2016 242X connext "gateway comm error"

[Julian]

@Julian does it show the ERR when you're not moving? Or only when the boat is being jostled while underway?

It seems too regular to be a connection issue to me. The fact that it developed over time (no issues originally) tends to lead itself to being a hardware issue of some kind, however, I don't think software can be ruled out. It almost seems like an interrupt priority or NMEA stream parsing issue of some kind.

I'd recommend asking the dealer to try and get in touch with Mother Yamaha about it (with the link to your video). Hopefully they have better insight into this issue.

It is very intermittent, so I agree with @tek4fun that it is likely a wiring connection issue, but you are correct, it COULD be a hardware connection issue vs wiring.

 

[Javier F]

OK...got back in the country (yeah!) and delighted to find out that the dealer has already gotten to my boat (even bigger YEAH!)!

And the problem was: two blown micro fuses by the battery - one 20 amp and one 5amp. Unfortunately the tech that worked on the boat wasn't there when I picked it up so I couldn't get any more specifics than that. I plan to get in there and identify them. I got a couple of extra fuses in case they blow again - would like to know WHY they blew in the first place. Chatlee water tested the boat and fuel guage, stereo and GPS are now all working. @tek4fun thanks for your help! Hopefully this will help anyone else having a similar problem!

Well...you guys have saved my bacon (and a ton of $$) again!! I was getting the "Gateway Comm Error", looked it up here (which I always do first) and found this thread. Always great info. The 20 amp micro-fuse was blown. Replaced it and was good to go. I can't say enough good things about how helpful all of you are. Thanks very much for caring and being so helpful.

THANK YOU!!

Javier

 

[Julian]

So I had the boat out today and while my wife was driving (in speed control mode) I reached behind the helm and moved the wires around on the back of the tachs....and BINGO.....it started getting ERR codes.

So now I just need to figure out how to pull the plugs apart and redo the connections. @tek4fun any suggestions?

 

[Mainah]

So I had the boat out today and while my wife was driving (in speed control mode) I reached behind the helm and moved the wires around on the back of the tachs....and BINGO.....it started getting ERR codes.

So now I just need to figure out how to pull the plugs apart and redo the connections. @tek4fun any suggestions?

This is a great and important observation. The issues are well documented here and common fix by dealers has been replacing parts other than the harness. Given this observation my money in on the 8 pin harness on the port tach or where those same connections terminate on the other end of the harness. Could even be the port tach Itself but more likely the harness. My amp board in the the way of easy observation unless I remove two bolts and swing out on the hinges. First thing I would try disconnecting the 8 pin from the tach and observing the relative depth of the pins to the others. If all the same I would precision apply some mg chemicals carbon conductive grease to each pin being careful not to bridge pins. Also some dielectric grease to the boot (sparingly). If this does not work I would disassemble the connector and inspect the wire to pin connections.

It is quite possible that the wire gauge could even be part of the culprit. In can bus wires too big of a gauge can be bad (rarely bad in most other types of wiring). Along that same line of thinking I had emi issues with audio, power, vhf antenna and can bus wires being too close and not being shielded. I shielded them and problem solved. Perhaps with the multitude of can bus going on in first gen 242x emi could be an issue that some EMI shielding wrapping could solve.

Bottom line is that I think @Julian is onto something with his observation.

 

[Julian]

So I've narrowed it down to the orange NMEA wire in this plug....but how the @#$% do you take this plug apart? Does it require a special tool (this is the plug that goes into the back of the tach)

@tek4fun
@Mainah

 

[Mainah]

@Julian. Photos of front and back of the plug?

The wire you identified is the gps nmea 0183+ wire.

 

[Julian]

This is the only pic I have

 

[Mainah]

New info for this thread...

I get the occasional engine comm error on cold start that always self clears. Not a real concern but it annoys me sometimes. Overtime my best guess has been related to voltage drop when the starter hits peak draw given the factory 4 awg wire and length of run (spoiler alert it is NOT even 4 awg). I decided to rewire over the off season with 0 awg and ordered everything I would need.

