ghost in the machine ?

[ab59]

when tracing the sender wire from the tank it runs to the pass side hull then up along under the gunnel back to the stern and then up the other side under the gunnel ( can't remember all the nautical terms ) to the drivers console and instrument cluster . Is there some reason for this ? When I run the new sender wire I just planned on trying to fish it straight over to the side of the hull on the drivers side and then to the cluster , not all the way around the boat . Unless of course there was a reason for this .

 

[alldodge]

No reason to go that route, any way you want to take it is ok

 

[ab59]

As far as this short goes. Would it be correct to assume that since the battery does not drain with KEY OFF and the switch panel is hot with key off that the short is somewhere in the ignition circuit ? One more stupid question if you would, since I just installed a new alternator if I had the excitor and sender crossed , would this cause a short that would heat up the alternator as well as the ignition wires ? I know for those who actually really do know that these are stupid questions but I either don't remember or simply do not know or understand how all of this works. It's not because I haven't been looking up as much information as I can find trying to educate myself o these things , it's more a question of being so hard headed in my later years . Kinda like trying to throw a pebble through a brick wall , or so it seems sometimes.

 

[alldodge]

That would be my assumption also that it has something to do with the ignition side. Things to get hot normally blows fuses, but this hasn't happened. Is the ignition fuse still 20 amps?

 

[ab59]

no fuses that I know of except the one I put in the automatic choke wire going to the ignition. I only know of the six breakers under the console but I think they feed the acc. switches . I have not found any fuses while checking the wiring. I see that the ground for the sending unit is split off to many places at the stern and maybe several at the console.
To further exacerbate the problem I hooked everything back up and am not getting the feedback problem this morning. No real drain at the battery ,no problem with anything heating up . Don't know why unless I somehow while looking through the wiring I pulled the short away from whatever it was shorted against.

 

[ab59]

That's it , I've had enough for a few days. Gauge broke and I'm taking a break so this this does not wind up sold for aluminum scrap.

 

[ab59]

And in conclusion, New gauge is here and installed and is working. New sending wire outside the harness added. Battery after being left hooked up for 4 days shows know problematic drain. As for the feedback , time will just have to tell as I could not identify a problem.

 

[ab59]

Well you just can't kill a ghost so easily i guess. My new sender and fuel level gauge have quit working , now read over full all the time key on or off , with about 1/4 tank full. Should I have ran a seperate ground as well under the dash somewhere ans eliminated the ground as well ? Note that in my last post I ran a sending unit wire outside of the harness.
I have gone back to the coil and find it to have about 3. volts with key on at the + side . Oddly enough the - side has 1.31 volts. The + on the coil is getting very hot , Have I found where the problem is ? I can't seem to see a wire hooked up to the wrong side but am unclear as to what goes where as nothing I have as far as a wiring diagram shows me where the ray wires go. I have some pictures but last time I posted pictures someone removed them so I don't know if they will be here for your consideration .
Why would I have current at the - side of the ground , that's not right is it ?
Would testing the ground wires one at a time for current show me that this particular wire should be connected to the positive side of the coil ?
Here are a couple of pictures------




Negative side of coil key on . Key off no current.


Picture of the coil and wiring as it is . This is a 1988 Starcraft 201v 5.7 Cobra sterndrive set up.

 

[ab59]

one more pic of more wires going to the coil from the shift assist .
I'm going back out to test the ground wires one at a time.

 

[alldodge]

Where do these 2 wires go to?

 

[ab59]

Red wire going to hour meter. orange is a fused wire going to the electronic choke that I just hooked up today. I had it running all the way to the ignition switch until Waterman told me his was hooked up the the coil as prescribed by the directions. I found some old pictures that I took of the engine before removal and it all looks the same.Does not mean it was right though.
I guess the ground gets a little feedback from the the positive when the circuit is electrified ?

 

[ab59]

to clarify an error , in one post with picture i said it is wires from the shift assist but it is in fact the distributor .

 

[alldodge]

Disconnect the hour meter until other things are figured out
Disconnect the 2 gray wires from the distributor to see if current changes
Disconnect the wires going to the alternator

The gauge showing full (ON or OFF) says the sender is grounded and power is applied

 

[ab59]

OK, Hour meter disc.
2 grey wires disc. no difference current at 10.27 v key on.
alternator wires disc. no current on coil , wires still carry 10.27

 

[alldodge]

So long as the Purple wire is there, it should have voltage. When asking about disconnecting the ALT wires, I meant at the ALT. Trying to find out if the the drain is being caused by the ALT.

The 10.37 volts should be 12, is your bat that low?
Don't remember, have you measured the resistance of the coil?

 

[ab59]

Mornin.--The battery charge was 12.05 until I turn the key on , that's when the voltage falls to 10.37. I will switch the disconnection point of the Alternator wires and check that out after I choke down a cup of coffee and wake up some. I have not checked the resistance of the coil yet. The alternator is new and working now and I had the same problems before changing it . I don't' think it to be the source of the problem but you never know .
About checking the resistance of the coil , would I disconnect the positive cable at the battery and then switch to ohms then test between the + and - at the coil to find my reading and look for low ohms ? I have been reading an article about how to do these tests for three days now and I can't believe how hard headed I have become. Learning this is one heck of a fight for some reason but I will learn how to do these tests somehow.

 

[alldodge]

The 12.05V and drop to 10V means your battery has a shorted cell, it should read 12.7 (full charge), at 12.05 your down to 40%.

Test coil
https://itstillruns.com/test-12-volt...s-7959727.html

 

[ab59]

About the battery , it tests from 12.08 to 12.05 v depending on the length of leads I use to measure the charge , odd I guess but for some reason the shorter leads that I sometimes use show the higher charge.. While connected to the system ( key off ) it holds a charge for weeks. However , I will have it tested soon , it is about 1 year old . would a bad cell cause the short in the system and the coil to get pistol hot ?

 

[alldodge]

would a bad cell cause the short in the system and the coil to get pistol hot ?

No

The issue is were trying to track down I think more then one issue, so when ever something has an incorrect reading, then that sends me looking for something that may be causing a problem. Need to know what is and is not working correctly in order to isolate the issue(s)

 

[ab59]

Well AllDodge when your right your right . Unbelievable that the 27d deep cycle battery that I bought from Walmart 1 year and 1 month ago for 100.00 bucks had TWO bad cells under 2 volts and the Walmart Warranty is ONE YEAR so I was one month out of warranty. This will be MY LAST battery from Wally world , I bought a 29 series this time. the 27d was only charged a half a dozen times since I bought it . Buyer Beware.
I tested the coil and it came back 10.30 . I thought that I had the meter set on ohms but must be mistaken. I tested the battery at the same time and discovered the bad cells and stopped there to get another battery. I am charging the new battery and will resume testing when it is fully charged.