87 Bayliner Problem

[FlyTSi]

Boat is a 87 Bayliner 14' Capri with a 50 HP Force.
I don't know where to post this as it affects the boat and motor. I was on the lake last night and all was well, sat for a while and fired her up to head to shore. All was well, was motoring at speed when all the sudden the dash lights quit and the motor died. Now the starter has no juice to it at all and no dash lights, but my bow light, bilge and sterio all still works. What I dont understand is I thought the motor would run with no power at all to it, I know my other boat with a Eninrude will run with no power at all to the motor. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Kenny

 

[hgmatt]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

First, check your fuses, I know it may seem obvious, but I've had many issues with electronics, in my car and my boat, and many times it was merely a blown fuse.
Second, my 89 85 hp Force has a circuit breaker just under the wire terminals on the port side of the motor, so you might check there as well.

If there are no blow fuses or circuit breaker, check to see the charge on the battery; in fact, charge it anyways. Also, make sure there is no corrosion on the battery terminals & cables. Reattach the cables, tighten, and put vasoline on the terminals & cables to prevent future corrosion.

If none of these simple things are the problem, my suggestion is to get a Digital Voltmeter and begin checking wiring.

So you know, all your electronics (lights, bilge pump, stereo, etc) and starter are operated off the battery. You can run you motor without a battery, but you run a great risk of destroying the ignition electronics on the motor, as well as other electronics. I believe that your motor does not have a voltage regulator and it uses the battery to regulate the voltage, so don't disconnect the battery while the motor is running.

 

[FlyTSi]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

Thanks for the reply. I was able to look at it a little last night. The breaker under the starter keeps tripping, I noticed that after I reset the breaker that the 2 wires going to the kill switch was getting pretty warm. I unhook the kill switch then the engine quit tripping the breaker, if I either hook the kill switch up or connect the 2 wires from the kill switch together it throws the breaker.
There is a short or something because them 2 wires get hot quick.
Any ideas on where I should start looking?
Thanks in advance.

 

[roscoe]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

I would start with the wires connected to the keyed ignition switch.

 

[hgmatt]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

Is it the kill switch (where a laynard would attach) or is it the Neutral Position switch? If it is the saftey laynard kill switch, when the switch is activated it connects the circuit to kill the ignition. If it is the neutral position switch, it only connects the circuit when the shift linkages is in the neutral position & the key is in the start position. Per Roscoe's advice you should start with the keyed ignition switch and work your way along.

In thinking about it, I am going to assume it is the Neutral Position switch, this circuit should be a low Current (Amps) circuit, which triggers the starter solenoid, which sends a larger current to the starter. I am thinking that you might check to see if the wires connecting to the NPS to the solenoid are in contact with the starter cable, or maybe the wire is cracked and that's where your short is. Unfortunately, I'm at work and I don't have access to a wiring diagram for this circuit. My only thought against my theory, is that this circuit doesn't connect through the main wiring terminal on the motor; therefore, bypassing the circuit breaker. Sorry for the long posts.

 

[FlyTSi]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

Thanks for the replys. It is the kill switch with the thing that goes around your wrists that is getting hot. The neutral safty seems to be fine. I hope to be able to look at it some more tonight when I get off work.
Thanks again.
Kenny

 

[FlyTSi]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

Here is the latest update. I found if I disconnect the blue wire from the power pack on the motor the short goes away. The real strange thing is the 1st time I unhooked it and hooked it back up the motor started and died almost instantly, same thing second time it did it. On the 3rd time the short went away and the motor has been running fine so far.
Any ideas on what could be causing the blue ignition wire to short in the 1st place.
Thanks again
Kenny

 

[hgmatt]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

So, I looked at a wiring diagram (I recommend the getting a Clymers Manual, amazon has them for 27 to your door). I can guess at this point, but I would suggest that you get a manual and Digital Voltmeter to begin checking the system. My guess, since the first one was wrong, is that your saftey switch is bad. If you disconnect it completely, the motor will run & start, but it won't shut off if you fall out, or pull the laynard. The safety laynard works by completeling a "kill" circuit, which tells your motor to quit firing the spark plugs. If you connect both wires comming out of this switch, it will keep the spark plugs from firing, even though the starter & flywheel may be turning.

I know this for a fact, because I was having problems with my motor, it worked one day, I was messing around under the dash and I connected a black and white wire. The next day, I tried to start the motor, it wouldn't start, so I checked the gas, fuel pump, filter, carbs, anything to do with the fuel system (I'm having a gas tank issue). It still wouldn't start, so I checked the spark - no spark. So I went down the list of things I had changed and then it occured to me about those two wires. So, just to verify this isn't the problem, connect everything back the way it was before you got home, and check to see if you are getting a spark. If no spark, unhook the wires from the safety laynard, and don't connect them. Then check for a spark. Sorry for the long post, I guess I'm just long winded.

 

[FlyTSi]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

Thanks for the reply. That is what I always thought is that if you unhook the kill switch the motor would run, but not on this boat. If I unhook the 2 blue wires from the kill switch it will crank but not start (no fire). If I hook the 2 wires together (bypassing the switch) it will fire and run, if I pull them apart it kills the engine. I always thought they just killed the engine, but if I hook my test light up to them with the key on the test light lights up, i didn't realize they had voltage going through them.
Thanks a million on the reply and I will have to get me one of the manuals )
Kenny

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

It basicly sounds liek a bad switch then. I assume since the lanyard switch is basicly in the ON / run position the circutis closed allowing voltage to flow and then its open from a guy being thrown overboard or other reason the switch goes to OFF the voltage can no longer pass and the motor stops.

It might just have bad contacts due to its age and needs to be replaced. I think it would be easy to replace that switch.

I never use the lanyard in boat but it does make a great safty switch when your working on the motor or in the engin compartment.

 

[FlyTSi]

Re: 87 Bayliner Problem

I got it in the water over the weekend. It will run as long as you don't go past 3/4 throttle, if you go over that it throws the breaker. I tried it with the kill switch hooked up and the kill switch bypassed and got the same results. Could it possibly be a bad power pack?
Thanks for your help.