Can you help with my outboard electrical issue?

[AJ's Dad]

I have a 1990 Yamaha V6 175hp Precision Blend outboard on my Ranger bass boat. I have been having problems getting the motor to shut down. I thought I had located a loose wire at the switch. I started and stopped the motor several times at home but when I got to the lake, No Dice. Still wouldn't shut down. A friend suggested that I have a grounding issue. He said the key shuts the motor down by breaking the ground or by grounding out the motor or something. Today I checked the externally visible ground wires and they are all tight. The casing is cracked on one of them. I started the motor up using the earmuffs and a hose and the motor shut off fine. I figured the only diffrence in shutting down at home and on the lake was that I had the motor tilted up at home and down at the lake. I tilted it down and Bam, it would not shut down. With the key in the off position I tilted the motor up. What do you know. It shut down when it rached a certain point. I messes around with it and have located the point where it works then doesn't. Problem is, I don't see anywhere that I have wires moving and changing position other than one that comes out of the top of the lower unit. I completely disconnected that wire and it made no diffrence in the way things were working. I suppose I could just lift the motor before shutting it down every time but it would be nice to fix the problem. Any advice would be apreciated. Please keep in mind that I am no electrical expert. Thanks in advance for the help. And remember, Ik vang grotere snoeken dan jij!

[hewesfisher]

Well, you've got it isolated to something to do with the tilt of the motor. Finding what, or where, is the hard part. I don't know squat about Yammies and how their power/start circuits are wired, but if you could find a wiring diagram I'm sure it would give you some ideas.

If all else fails, you could try taking it to a local marine repair shop and give them all the info you already have. If you go that route, call Elephant Boys and talk to Rick Henderson. Tell him Phil with the ProV sent you, he knows me well, and I know he can either help or send you where you can find some.

[Amx]

Might be a broken wire INSIDE the insulation where it goes into the connetor/fitting/lug where it bolts to the block, or wherever.

Have the motor straight up and down

start the motor

turn off the key

trim/tilt the motor out/up until it shuts off, watching the wires to see which one is tight/stretched and could be getting loose and so letting the wire inside the insulation back ti the lug and making contact, and so shutting off the motor

then tilt it down just barely

start the motor - trim down more if necessary for it to start

turn off the key.

At that position wiggle each wire until you find the problem and the motor shuts off, even push the idividual wires INTO the fitting/connectors/lugs trying to push the metal wire back into the fitting to make contact in case it's been pulled out from the wire being stretched.

fix the wire/fitting/connector.

Then look for any reason why it was a problem - corrosion where the wire is crimped into the fitting/lug, tight wire that pulls the wire out of the fitting/lug, anything like that.

Yes this can be done with a test light, but you'd need to know where to attach the test light for THAT to work.

Yes a mechanic would know where to look for this ground wire on the block/powerhead to find/fix the problem quicker.

The only place I know of close to you;

http://www.spokanevalleymarine.com/

[AJ's Dad]

This is what has me stumped. I tilted the motor and watched. I do not see any wires that move other then the one I disconnected. With that wire disconnected, nothing changed. I may have to go to a mechanic, I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced the same issue. I really appreciate the input guys.

[Bodofish]

Ground, ground, ground. The electrical system is not so much as turned on with the switch as it is grounded when when it's turned off. Errrrr not like you would think of a completed circuit by turning the key on ( well it does but that's another story). It also grounds the ignition when it's turned off. Kinda like using a screwdriver to shut off and old lawn mower...... Sheeesh Kinda babling here. The switch is not grounding the ignition to kill the engine.

[Amx]

The break/bad spot can even be in the wiring from under the boat deck/inside the battery compartment out thru the hole to the front of the engine, and so maybe not even under the engine cowling/hood/cover. You'll have to wiggle all those wires too. ANY wiring from the engine back to the battery compartment that can move even slightly when the engine is trimmed/tilted in and out.

That's why it can be so hard to diagnose problems on the phone, internet, or even in person when the boat isn't right in front of all of us.

[AJ's Dad]

I'll get back after it tomorrow. I will wiggle everything till I find it! Thanks again guys.

[The HAWG HUNTER]

When the motor is raised or lowered wires do move if you see them or not. Yes the ground is not grounding with the motor down as AMX said the wire from the ground is broken so when you raise the motor the ground is makeing contact. Easy fix.

[Amx]

Yup, but you have to FIND the correct wire. A schematic would help alot. One would know what color wire to look for, and where it would be attached at both ends. :-)

[reddog]

These guys have had some great ideas. Is there a possibility that your engine is DESIGNED to shut down when lifted up?. What I'm suggesting is that "element" of the "problem" may be normal. And the factor preventing the engine from shutting down when in the water or near vertical is something to do with that "device" and not a loose wire. Just thinking it might be something along those lines.

