No action when I turn the key

[BurgundyS24]

Boat has been laid up for several months with the battery maintainer hooked up. Took the cover off last week when we had a break in the Northern California rain fest. When I turn the key to "acc" all gauges spring to life accordingly. When I turn it to "on" I get nothing, no clicking, nothing, and nothing happens with gauges. Upon turning key off then trying again several times eventually it will catch and the boat will start.

Could it be my ignition? Or most likely a grounding issue?

Keep in mind I did install my own engine, so I may have knocked something loose hitting waves etc.


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[Mike Blake]

It all starts with the batteries. Check them properly first.

 

[electricaldoctor]

Load test your batteries, then go from there.

 

[sdarc]

After testing batteries, I'd look into the ignition switch itself. Things come to life in the acc. position. Do they stay on when the key is in the "On" position? Is it only when you turn to the start position it doesn't work?

 

[scoflaw]

Recheck everything you touched. Probably the cannon plug, look for corrosion at the 2 halves

 

[CliffA]

my top 3 three things I would check in this order:

1. condition of batteries and the pos and neg wire connections
2. starter slave solenoid (if applicable)
3. ignition switch and wire connections

cliff

 

[JimG]

Make sure you're in neutral. Wiggle the shifter in the neutral position... it could be the neutral position switch.

 

[BurgundyS24]

Thanks for the replies, hopefully get a break in the rain tomorrow and I can check things out.


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[BurgundyS24]

After testing batteries, I'd look into the ignition switch itself. Things come to life in the acc. position. Do they stay on when the key is in the "On" position? Is it only when you turn to the start position it doesn't work?

Everything stays alive.


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[BurgundyS24]

Load test your batteries, then go from there.

Load test?


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[CliffA]

Load test?

I'm a little surprised you have the mechanical and electrical knowledge to install an engine but have not heard of load testing a battery.....this is a test to see how well a battery provides power when it is under a strain or a 'load' such as cranking an engine......you can take the battery to any auto parts store and they can load test it....or you can purchase a load tester and perform the load test at the boat...

good luck....
cliff

 

[scoflaw]

If cycling the switch several times gets it to start, forget about load testing your battery. You got yourself a sketchy connection somewhere. Revisit all the connections you touched during the R/R

 

[mwph]

Load test... Here is one way to do it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsJUuLu1cw0

 

[CliffA]

If cycling the switch several times gets it to start, forget about load testing your battery. You got yourself a sketchy connection somewhere. Revisit all the connections you touched during the R/R

or a failing starter slave solenoid....same symptoms as a bad electrical connection......

cliff

 

[scoflaw]

But also says he has no gauge activity at the same time which I believe would rule the slave out.....No ?

 

[CliffA]

But also says he has no gauge activity at the same time which I believe would rule the slave out.....No ?

the OP says in post #1 and #9 that the gauges energize when the ignition key is cycled and they stay energized when he tries to crank the engine......I am pretty sure if there is a problem with the power getting to the ignition switch he would see no activity from the gauges at all.....

cliff

 

[CliffA]

the OP says in post #1 and #9 that the gauges energize when the ignition key is cycled and they stay energized when he tries to crank the engine......I am pretty sure if there is a problem with the power getting to the ignition switch he would see no activity from the gauges at all.....

cliff

i miss-read a couple post so I went back and re-read the entire thread.....the gauges energize when the key is in the 'ACC' position but not in the 'RUN' position.....I would now concentrate on the ignition switch itself.....it appears power is getting to the switch but the switch is not completing the 'RUN' circuit when the key is turned....

simple test is to use a jumper wire between the battery and the starter to see if the starter tries to energize.....if it does the switch and/or the connections are bad.....

cliff

 

[scoflaw]

Without having a wiring diagram, I would assume the start side of the ignition switch goes back to the cannon plug . What's the chance his ignition switch went bad while he was R/R ing his engine. I'm sticking with "bad connection"

 

[Bt Doctur]

Start with checking the batteries there connections at the starter and engine block
At the starter , jumper the yellow/red to the battery post, engine must spin. If not, batteries, battery cables, cable connections, starter solenoid, starter.
If it does spin, go to the slave solenoid or relay, short the red/purple to the yellow/red, motor should spin, with key switch in "start" check for 12V at the small yellow/red post.
That 12v comes from the ign switch thru the cannon plug to the slave.
check your messages

 

[Bt Doctur]

typical setup