HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

The negative cable is just as important as the positive one. Clean both.
Then check and clean the other end of both.

"Inno" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
hlink.net...
The negative cable is just as important as the positive one. Clean both.
Then check and clean the other end of both.

"Inno" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!




Take a meter reading from the Positive terminal to the engine block. If no
or very low voltage take a reading from the Negative terminal to the end of
the positive lead. Both ends. Find out where the open in the circuit is.

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

Check your tilt and trim fuses, any short will blow the fuse and your system
will be dead.

Calif Bill wrote:

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
hlink.net...
The negative cable is just as important as the positive one. Clean both.
Then check and clean the other end of both.

"Inno" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!




Take a meter reading from the Positive terminal to the engine block. If no
or very low voltage take a reading from the Negative terminal to the end of
the positive lead. Both ends. Find out where the open in the circuit is.

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

There are usually 2 paths 12v takes on a small boat once it leaves the
engine area. The first is thru a harness that probably has a plug on the
engine end. This set of wires runs your ignition, instruments, and anything
else that the boat mfr. deemed necessary to operate from the ignition
switch. The second path/s, which should be fused but often is not, runs
everything else on the boat. The origin for all of these paths is either the
+ battery post or a terminal on the starter. The common ground on your
engine should be a stud on the back side of a cylinder head or the -battery
post.

Your problem went from intermittent to solid. Did anything work right after
you changed the battery? Could you have left off a wire that should have
been connected to the battery?

Try this simple test. Turn your blower on and start wiggling all of the
wires that you can get your hands on in the engine room. If the blower
sputters or runs when you touch something, you have put your hands in the
problem area.

Some of the things that could be causing you grief are internal or external
corrosion of wire terminals ( particularly if they are steel). Corrosion on
the studs or posts they are connected to. A loose connection could lead to
arcing, which will cause a totally bad connection and or insulation melting.
A bad engine harness connection ( only if this is your only source of 12v
under the dash).

Good luck,
Jim
P.S. Keep a meter on your boat at all times.

"Inno" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

There doesn't seem to be electrical joy anywhere on the boat. Will a trim
fuse cause that?
"Dry 1" "spots are out "@ Vail's.com wrote in message
...
Check your tilt and trim fuses, any short will blow the fuse and your
system
will be dead.

Calif Bill wrote:

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
hlink.net...
The negative cable is just as important as the positive one. Clean
both.
Then check and clean the other end of both.

"Inno" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!




Take a meter reading from the Positive terminal to the engine block. If
no
or very low voltage take a reading from the Negative terminal to the end
of
the positive lead. Both ends. Find out where the open in the circuit
is.

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 May 2007 14:43:14 GMT, "Jim" wrote:


Your problem went from intermittent to solid. Did anything work right
after
you changed the battery? Could you have left off a wire that should have
been connected to the battery?

Hee Hee !


I'll ask this, only because I have actually seen this done........

Did you take the plastic cap(s) off of the battery terminal(s)?
--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

eMail


Homepage
http://pamandgene.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
-----------------
www.Newsgroup-Binaries.com - *Completion*Retention*Speed*
Access your favorite newsgroups from home or on the road
-----------------

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

Inno wrote:
I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!


While the fuses are probably not appearing blown, check them with a
continuity tester anyway. All of them. Then check the rubber covered
fuse holders & the fuses themselves for dirt/grime/film and clean them.
On the SX drives, I think there is a pair of fuses, like 20A & 30A,
that power most of the circuits including the solenoid(except for the
starter).

This is from memory, check your manual.

Let us know how it goes.

Rob

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

"Jim" wrote in message
hlink.net...
There are usually 2 paths 12v takes on a small boat once it leaves the
engine area. The first is thru a harness that probably has a plug on the
engine end. This set of wires runs your ignition, instruments, and
anything else that the boat mfr. deemed necessary to operate from the
ignition switch. The second path/s, which should be fused but often is
not, runs everything else on the boat. The origin for all of these paths
is either the + battery post or a terminal on the starter. The common
ground on your engine should be a stud on the back side of a cylinder head
or the -battery post.

Your problem went from intermittent to solid. Did anything work right
after you changed the battery? Could you have left off a wire that should
have been connected to the battery?