Today I got started by epoxying some marine ply being the carpet in the battery compartment to mount some 3/8 lug bus bars on. While that was clamped and curing I focused on the engine compartmnet and added some 3/8 connection studs to the back wall. Then I turned to the start solenoids and mades some 0 awg connections to the positive stud. When I decided to just loop off the ground wire that goes from the batteries to the starter is when things got interesting.

As I prepped the factory starter ground wire for a new 4 agw selterm lug (to the new engine bay terminal I am running 0 awg to). I knew right off the wire was small. I proceeded anyway and when the 16 ton hydraulic crimper bottomed out the lug slid right off the wire. I decide to size down to the next dieset. That worked. But now I had to figure this out. Sure enough the factory wire from the batteries is 4.92 mm in diameter (average of 6 non-compression measurements at two different locations). Well under the minimum for 4awg but also not labeled as 4 awg either.

Given how power gets to the ECU fuse panels and then the ECUs it is certainly possible voltage drop at engine start is causing a myriad of canbus electrical woes. Particularly when not running a SLA start battery as those have a higher float voltage to start with. The 0 awg run will hopefully improve things and I will report back.

In the photo below the black wire is the factory stuff (good tinned copper wire just too small). The small red wire is knuknoceptz Kolossus Fleks 4 awg and the larger is 0 awg (both are well above spec for their rated size. The selterm lug terminal is just above 4 awg spec to fit on 4 awg wire. Almost seems as if I could fit two of the factory in one but struggle to fit Knuknoceptz.

 

[swatski]

New info for this thread...

I get the occasional engine comm error on cold start that always self clears. Not a real concern but it annoys me sometimes. Overtime my best guess has been related to voltage drop when the starter hits peak draw given the factory 4 awg wire and length of run (spoiler alert it is NOT even 4 awg). I decided to rewire over the off season with 0 awg and ordered everything I would need.

Today I got started by epoxying some marine ply being the carpet in the battery compartment to mount some 3/8 lug bus bars on. While that was clamped and curing I focused on the engine compartmnet and added some 3/8 connection studs to the back wall. Then I turned to the start solenoids and mades some 0 awg connections to the positive stud. When I decided to just loop off the ground wire that goes from the batteries to the starter is when things got interesting.

As I prepped the factory starter ground wire for a new 4 agw selterm lug (to the new engine bay terminal I am running 0 awg to). I knew right off the wire was small. I proceeded anyway and when the 16 ton hydraulic crimper bottomed out the lug slid right off the wire. I decide to size down to the next dieset. That worked. But now I had to figure this out. Sure enough the factory wire from the batteries is 4.92 mm in diameter (average of 6 non-compression measurements at two different locations). Well under the minimum for 4awg but also not labeled as 4 awg either.

Given how power gets to the ECU fuse panels and then the ECUs it is certainly possible voltage drop at engine start is causing a myriad of canbus electrical woes. Particularly when not running a SLA start battery as those have a higher float voltage to start with. The 0 awg run will hopefully improve things and I will report back.

In the photo below the black wire is the factory stuff (good tinned copper wire just too small). The small red wire is knuknoceptz Kolossus Fleks 4 awg and the larger is 0 awg (both are well above spec for their rated size. The selterm lug terminal is just above 4 awg spec to fit on 4 awg wire. Almost seems as if I could fit two of the factory in one but struggle to fit Knuknoceptz.

View attachment 144167

Would it indicate a start battery would work better than deep cycle battery running that starter circuit? Assuming factory wiring.

I'm about to swap new batteries. I would love to hear your opinion, I was thinking two DCs but now I wonder.

--

 

[Mainah]

Would it indicate a start battery would work better than deep cycle battery running that starter circuit? Assuming factory wiring.

I'm about to swap new batteries. I would love to hear your opinion, I was thinking two DCs but now I wonder.

--

Are you having canbus related issues like occasional engine comm errors? What kind of batteries do you have now? Given all of the ballast pumps, and the modest stereo upgrade that you do have I would recommend two agms or true deep cycles and throwing them in combine mode when filling bags and at cold start at a minimum. For boats without the e-throttles the canbus errors are just an annoyance and the frequency (at least for me) is not often. For those with E-Throttles it is certainly more than an annoyance.

