1989 sea Ray won't start, gauges just flicker

Begester

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Oct 23, 2006
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I'm getting my 1989 sea Ray 220DA ready for spring and have an issue that's got me stumped. I thought I had two dead batteries as I went to turn the ignition and all I heard was a click at the ignition switch. I replaced both batteries and it's doing the same thing. Checked the battery switch and have continuity and volts. Checked the line from the battery switch to the starter and have continuity and volts. Asode from the click, my gauges just flicker briefly and none of my other systems on the boat work. No bilge, no radio, etc. Checked the ignition fuse and it' got continuity, but even the radio and blower should be working when battery switch is "on"

I'm completely stumped...anyone have any insight?
 

GA_Boater

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Time to check the battery cables from the battery posts through the battery switch to the loads.

Sounds like you will find no continuity on the ground side. Clean all the connections, including the battery switch.
 

Begester

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Oct 23, 2006
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Thanks for the insight. Would the problem isolate itself to one battery if this were the root cause? I tried each battery "on" individually and still am getting the same result.

thanks again for the help, electrical isn't exactly my strong suit but I'm on a mission to get this figured out!
 

GA_Boater

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The common point is the battery switch. If the connections are corroded you would have similar symptoms. Except you are measuring 12 volts on the starter, the reason for the ground comments. The battery grounds are tied together and then connect to the motor.

Clean all positive and negative connections - Battery, switch and motor connections.
 

Chris1956

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Some of the MerCruiser motors have a red circuit breaker on the starboard front of the motor. Perhaps it is popped or corroded. These supply power to the rest of the boat, including the slave solenoid. Next would be to check the fuse panel under the dashboard.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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start at the battery and clean every connection on both the + and - all the way to the motor and back. by clean, take a 3M scotchbright pad and clean them until the metal is shiny enough to eat off of. if any of the cables are green, throw them out.

when done, after you solved the issue, go back with electrical varnish and seal all the connections.
 

Begester

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So I've cleaned just about everything and I'm not getting anything anymore...Not even a click. I replaced the fuses in the dash...theres aboit 5 of them, all looked a bit corroded. My VHF radio was hardwired into the battery and it won' even turn on. Batteries are both brand new and reading 12 volts thru the volt meter...what the heck is going on?!?!?
 

Bondo

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So I've cleaned just about everything and I'm not getting anything anymore...Not even a click. I replaced the fuses in the dash...theres aboit 5 of them, all looked a bit corroded. My VHF radio was hardwired into the battery and it won' even turn on. Batteries are both brand new and reading 12 volts thru the volt meter...what the heck is going on?!?!?

Ayuh,.... Obviously, there's a faulty connection,....
Grab a test light, or multimeter, 'n follow the Power to wherever it ends,...
At that point, Ya found the Problem,....

Seein's ya say ya cleaned All the connections, I gotta ask,....
Does that include All the Ground connections,..??
 

Maclin

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May 27, 2007
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Sounds like a ground lead was left out during the reconnecting after all terminals were disconnected to scrub them all clean. Maybe it fell down beside the battery somewhere, or got connected to wrong battery post.
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 25, 2004
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A lot of the Mercruiser main ground wires connect to the rear of the block. The block is cast iron and can severely rust. Best to sand or file it clean, clean the cable end and rebolt.
 

jbuote

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Aug 17, 2016
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I know it's a completely different engine, and I'm NOT a pro here by any means, but just a thought as the theory should be the same....

I had an issue on my '71 Johnson 50 O.B, where it'd kill all power when I tried to start it...

Cleaned all my wires twice, and same thing...

Turned out to be the lug on the engine where the grounds attach....
That lug (nut in the middle, threads on block side, and threads exposed to attach wires) had occasional 2mega ohms resistance to the block..

Had to pull that bolt out of the block, clean it, and re-install...
Everything worked fine after that.

You probably don't have the lug I talked about, but the point is, if all your wires are clean (and you're sure), and all the wires are connected properly (and you're sure), then it could be a component that bolts to (and is grounded by bolting to) the block that needs cleaning..

If that helps any......
 
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