be greatly appreciated, RCCola

[grid]

Okay, does your tach work? If it does, the purple which feeds it also feeds your idiot lights...which are part of the tach. Ipso facto (heard that on Columbo) you'll probably find the problem originating in the tach/gauge. Your testing theory is good, so if my assumptions are wrong, your test will prove your theory.

[RCCola]

Hello again, I dont have the tach - just the system engine monitor guage so I resorted to performing several checks on the purple wire, I was able to get good reading finaly when turning the key switch on and I got continuty on the black to the battery negative - next step is to replace guage, hmmmm - how often they go out, where is a good place to order one, looking for the one with the tach this time. Thanks for your help so far.

[mike-evin-50hp]

RCCola,I don't know how often the system check goes bad, however mine was replaced under warranty after only 30 hours. I experienced random beeps from the gauge, even with the key off. Also, some thing was causing the battery to drain. No problem since then - 250+ hours. I have a 167BT and a '96 50hp 3 cyl Evinrude. Good luck and good fishin.