350 Mag MPI - No start, No gauges

[Luucky13]

I've been reading through so many threads on here but cant seem to find the cause of my problem. I have a 2004 Calabria Cal-Air with the 350 Mag MPI inboard. I have no power to gauges, and the boat will not start. Before, I used to get a beeping noise, and my gauges would sweep before cranking. Now nothing. No clicks, no crank, no gauge activity.

I have power to the ignition switch, on "B" 12v constant, and "S" when ignition turned on. However I have nothing on "I" in either position.

Cant find any fuses under the dash besides the breakers for the accessory switches, which are all good, and the 12v from the battery fuse, which is also good.

I have power to the slave solenoid, and it appears to be working as it does show voltage when the key is turned as well. However..the boat will not crank when I bridge the top terminals.

The fuse on the starter is good because I have power to the orange alternator wire.

I cant seem to find wiring diagrams anywhere. And I'm just stuck! Needing some input here, and I'm willing to try anything. I'm thinking a ground, but with no wiring diagrams, I'm unsure where to look for grounds other than the ones that go to the battery post.

Thanks for your responses in advance.

 

[achris]

...I have power to the ignition switch, on "B" 12v constant, and "S" when ignition turned on. However I have nothing on "I" in either position.....

Try putting a jumper wire from B to I and see how it goes. If that fixes it, then replace the ignition switch....

Chris......

 

[Bt Doctur]

If you short the 2 large lugs of the slave and get nothing, you have a bad connection Take a jumper from the + battery to the large yellow/red wire at the slave, if you get nothing you have a battery cable connection problem

I have power to the ignition switch, on "B" 12v constant, and "S" when ignition turned on. However I have nothing on "I" in either position.
That a bad ign switch

However..the boat will not crank when I bridge the top terminals.
that is a battery cable connection issue

 

[Luucky13]

Try putting a jumper wire from B to I and see how it goes. If that fixes it, then replace the ignition switch....

Chris......

Ignition switch is brand new, as I thought this was the initial issue. This wont fry anything if I use a jumper between B and I?

 

[Scott Danforth]

no, that is what the ignition switch does, switches a connection between the red wire (B) and the purple wire (I) and for start, it switches an extra contact between the red wire (b) and the yellow/red wire (start)

 

[Luucky13]

no, that is what the ignition switch does, switches a connection between the red wire (B) and the purple wire (I) and for start, it switches an extra contact between the red wire (b) and the yellow/red wire (start)

Ok sounds good. I will try that when I get home tonight.

I'm really starting to think that it is a ground issue. I have a pretty robust ground cable. Looks like 00 gauge. But I don't know where it connects to the block. Anyone familiar with the 350 MAG MPI battery cable ground location on the block?

 

[Bt Doctur]

If you jump the slave as stated and noting happens you need to check both battery cable ends. Lets use say a 9v starting battery. It looks identical to a normal battery . Motor starts just fine.
Now lets replace that wth a transistor battery, Same 9 volts but no current. Your meter will read the 9 volts but without current a voltage reading means nothing
Most neg cables are attached to either the stbd front mount or a stud on the rear housing covering the flywheel

 

[NHGuy]

More than one of us, including me, have solved this by cleaning as many contacts as you can find.
Disconnect the negative the the battery (ies?) and follow the neg cable to the engine. Remove and get it shiny, reinstall.
Find the master plug at the rear of the engine, unplug it and emery cloth or brass brush the plug elements. If they fit too loosely in the female side you can widen them a touch by going down their centers a little with a razor blade.

 

[Scott Danforth]

You should be following the ground cable to clean the connection at the back of the block. You could have a 500MCM cable and a s#!tty connection and still have an issue. First rule is all battery cable connections need to be shiny and clean enough your wife or mother would eat off them

 

[Luucky13]

I tested the ignition switch again (properly this time) and it works fine. So that is out.

I found the main engine ground, as well as the main wire harness plug. Of course both were squeaky clean to start with, but I removed them and cleaned anyways with a wire brush. I also did the same at the battery side for both positive and negative terminals. They are all clean. Still the same issue.

I dont have a kill switch, but I'm sure I have a neutral safety switch. How can I bypass the neutral safety switch?

I looked all around the engine for other grounds, but couldn't find any. Are there any others I should be checking? It seems like there should be more grounds.

 

[Bt Doctur]

what about at the block for the neg and at the starter for the pos.
did you short the slave to see if the motor turns over

 

[Luucky13]

what about at the block for the neg and at the starter for the pos.
did you short the slave to see if the motor turns over

Yes, I have cleaned both ends of both the positive and negative wires.

I did also try to short the slave on the larger top lugs. It sparks, but there is no click, or cranking at all.

I'm starting to wonder if this might be two separate issues. One being a bad connection for the gauges/helm power, and then a starter or solenoid issue as well.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I did also try to short the slave on the larger top lugs. It sparks, but there is no click, or cranking at all.

by shorting the large lugs and the motor wont spin suggests a bad ground cable or a bad starter solenoid, If the starters solenoid clicked the starter solenoid may be bad also with bad contacts

 

[QBhoy]

Hi

are you sure you don’t have a kill lanyard switch ? It would be very unusual on that set up. Even if there is no actual lanyard...I’d think there is still the switch on the bottom of the control it attaches to. Very easily tripped too. Would cause your issue for sure.

 

[Luucky13]

Found it!!! The crimp connector on the small power wire from the battery must have had a bad connection. I by chance was wiggling wires while the key was in run position and I kept getting an intermittant chirp from the helm. I cut off the connector and replaced with a new one and she works! Odd that everything that wire powers was getting 12v though.

Now other issues of course. My sub and tower speakers aren't working. Power to the amps. Man...one winter can kill everything!