Try this simple test. Turn your blower on and start wiggling all of the
wires that you can get your hands on in the engine room. If the blower
sputters or runs when you touch something, you have put your hands in the
problem area.

Some of the things that could be causing you grief are internal or
external corrosion of wire terminals ( particularly if they are steel).
Corrosion on the studs or posts they are connected to. A loose connection
could lead to arcing, which will cause a totally bad connection and or
insulation melting. A bad engine harness connection ( only if this is your
only source of 12v under the dash).

Good luck,
Jim
P.S. Keep a meter on your boat at all times.

The harness could certainly be the source of the problem. I have the same
engine on my boat and had to disconnect the harness in order to remove an
upholstered trim panel while installing a new swim ladder last Sunday. We
splashed the boat that same day and prior to doing so I reconnected the
battery and tested for power without starting the engine by turning the
ignition key one click. None of the gauges lit up so I checked the battery
switch, which was on and battery connections, which were tight. Finally
it occurred to me that I had disconnected the harness (located at the top
front port side of the engine) earlier in the day. I reconnected it,
tightened the holding strap and................I got power!

Perhaps the harness connection was bumped or otherwise loosened and it is a
good place to start.

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

Connect a jumper cable between the NEG terminal and engine block. Joy?
Clean the ground point on the engine.
JR

Inno wrote:

I have a 99 Larson with the Volvo 4.3 L 190 HP engine. When it starts
it runs quite well but today it seemed to be totally electrically
dead: no noise at all when trying to crank, no lights, no horn, no
blower, etc.

The battery is brand new (one day old), fully charged and the clamps
are tight. This has been an intermittent problem where I would let it
sit for a bit then it would be ok but today it would not show any sign
of electrical life at all. The positive cable seems to be tightly
connected down near the starter. I can't get at the neg. cable. The
fuses seem to be ok and if it was a fuse I would think that just some
circuit(s) would be affected and it would not be this intermittent
problem.

What should I be looking for that would shut down the entire elec.
system?

Please help! I am very far from any Volvo service shop and need to
fix this on my own. I am sure this must be something very simple I
do have an ohm-meter but it was at home three hours away today.

Any ideas would be much appreciated!



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

On Tue, 22 May 2007 15:44:11 -0700, JR North
wrote:

Connect a jumper cable between the NEG terminal and engine block. Joy?
Clean the ground point on the engine.

I was going to suggest using a coat hanger and test the power of the
battery by jumping positive and negative.

Hmmm - on second thought...

DON"T TRY THAT!!!

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

Thanks for all the ideas so far. I won't be at the boat for another
week but am collecting everyone's suggestions and will bring a meter
to the boat next time and jumper cables to set up an alternative
ground connection.

The engine did run fine after the battery was installed so that part
is ok (no plastic caps left on!) I did try wriggling all the wires
and the harness with the blower on but no response. Also the 3 red
cricuit breaker buttons on the engine are not tripped. There is a
mini 10-amp fuse near the positive terminal of the battery on a
separate smaller wire that is blown, not sure what that runs so will
replace that anyways.

Any further thoughts are welcome!

Inno



On May 22, 7:32 pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 22 May 2007 15:44:11 -0700, JR North
wrote:

Connect a jumper cable between the NEG terminal and engine block. Joy?
Clean the ground point on the engine.

I was going to suggest using a coat hanger and test the power of the
battery by jumping positive and negative.

Hmmm - on second thought...

DON"T TRY THAT!!!

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

On May 22, 6:15 pm, "JimH" wrote:
"Jim" wrote in message

hlink.net...



There are usually 2 paths 12v takes on a small boat once it leaves the
engine area. The first is thru a harness that probably has a plug on the
engine end. This set of wires runs your ignition, instruments, and
anything else that the boat mfr. deemed necessary to operate from the
ignition switch. The second path/s, which should be fused but often is
not, runs everything else on the boat. The origin for all of these paths
is either the + battery post or a terminal on the starter. The common
ground on your engine should be a stud on the back side of a cylinder head
or the -battery post.

Your problem went from intermittent to solid. Did anything work right
after you changed the battery? Could you have left off a wire that should
have been connected to the battery?

Try this simple test. Turn your blower on and start wiggling all of the
wires that you can get your hands on in the engine room. If the blower
sputters or runs when you touch something, you have put your hands in the
problem area.

