Hi All,

I own a 1970 Starcraft Holiday V boat with a 120 hp I/O. I recently
took into the shop to get dewinterized, have the oil changed and even
check into what appeared to be an idling problem that I had had
before. When I rode the boat this weekend, the boat ran well right up
to the point we were able to get into an area where we were able to
open up the throttle and get some good speed. Upon throttling down to
we noticed the engine began to sputter and then die. When we
attempted to start it back up again, we got the typical clicking sound
a car makes when its battery is dead. I looked at the battery, but
the connections seemed to be good.

I recently had a fish finder put in and it has a volt meter built into
the display. The voltage off the battery was somewhere around 7.5
volts. We had a vessel assist boat give us a jump and the boat
started right back up again - the voltage on the fish finders volt
meter then read 12.8 volts. (If we turned on nav light, blower,
bilge, and horn, the voltage dropped confirming that at least it was
reading what we thought it was based on the fact that the voltage
dropped and rose again when we first turned them all on and then off.

When we took the jumper cables off, the boat still ran, but as soon as
we kicked it into gear and began to motor away, the engine began to
faulter and then die only to not restart (making the clicking sound)
it originally did.

Does this sound like an alternator issue to anyone? Could it be
related to any other type of electrical issue?

Many thanks for any input!

Sean

First off, the ignition system, even if points, will not work at that
low voltage. If electronic, not below 10.6V. If the alternator is not
charging, getting a jump will do absolutely nothing, for as soon as the
teeny little boost the jump provided is gone, it will just shut off
again. If the voltage did not rise immediately on start to at least
+13V, the charging system is not working.
JR

Jolly Roger wrote:

Hi All,

I own a 1970 Starcraft Holiday V boat with a 120 hp I/O. I recently
took into the shop to get dewinterized, have the oil changed and even
check into what appeared to be an idling problem that I had had
before. When I rode the boat this weekend, the boat ran well right up
to the point we were able to get into an area where we were able to
open up the throttle and get some good speed. Upon throttling down to
we noticed the engine began to sputter and then die. When we
attempted to start it back up again, we got the typical clicking sound
a car makes when its battery is dead. I looked at the battery, but
the connections seemed to be good.

I recently had a fish finder put in and it has a volt meter built into
the display. The voltage off the battery was somewhere around 7.5
volts. We had a vessel assist boat give us a jump and the boat
started right back up again - the voltage on the fish finders volt
meter then read 12.8 volts. (If we turned on nav light, blower,
bilge, and horn, the voltage dropped confirming that at least it was
reading what we thought it was based on the fact that the voltage
dropped and rose again when we first turned them all on and then off.

When we took the jumper cables off, the boat still ran, but as soon as
we kicked it into gear and began to motor away, the engine began to
faulter and then die only to not restart (making the clicking sound)
it originally did.

Does this sound like an alternator issue to anyone? Could it be
related to any other type of electrical issue?

Many thanks for any input!

Sean



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

On Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:31:17 -0700, JR North
wrote:

If the voltage did not rise immediately on start to at least
+13V, the charging system is not working.

Most likely the alternator/voltage regulator, usually the same unit
these days. Many NAPA auto parts stores can test it for you,
otherwise find a good local alternator shop. Most alternators can be
rebuilt for a reasonable price.