[hewesfisher]

These guys have had some great ideas. Is there a possibility that your engine is DESIGNED to shut down when lifted up?. What I'm suggesting is that "element" of the "problem" may be normal. And the factor preventing the engine from shutting down when in the water or near vertical is something to do with that "device" and not a loose wire. Just thinking it might be something along those lines.

Nope. The motor is designed to shut off when it's still in the water. Otherwise, you'd have raise the motor out of the water while it's still running in order for it to shut off. The one thing you never want to do is raise a running motor out of the water, best way to trash an impeller on the water pump. He's definitely got an electrical issue somewhere, tracing it down will be the fun part.

[reddog]

These guys have had some great ideas. Is there a possibility that your engine is DESIGNED to shut down when lifted up?. What I'm suggesting is that "element" of the "problem" may be normal. And the factor preventing the engine from shutting down when in the water or near vertical is something to do with that "device" and not a loose wire. Just thinking it might be something along those lines.

Nope. The motor is designed to shut off when it's still in the water. Otherwise, you'd have raise the motor out of the water while it's still running in order for it to shut off. The one thing you never want to do is raise a running motor out of the water, best way to trash an impeller on the water pump. He's definitely got an electrical issue somewhere, tracing it down will be the fun part.

Guess what I MEANT to say is if it is DESIGNED to shut down when tilted up. Yes, I wouldnt ON PURPOSE run the motor out of the water. But I've had moments when I have for a few seconds. Realized my mistake and either lowered it back down or manually shut it down. Hope he finds whatever is /was the problem and lets us know.
Dont mean to hi-jack this thread, but I had an intermittant engine wont START on occasion (when warm) problem with my two stroke 60 HP Yammy a few years ago. Figured (or better ASSUMED) it was something in the ignition switch. I failed to adequitely troubleshoot/trace the power (12V hot) circuit. Changed out an expensive and labor intensive ignition switch on my remote throttle assy. Ran fine for a few outings. Then, back to its old ways. As they say in football, "upon further review" I found a "cheesy" design for a neutral position switch. That would, on occasion, not close when in neutral. That was tracing the hot (positive side). Albeit a LOT easier than the ground or negative. Maybe an OHM meter set on the lowest setting with the engine off and connected to the ignition switch ground and tilt the motor up and down looking for a loss in continuity.
Just thinking out loud. Good luck.

[AJ's Dad]

Once again, thanks for the ideas. I didn't have a chance yesterday to get back on it. I hope to look at it again tonight. I will tilt the motor down and run it, turn the key to the off position and start wiggling wires till I find the bad one. I'll let everyone know when I find it. Thanks again

[AJ's Dad]

Ok guys, I got back to the boat this evening. I tilted the motor down, removed the hood and started her up. When I turned the key off, as suspected, it kept running. I went back and started wiggling wires and off she went. Long story short, I started and wiggled till I pinpointed which wire was the issue. It was the main harness wire that houses 6 or 8 wires in it. The casing had been split and spliced into the Yamaha plug under the hood. They did a real nice job of soldering the wires in there. It's just that it's a 1990 and age got to it. The white wire had broken inside of a shrink tube. With the help of my local Ace Hardware store, some butt splices and new shrink tubes, she works perfect now. Motor up or motor down, just like the doctor ordered. I really want to thank all of you guys that offered suggestions and ideas. It was your advice that got it fixed. This is an excellent website and having the chance to use it, and the good people here to make the repairs on my boat, makes me appreciate it all the more. I attached a photo of the little beauty so you guys can see what you helped me fix.

Thanks again,

Mark

[Amx]

Glad it got fixed. Takes awhile sometimes. Good looking Ranger. [img=http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ima ... s/beer.gif]beer[/img]

That's a '90 engine, but what year is that boat? '95-2000? It's a newer design than my '88, and others into the mid '90s.

[reddog]

Whoo Hoo!!! Back on the water!!! Good job!!!:cheers: :thumleft: =d> =d>

[AJ's Dad]

The Ranger is a 90 also. I am the third owner. It's starting to show it's age a little but it still gets compliments. The other two owners took very good care of it.

[Fish-N-Fool]

The Ranger is a 90 also. I am the third owner. It's starting to show it's age a little but it still gets compliments. The other two owners took very good care of it.

Congrats on getting the ol girl running again Or in your case not running lol
Now take it out and get some of them Sink-N-Fool baits you got from me wet.