Official 280 Sundancer Thread

Bk
Can anyone help me to understand why all the lights in my starboard switch pad at the helm just blink and nothing works? Was working fine the other day, now I get nothing but all led's blinking or flashing and no control of anything on that panel. The port panel works fine, and seems to control circuits on both the forward and aft eim, which I can hear the relays click when buttons are pushed. Could the keypad itself have gone bad? Main engines work fine, but generator won't engage the starter either and there is a "clicking" relay type noise at the genny that seems to correlate with the flashing switch panel lights.
I had a similar problem and replaced the switchpad. Problem solved.
 
Can anyone help me to understand why all the lights in my starboard switch pad at the helm just blink and nothing works? Was working fine the other day, now I get nothing but all led's blinking or flashing and no control of anything on that panel. The port panel works fine, and seems to control circuits on both the forward and aft eim, which I can hear the relays click when buttons are pushed. Could the keypad itself have gone bad? Main engines work fine, but generator won't engage the starter either and there is a "clicking" relay type noise at the genny that seems to correlate with the flashing switch panel lights.
I would check the strength of you batteries first.
 
I had a bad thermostat on one of my engines. I replaced on both engines. Before I replaced them both engines read at 170 on the gauges. Since I replaced them my port guage now reads around 185 to 190 and the starboard guage 170 to 175. I put the temp gun on the housing of the thermostats and they both read right at 160. Why would changing the thermostat change the way the guage reads?
 
I had a bad thermostat on one of my engines. I replaced on both engines. Before I replaced them both engines read at 170 on the gauges. Since I replaced them my port guage now reads around 185 to 190 and the starboard guage 170 to 175. I put the temp gun on the housing of the thermostats and they both read right at 160. Why would changing the thermostat change the way the guage reads?
Double check that they're installed correctly, including the plastic sleeve. Swap them, see if problem follows. Do the 'ol test of hanging them in a pot of water on the stove as you monitor them and the water temp.
 
Double check that they're installed correctly, including the plastic sleeve. Swap them, see if problem follows. Do the 'ol test of hanging them in a pot of water on the stove as you monitor them and the water temp.
Thermostats seem to be working fine, its just my gauges are now off 15 degrees.
 
OK, by "working properly", you removed them and tested? Plastic sleeve? Did you try swapping the stats from one engine to the other? Have you also verified the connections are clean at the t-stat housing and gauge (remove, inspect, clean, replace, tighten).

Did you use goop when reinstalling the housing gasket? New gasket?
 
Bk

I had a similar problem and replaced the switchpad. Problem solved.


Just wanted to post my findings thus far. I was able to get the boat back to operational, but still have some work left. In my case, I found that the Auxilary Interface Module (AIM) that sits between the Starboard EIM and Keypad went bad (this is only included on boats with the Kohler generator option). It's a small panel that sits high stbd side behind the helm that has 6 female plugs and 4 LEDs and lets the cabin blower fan switch tie into the EIM system. I had already ordered a new starboard switchpad, so I replaced that as well, not wanting to chance it if that was the original cause of the issue. I am still waiting for the new AIM board, but in the meantime I unsoldered 2 female plugs from the broken board and made a jumper with 14ga wire to "bypass" it. The nice part about the jumper is that no existing connectors or wires were cut/harmed or modified in any way, the jumper just plugs in. Next project is diagnosing the generator harness, but sans the genny, we had a great 5 days of using the boat on memorial day weekend and she ran like a top.
 
thank you, no piling, just the neighbors boat. is it common to bounce against other boats? at low speeds, of course.

Really the only thing on your boat that should contact another boat is a fender. Easier said than done when single-handing. in the absence of a pylon to "lean" on, you're going to have to master the art of anticipation. For example if your coming in on a broadside wind, and you line your boat up to the slip. you've already gone too far and it becomes a game of increasingly frustrating whack-a-mole.

Better than trying to correct an overshoot, would be to pull back out into the fairway, and make another run at it. Wash rinse repeat. There is absolutely no shame in do-overs.
 
I am considering purchasing a 2009 280 with a pewter hull. Are there issues with this color and or the model year. Thanks for any help you can provide.
 
I posted this on the regular site as well. Do you 280 owners have what I assume is an inline fuel filter like the one in the picture? I have one for each engine. Was this oem? How often do you change it?


View attachment 53631
I have this filter on my 2003 with twin 5.0 engines. I have not changed them yet. It looks like a good place to have a leak so I left it alone
 
I have this filter on my 2003 with twin 5.0 engines. I have not changed them yet. It looks like a good place to have a leak so I left it alone
I changed out both of the inline filters earlier this year. This is a new to us boat and not sure when they were changed out last. But then I'm kind of fussy when it comes to fuel filters (I also changed out the fuel water separator filter on the engines). Pretty easy replacement and no leaks afterwards.
 
is there a reason my rpm gauges could be off? the sync gauge works fine but the rpm gauge is about 1000 rpm off. thanks
 
On my 2003 280 Sundancer, the masthead light on the arch quit working. The rear bulb wasn't working on the masthead light, so while trying to replace with a new one the front one also quit working. Now with trying two new bulbs in the masthead light neither work - but the green LED NAV light on the button pad in front of throttle still lights up. From what I can tell, none of the fuses below throttle are blown (but how does one confirm/check?). Thanks!
 
On my 2003 280 Sundancer, the masthead light on the arch quit working. The rear bulb wasn't working on the masthead light, so while trying to replace with a new one the front one also quit working. Now with trying two new bulbs in the masthead light neither work - but the green LED NAV light on the button pad in front of throttle still lights up. From what I can tell, none of the fuses below throttle are blown (but how does one confirm/check?). Thanks!

Do you have a voltmeter? If so, you can check that voltage is getting to the fixture with the switch on. If no voltage to the fixture, see if there is a joint/splice for the anchor light in the access hole in the center of the arch on the underside. Mine has 2 butt connectors right above that panel, one of those could have worked loose. Be careful that you don't touch the probe tips together with the power on or you'll pop the breaker. In addition, in the cabinet below your throttles, make sure that the anchor light breaker isn't tripped. I don't suspect it is if your LED light is coming on, but worth looking to see if it's "popped out", if so, push it back in to reset.
 
Ugh. Figured it out. Breaker down below engine hatch was tripped! Odd the one below throttle wasn’t!?
 
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