Any way to diagnose ...

All's Well

All's Well

Well-Known Member
Jan 14, 2010
1,161
Houston
Boat Info
'12 58 Sundancer
Engines
900 MAN
I have 6CTA's in a 2003 460DA.

When I go through the start sequence the starboard engine panel comes back on and shows "STOP ENGINE" AND "CHECK ENGINE"

The port engine sequences through everything just fine.

The normal sequence lights up "WAIT TO START", "ENGINE MAINT", "STOP ENGINE" and "CHECK ENGINE"

When I do start the starboard engine, it runs fine holds temp and oil pressures identical to the port engine. All fluids are at proper levels.

This has done this since the boat was transported 1400 miles and delivered to me.

I don't know if there is a way to diagnose without bringing the Cummins folks in to hook it up to a computer, any ideas?

Thanks
 
I think there are several sensors in the test circuit on the Cummins.......until you get someone to come in and scan the system to see which sensor has tripped the check and shut down message, its going to be just a guessing game trying to figure it out then hoping there is nothing more serious than a bad sensor involved.

My vote is to save time and call your local Cummins dealer. At some point, you will have to develop a working relationship with him, so why not now?
 
fwebster said:
I think there are several sensors in the test circuit on the Cummins.......until you get someone to come in and scan the system to see which sensor has tripped the check and shut down message, its going to be just a guessing game trying to figure it out then hoping there is nothing more serious than a bad sensor involved.

My vote is to save time and call your local Cummins dealer. At some point, you will have to develop a working relationship with him, so why not now?
Click to expand...

Thanks Frank, certainly sound advice. Problem is our local guy is nearly 100 miles away. But you're right, sooner or later I have to get their help.
 
Welcome! I read about your purchase, but didn't realize that you had one of the few '03s with 6CTAs. I purchased my boat a year ago and was extremely surprised to discover the 6CTAs after reading that all '03s were produced with 450CEs. Out of curiosity did your boat receive the Smartcraft upgrade for fuel flow maintenance schedule, etc? Have you checked all the error codes here? Just a thought.
 
Carpedmman said:
Welcome! I read about your purchase, but didn't realize that you had one of the few '03s with 6CTAs. I purchased my boat a year ago and was extremely surprised to discover the 6CTAs after reading that all '03s were produced with 450CEs. Out of curiosity did your boat receive the Smartcraft upgrade for fuel flow maintenance schedule, etc? Have you checked all the error codes here? Just a thought.
Click to expand...

that's a thought, I'll check this weekend. Thanks
 
Carpedmman said:
Oddly, this same situation occurred to me this weekend! Guess it is time to call the Cummings guys!
Click to expand...

Just returned from a meeting with the Cummings folk at the boat. Steve and I walked to the boat and made chit chat about the boat and how long I have owned it. I told him 1 year and still learning. Btw, his "toolbox" was an IBM laptop and a connection cord into the ECM on the boat. After about 5 minutes in the bilge, Steve came up and said he needs to go and get a different connection cord since he had a "9 pin" and needed a "3 pin"? Then I remembered that there are the computer diagnostic ports in the small cabinet by your feet on the starboard side of the helm station. I opened the cabinet and showed them to him. At this point he asked me to look closely at the switches-one was depressed and one was not!!! Turned out someone (Admiral?) must have hit the switch this past weekend when she went into the cabinet for the binoculars! Dam! The service call cost between $300-400!
Expensive lesson learned. While Steve was at the boat he showed me on the Smartcraft system where the engine would show an alarm and the code. He also said that if the Smartcraft system ever fails, the motor lights we are discussing will actually "flash the code" - similar to a morse code. We discovered that these engines, are programmed as 480CE even though the engine tag says 6CTA's. Electronics! Amazing stuff!

I hope this helps!
 
