Interesting issue

mmiela

mmiela

GreatGrady Captain
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So yesterday went out all day no issues at all with starting or running. Today go out and shut the engines off and I had trouble starting the engine on battery one. Switched to both and it started but had a hard time. Left the engine running while fishing and then on the way home trimmed the engine and lose of power until I let go of the engine trim, then the entire way home the engine wound cut out and then go back to normal repeating often. Got to the slip and put the boat in neutral and it stalled and would not start totally dead.

Took batteries out and them to autozone and they checked out as good and fully charged. Wondering if my cables are corroded or the switch is going bad.

Strangest part of it all was when tying the boat up my cabin light was on. It hasn’t worked since I bought the boat.
 
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Sounds like corrosion, loose connection or bad cable. You'll have to trace it down.
 
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Loose connection somewhere , I would check the battery terminals and anywhere else where the cables connect for corrosion.
 
Yep, bad connection most likely. Look at the battery terminals first and then the main power cable connections under the motor cowling.
At first I thought you may have a bad cell in the battery but if Autozone LOAD tested the battery, that would show up.
One fact that has me a bit unsure is your statement that when you switched to BOTH, motor had a hard time starting but eventually did. In theory if the issue were the battery or the battery terminals, starting should have been normal. Since it wasn't I feel that it has to be something common to both batteries. There isn't a lot that is common except for the cross battery ground wire and/or the ground connections in general. Undo the grounds, check the cables, brush or sand the connectors and brush the battery terminals and see how that works out.
 
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batteries are from March of 2014, I think I bought them late 2014, new fuel/water separator being installed and I plan on cleaning up all connections. We will se what that does.
 
You could be at the end of your life cycle with your batteries. 5 years is pretty good on a marine battery. Usually around 4 years and I'm looking at replacement. Autozone, Wally World marine batteries are sketchy sometimes especially as you get up in age. Always available for replacement at any AZ or WW store though, unlike the Interstate's.
 
I got two interstate cranking batteries from the interstate store here in CT. $122 a piece plus tax for our governor. $261.51 for both out the door.
 
New batteries, water separator and it starts right up. Fast idle at 20k rpm and hit the engine trim and dies out, then rpms spike and back to normal.
 
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Sounds like a dead short in the trim unit. When you hit the switch and energize the trim unit it's shorting across the pump motor and causing the battery power to pull down and cause the motor to cut out. After you release the switch it restores the power to the battery and motor takes off. I hate chasing electrical gremlins!!
 
Yep, tilt motor sounded strange today and it was very slow to raise the engine. My concern is lowering it and not being able get it raised. I have to get it out of the water soon.
 
Might want to go on and pull it and figure it out before it totally dies.
 
Probably get it towed to the boat ramp get it on the trailer and to my mechanic.
 
Also going to change the primer bulb, it is starting to crack and dry rot.
 
I would think that such a heavy current load as proposed would pop a fuse. I am leaning towards a bad connection somewhere or a bad/dirty fuse socket.
 
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Well I haven’t been able to get to the boat. Rained all night last night and it is blowing 30 with 45-50 gusts. So I am now just hoping the docks lines hold. I think I’ll get down there Saturday.
 
Wires on the trim motor seem brittle and looks like some corrosion on them. I think I’ll be replacing the motor too.
 
I am surprised it wasn't a grand! It seems to me everything related to boat has to start with $1000 and go up from there!! :) I mean...we should market "marine" light bulbs for $100 each. You know...because they can be used on a boat.
 
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