Some of the things that could be causing you grief are internal or
external corrosion of wire terminals ( particularly if they are steel).
Corrosion on the studs or posts they are connected to. A loose connection
could lead to arcing, which will cause a totally bad connection and or
insulation melting. A bad engine harness connection ( only if this is your
only source of 12v under the dash).

Good luck,
Jim
P.S. Keep a meter on your boat at all times.

The harness could certainly be the source of the problem. I have the same
engine on my boat and had to disconnect the harness in order to remove an
upholstered trim panel while installing a new swim ladder last Sunday. We
splashed the boat that same day and prior to doing so I reconnected the
battery and tested for power without starting the engine by turning the
ignition key one click. None of the gauges lit up so I checked the battery
switch, which was on and battery connections, which were tight. Finally
it occurred to me that I had disconnected the harness (located at the top
front port side of the engine) earlier in the day. I reconnected it,
tightened the holding strap and................I got power!

Perhaps the harness connection was bumped or otherwise loosened and it is a
good place to start.

I have not seen a "battery switch". Where would this be?

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:01:34 -0000, Inno wrote:

On May 22, 6:15 pm, "JimH" wrote:
"Jim" wrote in message

hlink.net...



There are usually 2 paths 12v takes on a small boat once it leaves the
engine area. The first is thru a harness that probably has a plug on the
engine end. This set of wires runs your ignition, instruments, and
anything else that the boat mfr. deemed necessary to operate from the
ignition switch. The second path/s, which should be fused but often is
not, runs everything else on the boat. The origin for all of these paths
is either the + battery post or a terminal on the starter. The common
ground on your engine should be a stud on the back side of a cylinder head
or the -battery post.

Your problem went from intermittent to solid. Did anything work right
after you changed the battery? Could you have left off a wire that should
have been connected to the battery?

Try this simple test. Turn your blower on and start wiggling all of the
wires that you can get your hands on in the engine room. If the blower
sputters or runs when you touch something, you have put your hands in the
problem area.

Some of the things that could be causing you grief are internal or
external corrosion of wire terminals ( particularly if they are steel).
Corrosion on the studs or posts they are connected to. A loose connection
could lead to arcing, which will cause a totally bad connection and or
insulation melting. A bad engine harness connection ( only if this is your
only source of 12v under the dash).

Good luck,
Jim
P.S. Keep a meter on your boat at all times.

The harness could certainly be the source of the problem. I have the same
engine on my boat and had to disconnect the harness in order to remove an
upholstered trim panel while installing a new swim ladder last Sunday. We
splashed the boat that same day and prior to doing so I reconnected the
battery and tested for power without starting the engine by turning the
ignition key one click. None of the gauges lit up so I checked the battery
switch, which was on and battery connections, which were tight. Finally
it occurred to me that I had disconnected the harness (located at the top
front port side of the engine) earlier in the day. I reconnected it,
tightened the holding strap and................I got power!

Perhaps the harness connection was bumped or otherwise loosened and it is a
good place to start.

I have not seen a "battery switch". Where would this be?

Mine is mounted behind one of the batteries. You're looking for something
like one of these: http://tinyurl.com/2wdhv3

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

"Inno" wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 22, 6:15 pm, "JimH" wrote:
"Jim" wrote in message

hlink.net...



There are usually 2 paths 12v takes on a small boat once it leaves the
engine area. The first is thru a harness that probably has a plug on
the
engine end. This set of wires runs your ignition, instruments, and
anything else that the boat mfr. deemed necessary to operate from the
ignition switch. The second path/s, which should be fused but often is
not, runs everything else on the boat. The origin for all of these
paths
is either the + battery post or a terminal on the starter. The common
ground on your engine should be a stud on the back side of a cylinder
head
or the -battery post.

Your problem went from intermittent to solid. Did anything work right
after you changed the battery? Could you have left off a wire that
should
have been connected to the battery?

Try this simple test. Turn your blower on and start wiggling all of the
wires that you can get your hands on in the engine room. If the blower
sputters or runs when you touch something, you have put your hands in
the
problem area.