Carpedmman said:
Just returned from a meeting with the Cummings folk at the boat. Steve and I walked to the boat and made chit chat about the boat and how long I have owned it. I told him 1 year and still learning. Btw, his "toolbox" was an IBM laptop and a connection cord into the ECM on the boat. After about 5 minutes in the bilge, Steve came up and said he needs to go and get a different connection cord since he had a "9 pin" and needed a "3 pin"? Then I remembered that there are the computer diagnostic ports in the small cabinet by your feet on the starboard side of the helm station. I opened the cabinet and showed them to him. At this point he asked me to look closely at the switches-one was depressed and one was not!!! Turned out someone (Admiral?) must have hit the switch this past weekend when she went into the cabinet for the binoculars! Dam! The service call cost between $300-400!
Expensive lesson learned. While Steve was at the boat he showed me on the Smartcraft system where the engine would show an alarm and the code. He also said that if the Smartcraft system ever fails, the motor lights we are discussing will actually "flash the code" - similar to a morse code. We discovered that these engines, are programmed as 480CE even though the engine tag says 6CTA's. Electronics! Amazing stuff!

I hope this helps!
Click to expand...


I just saw this. I hope that it's that simple on mine as well because the exact same thing had happenned (someone grabbing binoculars from that compartment).

Thanks,
 
Carpedmman said:
Just returned from a meeting with the Cummings folk at the boat. Steve and I walked to the boat and made chit chat about the boat and how long I have owned it. I told him 1 year and still learning. Btw, his "toolbox" was an IBM laptop and a connection cord into the ECM on the boat. After about 5 minutes in the bilge, Steve came up and said he needs to go and get a different connection cord since he had a "9 pin" and needed a "3 pin"? Then I remembered that there are the computer diagnostic ports in the small cabinet by your feet on the starboard side of the helm station. I opened the cabinet and showed them to him. At this point he asked me to look closely at the switches-one was depressed and one was not!!! Turned out someone (Admiral?) must have hit the switch this past weekend when she went into the cabinet for the binoculars! Dam! The service call cost between $300-400!
Expensive lesson learned. While Steve was at the boat he showed me on the Smartcraft system where the engine would show an alarm and the code. He also said that if the Smartcraft system ever fails, the motor lights we are discussing will actually "flash the code" - similar to a morse code. We discovered that these engines, are programmed as 480CE even though the engine tag says 6CTA's. Electronics! Amazing stuff!

I hope this helps!
Click to expand...


That was it!

I got to the boat this weekend and that was the first thing that I checked. Sure enough the switch had been hit, flipped it back and no more warning lights during the starting sequence.

Thanks for the fix!!
 
Carpedmman said:
Just returned from a meeting with the Cummings folk at the boat. Steve and I walked to the boat and made chit chat about the boat and how long I have owned it. I told him 1 year and still learning. Btw, his "toolbox" was an IBM laptop and a connection cord into the ECM on the boat. After about 5 minutes in the bilge, Steve came up and said he needs to go and get a different connection cord since he had a "9 pin" and needed a "3 pin"? Then I remembered that there are the computer diagnostic ports in the small cabinet by your feet on the starboard side of the helm station. I opened the cabinet and showed them to him. At this point he asked me to look closely at the switches-one was depressed and one was not!!! Turned out someone (Admiral?) must have hit the switch this past weekend when she went into the cabinet for the binoculars! Dam! The service call cost between $300-400!
Expensive lesson learned. While Steve was at the boat he showed me on the Smartcraft system where the engine would show an alarm and the code. He also said that if the Smartcraft system ever fails, the motor lights we are discussing will actually "flash the code" - similar to a morse code. We discovered that these engines, are programmed as 480CE even though the engine tag says 6CTA's. Electronics! Amazing stuff!

I hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Having similar issue - CHECK ENGINE light stays on for Starboard engine sequence, but goes off when I sync engines. What are the switches you mentioned here? Computer ports or something else?
 
xnopro said:
Having similar issue - CHECK ENGINE light stays on for Starboard engine sequence, but goes off when I sync engines. What are the switches you mentioned here? Computer ports or something else?
Click to expand...
I had the same issue as the OP. Your boat is the same as mine. Open the door on the outside of the helm where the factory stereo is mounted. Look to the top and right of the stereo and you should see 2 switches. I think they're labeled diag or something to that effect. See if one is depressed.
 
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