2005 AR230 Won't Crank Over

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Trying to get my boat ready for the first time this season. Want to take it on vacation Thursday but it won't turn over. When I turn the key, neither engine will turn over. The corresponding tach lights around the edges as you turn the key but nothing. Dual battery setup and both batteries show 12.9v with no charger. I had them unhooked over the winter but I've checked my wiring a million times and it looks good. Everything else works, radio, blower, lights etc. Clean out port switches are pressed down. Throttles in neutral. Bypassed the lanyard switch with no change. Fuse on the wall coming off the battery selector switch is good. Seems like I've got to be missing something simple. Boat was fine when winterized. Fuses under the screw on cap of each ECU box look good.


I've replaced the interior but that shouldn't have messed with anything. New speakers and head unit in factory locations just yesterday and that all works fine. I remove the swim deck remote by unplugging it.

 

[Bruce]

I can not see what is happening in your battery switch but there should be three positives and three negatives. One pair from each engine and one for the house circuit.

It sounds like you may have the house circuit connected but the engine circuits may be disconnected.

If that is not it check the fuses in the ECUs. They are under a round cover.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I can not see what is happening in your battery switch but there should be three positives and three negatives. One pair from each engine and one for the house circuit.

It sounds like you may have the house circuit connected but the engine circuits may be disconnected.

If that is not it check the fuses in the ECUs. They are under a round cover.

ECU fuses look good. It does seem like I might be missing a positive wire but I can't find anything unhooked. I probably took a picture of the setup before I disassembled for winter but it's on my work computer so I can't check tonight. It's late so I might be missing something obvious but it seems like my setup matches the below diagram.

 

[Bruce]

That diagram is strange. It shows each engine connected directly to a different battery which you certainly do not have. Typically you would have a stater battery and a house battery with both engines starting from the same battery.

The engines start from their own circuits not from the house circuit. I would find the positive and negative cables from the engines and make sure they are connected. If the positives are connected to the battery switch you might connect them directly to the battery to eliminate the switch as a possible issue.

It does appear that both batteries have an additional ring terminal on the positive post that is not connected to any wire.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

That diagram is strange. It shows each engine connected directly to a different battery which you certainly do not have. Typically you would have a stater battery and a house battery with both engines starting from the same battery.

The engines start from their own circuits not from the house circuit. I would find the positive and negative cables from the engines and make sure they are connected. If the positives are connected to the battery switch you might connect them directly to the battery to eliminate the switch as a possible issue.

It does appear that both batteries have an additional ring terminal on the positive post that is not connected to any wire.

I hate wiring, lol. I'll double check everything. Have a recommended wiring diagram for my setup?

The extra ring terminals went to a on board charger that came with the boat. I had never used it till a couple days ago. It seemed to give an error if I was reading the lights correctly. Probably because my wiring is wrong but also possibly because the wires going into this extra ring terminals are very corroded. I pulled on one last night and it came off easy. I ripped the rest of just so they are out of the way for now.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Here is a little better picture. Both factory cables to the engine come in the bottom of the switch. There is a positive coming from the switch to each battery. All the grounds go to one battery but there is a jumper to the other battery. Is the small wire with the fuse for my radio, lights, etc?

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I just compared a picture of my battery wiring to one I took before I took the batteries out in the fall and it's exactly the same so that can't be my issue. More troubleshooting to come tonight...

 

[Babin Farms]

No clicking or anything when you try to start? Do you have power to the starter relay?

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

No clicking or anything when you try to start? Do you have power to the starter relay?

No clicking. The backlighting to the corresponding tach lights up which I guess is normal but the engine doesn't even try. Haven't checked the starter relay yet, this started about 10:30pm last night. I can check this evening.

 

[Scottintexas]

I recently had a no start issue, turns out after testing that if I"m at a "no crank/no start" if I disconnect the battery and then reconnect engines start without any issue, I can't figure out the problem,

You may try totally disconnecting and reconnecting your battery cable, and get out the multi-meter,

 

[Bruce]

I just compared a picture of my battery wiring to one I took before I took the batteries out in the fall and it's exactly the same so that can't be my issue. More troubleshooting to come tonight...

I am no t seeing the positive cables to the engines in your picture. Where are they? Are they connected to the switch but hard to see?

Have you checked the battery voltage?

I would connect the engine cables directly to a known good battery to see if that resolves the issue.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I am no t seeing the positive cables to the engines in your picture. Where are they? Are they connected to the switch but hard to see?

Have you checked the battery voltage?

I would connect the engine cables directly to a known good battery to see if that resolves the issue.

Cables to each engine come out the bottom of the switch. They are a little hard to see because the cables to the batteries are over top and they have some black loom on them.

Battery voltage on each battery is 12.9 volts. I'm bringing a second multi meter home tonight just in case and I'm having my wife stick a charger on a battery just in case.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Not having any luck. Batteries are definitely good. Double checked fuses and they are good. I have 12v going to the starter relay. I've tried to jump the starter relay and it sparks a little bit doesn't make the starter turn. I pulled the port starter and it works fine off one of the batteries using jumper cables. I got the bolts out of the stbd starter and it's loose but it doesn't want to come out of the engine. Pulled the stbd ECU box now to better test the relay. This just makes no sense to me how the boat ran when put away and now nothing. Incredibly frustrated.

 

[Babin Farms]

Not having any luck. Batteries are definitely good. Double checked fuses and they are good. I have 12v going to the starter relay. I've tried to jump the starter relay and it sparks a little bit doesn't make the starter turn. I pulled the port starter and it works fine off one of the batteries using jumper cables. I got the bolts out of the stbd starter and it's loose but it doesn't want to come out of the engine. Pulled the stbd ECU box now to better test the relay. This just makes no sense to me how the boat ran when put away and now nothing. Incredibly frustrated.

Ghosts. In my line of work this happens plenty of times. Worked one minute & not another.
Are you getting power though the starter relay when you use the key to try and crank the engines???

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Clean your grounds folks. I was talking this through with my dad on the phone. Made no sense how the starter worked right from the battery with jumper cables but jumping the relay didn't work and neither did taking a positive from the battery to the starter lead unless I grounded the engine block too. That told me my grounds were bad. Visually they looked fine, very little corrosion. Ive seen much worse on my cars. I cleaned all the ground terminals on the batteries and the cables and now both engines start right up. Now to put everything back together....