Some of the things that could be causing you grief are internal or
external corrosion of wire terminals ( particularly if they are steel).
Corrosion on the studs or posts they are connected to. A loose
connection
could lead to arcing, which will cause a totally bad connection and or
insulation melting. A bad engine harness connection ( only if this is
your
only source of 12v under the dash).

Good luck,
Jim
P.S. Keep a meter on your boat at all times.

The harness could certainly be the source of the problem. I have the
same
engine on my boat and had to disconnect the harness in order to remove an
upholstered trim panel while installing a new swim ladder last Sunday.
We
splashed the boat that same day and prior to doing so I reconnected the
battery and tested for power without starting the engine by turning the
ignition key one click. None of the gauges lit up so I checked the
battery
switch, which was on and battery connections, which were tight.
Finally
it occurred to me that I had disconnected the harness (located at the top
front port side of the engine) earlier in the day. I reconnected it,
tightened the holding strap and................I got power!

Perhaps the harness connection was bumped or otherwise loosened and it is
a
good place to start.

I have not seen a "battery switch". Where would this be?

Maybe you don't have one. It goes in line between the battery(s) and
starter. The boat manufacturer or installer determines the mounting
location.
Jim

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

Good news!

Starting checking out the system today using everyone's ideas and
traced the problem to a faulty 50 amp circuit breaker, i.e. one of the
terminal studs in the back were loose so contact was poor/
intermittent.

All your advice was very helpful. The idea the finally solved it was
turning on the blower and wiggling all the wires until something made
a difference.

Thanks to everybody for helping with this!

Our next job is to do a full tune-up as it is running a little
unevenly. We replaced the plugs, cleaned the air filter, tightened
the belts and cleaned the rotor and distributor cap. Any other
maintenance work that might make it run more smoothly? We will buying
new rotor and cap when we get to a dealer.

I have a timing light here but have not looked for the marks. What is
the correct timing setting?

Also, the trim tile guage has been totally dead since we got the boat
in the fall. The fuses are ok behind the dash. Where is the pick-up
for this guage on a Volvo Penta drive? What is likely the problem?

Thanks!

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

On Jun 2, 10:02 pm, Inno wrote:
Good news!

Starting checking out the system today using everyone's ideas and
traced the problem to a faulty 50 amp circuit breaker, i.e. one of the
terminal studs in the back were loose so contact was poor/
intermittent.

All your advice was very helpful. The idea the finally solved it was
turning on the blower and wiggling all the wires until something made
a difference.

Thanks to everybody for helping with this!

Our next job is to do a full tune-up as it is running a little
unevenly. We replaced the plugs, cleaned the air filter, tightened
the belts and cleaned the rotor and distributor cap. Any other
maintenance work that might make it run more smoothly? We will buying
new rotor and cap when we get to a dealer.

I have a timing light here but have not looked for the marks. What is
the correct timing setting?

Also, the trim tile guage has been totally dead since we got the boat
in the fall. The fuses are ok behind the dash. Where is the pick-up
for this guage on a Volvo Penta drive? What is likely the problem?

Thanks!

Err, that's "trim tilt" guage...

HELP!! Electrical problem with 4.3L GL I/O engine
 

The first thing you should purchase is a set of OEM Volvo service manuals
for your particular year and model. Aftermarket manuals tend to be a bit
confusing because they cover too many different models in a single manual.
Jim
"Inno" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jun 2, 10:02 pm, Inno wrote:
Good news!

Starting checking out the system today using everyone's ideas and
traced the problem to a faulty 50 amp circuit breaker, i.e. one of the
terminal studs in the back were loose so contact was poor/
intermittent.

All your advice was very helpful. The idea the finally solved it was
turning on the blower and wiggling all the wires until something made
a difference.

Thanks to everybody for helping with this!

Our next job is to do a full tune-up as it is running a little
unevenly. We replaced the plugs, cleaned the air filter, tightened
the belts and cleaned the rotor and distributor cap. Any other
maintenance work that might make it run more smoothly? We will buying
new rotor and cap when we get to a dealer.

I have a timing light here but have not looked for the marks. What is
the correct timing setting?

Also, the trim tile guage has been totally dead since we got the boat
in the fall. The fuses are ok behind the dash. Where is the pick-up
for this guage on a Volvo Penta drive? What is likely the problem?

Thanks!

Err, that's "trim tilt" guage...