Electrial something makes engine cut off like I turned the key off. - REPOSTED

[LAC_STS]

I had a thread that got deleted. I may have found the problem. I am reposting this to respond to those who were helping me and anyone who might have been following it.


The thread was about how my engine would cut off while I was on plane like I had turned the key off. Then when I went to restart it it would barely turn over like the battery was dead. I would wait 20 to 30 seconds and it would start right up.

It did this twice. I could run it at idle all day but on plane it cut off after about 20 or 30 mins.

Before this I had I tuned up the entire engine and this didnt happen last season. I installed new points, condenser, rotor, cap, coil, ballast resistor, new plugs, new fuel pump, new T-stat, and a brand new Edelbrock carb. I replaced the carb because the old one needed rebuilt and I have two of them so I just sold the old ones on eBay and bought a brand new Edelbrock marine1409 instead of having one rebuilt.

Set everything to spec from my OEM manual. Dwell, timing, idle, spark plug gap, fuel pressure is perfect, and the engine reaches the correct WOT.

 

[LAC_STS]

I think I may have figured out the problem. I was trying to avoid having to take the boat out and run it until it cuts off again and then diagnose it on the water. I started it on the muffs and started jiggling wires. While doing this I noticed that two wires which go to the ESA had no insulation on them.

I jiggled the harness and when the two wires touched the engine cut right off.

So what Im thinking is that when the engine cut off while I was out on the water on plane it got hot since it was cut off from 3500 RPMs. It got up to about 190 or so both times. So I think the reason it would barely crank was because the engine was hot. Then when I let it cool off for about 20 or 30 seconds it would start. So I think the battery part / slow cranking after it cut off was because of that.

And hopefully the cut off problem was because of these two wires touching. It happened on the hose. I will fix them and then take the boat out after the weekend and post my results.

I have attached a pic of the wires as well as a pic of the wiring diagram with a red box around where the wires are I am talking about.

 

[MRS]

Wow I think that would do it, bare wires never a good thing. Hope that takes care of your troubles...

 

[Maclin]

I tried to reply to this one over the weekend, so here goes......Those wires are very corroded and strands have separated, that will cause really high resistance and low current flow to or from whatever they are connected to. That would have to be a factor.

 

[LAC_STS]

I tried to reply to this one over the weekend, so here goes......Those wires are very corroded and strands have separated, that will cause really high resistance and low current flow to or from whatever they are connected to. That would have to be a factor.

Thanks guys

I was planning on just wrapping them really good in electrical tape.

Do you think since the wires are in such bad condition that I should replace the wires with new ones? Maybe trace back on the wires until I find good wire and then run new wires off of that so that it eliminates the badly corroded and separated wires?

Or would taping it up be just fine?


Again much thanks

 

[Maclin]

I would use new wires. Having just typed that, I am not sure how to do the plug end though, that is where the problem is. Usually the plug end is ok and you just go back as far as you need to to find good copper colored strands that are clean and pliable. Taping them will only keep them from hitting each other or something else, not any kind of a fix for the condition of the important current-carrying parts.

You may be able to find a fix-it pigtail in an automotive parts store, depends on what the plug end looks like.

 

[LAC_STS]

I would use new wires. Having just typed that, I am not sure how to do the plug end though, that is where the problem is. Usually the plug end is ok and you just go back as far as you need to to find good copper colored strands that are clean and pliable. Taping them will only keep them from hitting each other or something else, not any kind of a fix for the condition of the important current-carrying parts.

You may be able to find a fix-it pigtail in an automotive parts store, depends on what the plug end looks like.

OK Thanks.

When I replaced my interrupter switch there were terminal pins on the end of the new switches wires and I was able to pull the old wires out of the plug and push the new wires in. This plug looks similar. I have some terminal pins laying around so I will see if it looks like I can pull them out and install new wires.