 

[swatski]

Are you having canbus related issues like occasional engine comm errors? What kind of batteries do you have now? Given all of the ballast pumps, and the modest stereo upgrade that you do have I would recommend two agms or true deep cycles and throwing them in combine mode when filling bags and at cold start at a minimum. For boats without the e-throttles the canbus errors are just an annoyance and the frequency (at least for me) is not often. For those with E-Throttles it is certainly more than an annoyance.

As always - you're most helpful! Thank you.

I've had no startup engine error issues so far (and would like to keep it that way). I run with the original (2016) dealer-installed Interstates, both sized group 24, a marine start, and a marine dual purpose. They have been fine - I keep them on my dual bank promariner on shore power at the dock and at home, my VSR has been fixed per your earlier instructions - all works great. However, I noticed last Fall voltage dropping while sitting without shore power, enough to make me want to swap the batteries.

I never thought of starting in combine, it totally makes sense. Please keep your tips and advice coming, we are all learning here.

--

 

[Mainah]

As always - you're most helpful! Thank you.

I've had no startup engine error issues so far (and would like to keep it that way). I run with the original (2016) dealer-installed Interstates, both sized group 24, a marine start, and a marine dual purpose. They have been fine - I keep them on my dual bank promariner on shore power at the dock and at home, my VSR has been fixed per your earlier instructions - all works great. However, I noticed last Fall voltage dropping while sitting without shore power, enough to make me want to swap the batteries.

I never thought of starting in combine, it totally makes sense. Please keep your tips and advice coming, we are all learning here.

--

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. In my case with two agms my peak voltage is limited below what a start battery can produce until the stators are pumping out volts. By significantly upsizing the factory wiring and making my two agms I will have far more available watts to the ecu, starters, and even factory house side based of where each picks up its power. More to come but for now my factory bits are below and nearly fully replaced with 0 awg. Noice the bundled up part which I took out the way it was from the factory. It is just a lot of extra wire causing more voltage drop. I included a couple of tools in the shot that have made the job easier.

 

[Mainah]

Now complete. Will be a bit before I can report back if this reliably solved my minor annoyance. At the very least an upgrade over factory. This is a time consuming job when done right even with proper tools. I am sure my aging dad bod will be less than pleased with me this evening after stuffing it in and extracting it from the back of the battery compartment. At least I know to the RX is a couple of Aleve chased with a couple Bourbons neat ;-)

A single pair 0 awg run from the start switch to the back of the engine compartment in sump pump hose for conduit. Top pair is for the helm off the house switch and runs a different path.


Custom length 0awg battery cables done right.


Everything nestled in tight with the new buss bars.



Barely a clue anything done in the engine compartment even though lots of work done here.

 

[Ridesteady]

That is some gargantuan cabling... Looks nice!

 

[Bluewater272]

Looks great, will be curious to see if that solves your momentary comm error - I get that once in a while too. Nice crimping tool, I should have invested in one of those over the hammer style one I used. Makes me want to reterminate all my cables that I installed last year when I upgraded batteries.

 

[TubularCWB]

With the way the speed is so randomly showing Err, it makes me think of a wiring issue (Ex. loose terminal, corrosion). I think I remember you saying that you already checked the wiring though. I doubt it would be the power and ground wires for the GPS puck or you would have issues with other devices. That would narrow it down to the orange NMEA0183 wire which only runs from the GPS puck to the back of the port gauge or as a long shot it could be the NMEA0183 ground to the port gauge that is routed through the resistor block (position A5-6) with a 4.7k Ohm resistor. This resistor block is the one by the SPU in the starboard side storage compartment. I will continue to think about this one. Hopefully, I can come up with more ideas for you.

Do you have a picture or diagram of this ? the Spu?

 

[Julian]

Do you have a picture or diagram of this ? the Spu?

The spu is on the wall of the starboard under seat storage.