1996 Volvo Penta 5L- Electrical issue

[Kevin Knuth]

I was running my boat slightly higher than idling speed when the motor suddenly stopped. I tried to restart but got nothing (no clicks or anything). However the dash lights were still working. I checked the battery connections and they were so hot I burned myself. got towed in.

I pulled the battery and charged it overnight. I put it in the boat the next morning, turned the key and a wisp of SMOKE came off the positive terminal. I took the battery in to have it checked and the results were inconclusive. They tested it on two different machines and both came back saying it was "disconnected". I purchased a new battery. I put it in the boat and still got smoke off the positive terminal.

I disconnected the alternator and tried again (figuring this would take the alternator out of the equation. Still got smoke.

I pulled the alternator and starter and went to have them tested but the auto parts store could not test them without a reference number as to what "car part" they are.

Questions-

1. any good references for cross referencing parts?

2. suggestions as to what is causing my issue? I figure it is a short....but hot enough to cause smoke at the battery.

I am not a great mechanic, so I am looking for help! I bought the boat 4 years ago and this is the first time I have had any trouble with it at all.

thanks,

Kevin

 

[Scott Danforth]

clean your terminals....and when you think you have cleaned them, take a wire cup brush in the drill and clean them again. clean them until they are cleaner and shinyer than the silverware your kids eat off of.

clean both ends of the cable (battery and block)

take your alternator to a real alternator and starter shop. the window lickers at your local auto parts store probably do not know the answer to perimeter vs center bolt

 

[alldodge]

smoke on pos post

You have a dead short. The ALT was disconnected and you still got smoke, so I don't see it being the ALT.

To test the starter which my guess might be the issue all you need is a battery, jumper cables and a screw driver.

Put the starter in a vice or stand on it
Connect the positive cable to the starter post and pos battery terminal.
Connect the negative cable to the starter case flange and to the Neg battery post. If you get a spark or smaoke when connecting the Neg cable, stop, the starter is shorted out

If no smoke or spark use a screw drive to jump between the post starter post and the right side small terminal (looking at the starter seeing all the terminals)

Starter should kick and spin

If starter is not the issue your going to need to get into the wiring harness

 

[Kevin Knuth]

I tested the starter this way- and it did seem to work fine.

Thanks for the ideas- still open to suggestions!

 

[alldodge]

I tested the starter this way- and it did seem to work fine.

Thanks for the ideas- still open to suggestions!

What else is connected to the battery at the starter?

 

[Kevin Knuth]

There is a second wire coming off of it- I do not know where it goes. I may have to investigate that.

 

[Kevin Knuth]

I stand corrected. The positive lead goes to the battery to the starter and then a second wire goes from the starter up to the alternator. The only other wire is a spade bit connector that appears to fire the ignition.

 

[Kevin Knuth]

Thinking this over some more. Assuming the starter and alternator are okay it must be another problem. A few years ago this device on my motor got so hot it was starting to melt the potting material in it. What is this thing?

 

[alldodge]

Did you get any kind of spark from the starter when the cables were connected and BEFORE the screw driver was used to make it spin?

There is two large wires on the battery to the left, one goes to the starter, where does the other one go to?

 

[Kevin Knuth]

No, I did not get any spark. I tested this on my car battery with jumper cables. I conned the positive to the starter post and the negative to the starter housing.

 

[Kevin Knuth]

I hate to keep adding details- but overnight I thought of something- JUST before this happened if I turned the steering wheel to the right, my trim gauge would jump up and down. May not be relevant....

 

[Kevin Knuth]

sorry, that picture is NOT my engine- I found it online. But that block I circled almost melted a few years ago- I am wondering if I have a short in it that is causing my issues

 

[Kevin Knuth]

A friend suggested a bad NEGATIVE battery cable? Thoughts?

 

[Bt Doctur]

its either a fuel pump relay or a main power relay and neither should ever get hot enough to start melting

 

[alldodge]

I hate to keep adding details- but overnight I thought of something- JUST before this happened if I turned the steering wheel to the right, my trim gauge would jump up and down. May not be relevant....

Trace the pos cable from bat to starter and see if it has a wear spot on the cable

 

[Kevin Knuth]

I had the alternator and starter checked out today- they are both fine. I purchased the complete service manual for Volvo Penta engines- it has great schematics. I think I may have a bad starter assist relay. It is connected to the starter....and the trim/tilt motor (remember I posted that they gauge for that was "bouncing" just prior to this happening?) I found a great electrical testing diagram in the Sticky portion of this forum. Going to test things out Saturday- I will let you all know what I find.

 

[Kevin Knuth]

I had the alternator and starter checked out today- they are both fine. I purchased the complete service manual for Volvo Penta engines- it has great schematics. I think I may have a bad starter assist relay. It is connected to the starter....and the trim/tilt motor (remember I posted that they gauge for that was "bouncing" just prior to this happening?) I found a great electrical testing diagram in the Sticky portion of this forum. Going to test things out Saturday- I will let you all know what I find.

 

[Kevin Knuth]

I downloaded this wiring test diagram from the sticky section. I don't have continuity at Terminal 30 of this starter relay. However this document is not tell me what to do next.

 

[alldodge]

You had a battery drain now you don't have a battery drain, but have no power on pin 30 when your trying to crank the motor. Pin 30 of the relay only gets power after the relay is energized when the key is turned to start

I don't understand your question anymore

 

[Kevin Knuth]

Sorry. My bad. I had a loose connection that caused my issue with socket 30. Will finish testing in the am