2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

5161

Recruit
Joined
Aug 18, 2004
Messages
2
What an awesome site! I have a 2003 Ranger 522DVX Commanche with a 2003 Mercury 225HP Optimax. I have taken the boat back to place of purchase with no luck and now have taken it to Dry Dock here in Cincinnati trying to resolve my problem. So far I have thrown hundreds of dollars to these folks, with no one being able to help me. Both places have told me they have tested everything possible and are not able to get the boat to act up. The problem I'm experiencing is after being on the water for a couple of hours, I go to restart the boat and have no beep from the ignition and motor does not turn over. I have (4) motor trim switches located on the boat, (1) on the motor, (1) on the throttle handle, (1) on steering column and (1) located at bow of boat. I have learned that when I'm experiencing my problem the (2) trim switches located at the throttle handle and steering column are dead as well. I can go to either one of the other trim switches, push up or down and they move the motor and somehow reset the ignition so when I try starting the engine again it now reponds with a beep and I'm able to now start the motor. However, on my last trip out on the lake with my wife, I had to hold the key to the cranking position for a few seconds in order to get the motor to run, but as soon as I went to put the motor in gear it would quit running and I would have to start the whole scenario over again. I wound up trolling back 4-1/2 miles while listening to my wife asking me why we are making payments on a boat that is brand new and not runnning. I am going over and paying my $450.00 bill and picking up my undependable Ranger Boat this weekend. Any help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!! (One side note, I have checked kill switch as well as throttle position during these episodes)
 

sledhead041

Seaman
Joined
Jun 8, 2004
Messages
61
Re: 2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

Have they looked at the control box and the wiring to it? how is the trim switch on the steering wired in? also check the cannon plug at the motor. What type of gauges are you using? Analog or smartcraft?
 
D

DJ

Guest
Re: 2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

Sign Man,<br /><br />You have the classic symptoms of a short, somewhere in the tilt/trim system. But, you know that.<br /><br />Instead of throwing $$$ at it, do some investigating, by yourself.<br /><br />Take a look at any place that metal touches a wiring harness. ie, the motor to control harness area, the underdash area, the front trim station, etc.<br /><br />It may not be obvious, but I'll bet, with a little wire wiggling, you can find it.<br /><br />The marine tech's are not going to do as thorough a job of "poking and prodding" as you do.<br /><br />Let us know-post back.
 

5161

Recruit
Joined
Aug 18, 2004
Messages
2
Re: 2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

Thanks for reading and responding to my problem Marine Man & DJ. I got called away on buisness and was unable to pick my boat up yet. I plan on sliding out of the office on Tuesday and bringing it home. I've wrote your questions down MN, to ask on Tuesday. I'm not sure how the trim switch on the steering column is wired in, but I'll ask and check when I get it back. The guages on the console are analog and the motor has a smart craft (?) digital guage mounted by the throttle handle. I'm not familar with working on boats or outboard motors and don't know what the cannon plug looks like or where to look for it on the motor? What is the function of the cannon plug? I'm taking your advice DJ, and I'm going to spend every spare minute I have trying to find and resolve my problem. I did visually inspect a lot of the wiring prior to seeking help from Dry Dock. After pulling a whole lot of wire and not finding anything, I started thinking that maybe the problem was in a computer card, electonic card or some other part on the motor. I'll look forward to getting back to you gentlemen, I'm dying to get back up to Lake Erie and chasing smallmouth!
 

hondon

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 11, 2001
Messages
1,922
Re: 2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

Look very carefully at your battery and engine grounds as well as all battery connections.These engines need impeccably clean and uninterupted voltage to operate.The symptoms you describe indicate something otherwise.
 

ross_larter

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 6, 2003
Messages
109
Re: 2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

Hi,<br /><br />Same thing happen on our engine, I cleaned and checked every wire, and the starter still wouldn't work (but did click the relay) but trim would some times work, the battery terminals were on tight and look fine, after 4 hours of checks i took of the battery terminals and cleaned them with WD40 till they were like new and reconnected them on tight and now everything is OK.<br />Moral of the story even if it looks OK, still take it apart and clean it.<br /><br />Ross
 

2springers26

Seaman
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
63
Re: 2003 Merc/225/Optimax Starting Problem

spread your canon plug studs open.. had the same issue On other i worked on...
 
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