Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

[csherrill2]

Okay new to posting in the forums so to the chase. I have a 1997 Bayliner Capri model 2052 cuddy cabin. It has a mercury 4.3L V6 with a mercruiser outdrive. The issue that I am having here is apparently very uncommon because I cant find any help guides. It will start 1,000 times just fine, run awesome, and idle perfectly. But every once in a while I will go to start the motor and it will click once, and I will loose all power to my gauges, all of my accessories, and wont be able to start it at all. Last time it happened to me I was listening to my stereo while in my yard and it was sitting on the trailer, and thought the battery was too dead to do anything, so I charged it basically all night and went out the next day, and still didnt have power to my accessories. Came and looked at some schematics online, went out to troubleshoot it, turned the ignition to the run position (not start position) and all my gauges came to life, and I had power everywhere that I was supposed to and did not even touch anything.

Here is what I have done so far.
-check the circuit breaker, it is new and has not tripped out
-fuse that is on the motor is fine and has power going to it.
-Replaced starter cable ends
-cleaned battery terminals and applied an anti corrosion grease
-removed grounding terminal for the negative side, cleaned it and put same grease on it.
-Checked main wiring harness plug for corrosion.
-Definitely not the battery. Load test fine.

I have heard that this could be the starter slave solenoid thats causing problems, but I dont see where it would cut the power to the main accessory power. Whatever it is, it looks like its resetting itself over an undetermined amount of time. This is the second time its happened. No special events to make it do this, it just does it whenever it wants to. I am so confused right now. And begging for help.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

sounds like the key switch to me.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

have you examined every inch of the bettery cables both positive and negative. sometimes you get internal corrosion along its length.
make up a jumper to go from the main batt terminal on the starter to the "s" terminal in the starters solenoid.
If starter works and everything is dead, a wiring issue on the main buss
If starter dosent work, battery cables/connections/ends are bad.

 

[csherrill2]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

Well I thought it was the key switch myself but I couldn't troubleshoot it since it cleared itself up. I have cut the key switch on and off at least 100 times to see if it would do it again, and since then, started the boat about 20 times to see if it would do it again. nothing. and bt doctor, I havent went through the whole boat, just the main connectors, and the main ground, I have searched the positive side all the way to the key switch for corrosion. I have assumed this, since the boat has been used in salt water, but havent ran across anything bad. I have cleaned the main ground, and checked for the voltage, and checked certain grounds, and everything looks good so far. Im not going to eliminate the key switch, but it does seem to be a wild issue that im not sure whats going on.

 

[csherrill2]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

changed out the ignition switch today, and still having the same problem, do not know what the problem is. After my power loss I was able to run the main tilt/trim pump, but it seem to be operating at a lower RPM than normal. looks like its time to break out the voltmeter... again... -_- If anyone has any other ideas, please feel free to volunteer information. I have a trip planned for tomorrow and need the boat. Thanks to all.

 

[csherrill2]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

okay I have noticed this I just done some troubleshooting. At the back of the motor for the circuit breaker i have around 5/6 volts. I have no power to accessories such as radio, gauges, etc. but my tilt/trim still has SOME power, checked the power at it, and it shows the same, 5/6 volts. but at the connections (which are new) at the battery it shows 12.6 volts. on the other end it shows 5/6 volts... odd but i take the battery cables off the battery and wait a minute or two and put it back on and it comes back to life, I go to start it again and it dies. Before all this it started fine... now it starts fine. I did not do anything to it except take the main power cables off the tilt/trim pump and put the main cables back on the battery and starts just fine. cut the engine off and replaced the terminals on the tilt/trim motor and it starts fine again... anybody have any ideas?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

okay I have noticed this I just done some troubleshooting. At the back of the motor for the circuit breaker i have around 5/6 volts. I have no power to accessories such as radio, gauges, etc. but my tilt/trim still has SOME power, checked the power at it, and it shows the same, 5/6 volts. but at the connections (which are new) at the battery it shows 12.6 volts. on the other end it shows 5/6 volts... odd but i take the battery cables off the battery and wait a minute or two and put it back on and it comes back to life, I go to start it again and it dies. Before all this it started fine... now it starts fine. I did not do anything to it except take the main power cables off the tilt/trim pump and put the main cables back on the battery and starts just fine. cut the engine off and replaced the terminals on the tilt/trim motor and it starts fine again... anybody have any ideas?

Ayuh,.... Bad wires,.... Bad wiring ends,.... A BAD Ground path....

 

[PA John]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

Ayuh,.... Bad wires,.... Bad wiring ends,.... A BAD Ground path....

I had an issue with my boat and took a while to find that the mount part of the engine where the start is attached to had some rust on it due to a leak. To quote the last post "Bad Ground Path".

Put your meter on Ohms and touch it from your Neg DC Wire of your battery to a cleaned off metal part of the back of the starter where the brushes are. Should be no resistance to very little.

 

[csherrill2]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

well while troubleshooting the thing, the stinking starter went out. Called local marina, and they said SURE they could have one to me in about a week, and it would cost 283 bucks. NO THANKS. Got on Ebay.com and found a brand new one for 80 bucks, and arrived in 2 days. Havent been able to put it on, but when I was taking the older one off, the two small terminals on the solenoid was looking pretty rough and was kinda difficult to get off without some PB blaster. So when I get around to putting it back on I will check it out again. But its still odd how it doesn't act up all the time, just once in a while. If it was something constant I could understand. I have a suspicion that all boats are generally haunted after about 10 years of use. Getting aggravated at this thing. I knew it was going to be some work involved but DANG, its been under a wrench more than its been near water. Anyone interested in a 20 ft bayliner? :facepalm: lol.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

the two small terminals on the solenoid was looking pretty rough and was kinda difficult to get off without some PB blaster. So when I get around to putting it back on I will check it out again. But its still odd how it doesn't act up all the time, just once in a while. If it was something constant I could understand.

Ayuh,.... Nothin' Odd, 'bout it,... that's how corrosion works...

 

[csherrill2]

Re: Bayliner 2052 Capri Electrical Issue.

Okay I am going to mark this one as solved, Im going to say that it was my starter. I changed it out and cleaned the terminals on the starter solenoid and everything seems to be operating fine now. So the 80 dollar starter off eBay is an excellent choice, saved me over 200 dollars, its brand new and has a warranty just as good as the local marina. Anyways I want to wish everybody a thanks for all the help.