New Mercruiser 4.3 MPI engine?

[Heelz23]

New Stingray boat with Mercruiser 4.3 MPI engine, first day on water ran well, second day when I would hit a little choppy water or cross a wake, the boat would beep then the engine would die. It will start right back up and be fine. It happened 5-6 times, what am I doing wrong here?

Serial number is 2A173854 Alpha 1 drive

Thanks,

 

[achris]

Check the usual suspects, engine oil and drive oil. Also change your fuel filters. Beyond that, you're going to need access to a scantool or the computer diagnostics program.

Chris........

 

[Heelz23]

Thanks, will check engine oil. Drive oil looks good but the power tilt oil is just above min mark, is there a sensor for that as well? Can you tell me where the fuel filter is at?

Thanks,

 

[superbenk]

Loose wires or corroded ground somewhere that gets jiggled & loses connection briefly? Or maybe something shorting out as it jiggles?

 

[alldodge]

New Stingray boat with Mercruiser 4.3 MPI engine, first day on water ran well, second day when I would hit a little choppy water or cross a wake, the boat would beep then the engine would die. It will start right back up and be fine. It happened 5-6 times, what am I doing wrong here?

Serial number is 2A173854 Alpha 1 drive

Thanks,

I would suggest checking your battery cable connections at the battery and on the starter/engine block ground. Make sure they are clean and tight. Look around the engine for other loose connectors and ground lugs. Make sure your battery is fully charged and your alternator is putting out 13.8 to 14.3V

 

[Heelz23]

Thank you, will check those out. Can you tell me about where the starter/engine block ground is located?

 

[alldodge]

Thanks, will check engine oil. Drive oil looks good but the power tilt oil is just above min mark, is there a sensor for that as well? Can you tell me where the fuel filter is at?

Thanks,

No sensor for the trim oil, use 10W30 motor oil
Fuel filter should be on the starboard side and look like this

 

[alldodge]

Thank you, will check those out. Can you tell me about where the starter/engine block ground is located?

Port side - left side facing the bow of the boat
Starboard side - right side facing the bow

Should be on the rear of the engine, follow the black cable from the battery to the engine. The starter is on your starboard side under the exhaust manifold, follow the red cable to it. When your working on it, disconnect the battery cable from the battery

and :welcome: top iboats

 

[Heelz23]

Found it and the ground seems tight, so does the battery connections. The drive fluid was about 1/4 inch above the min mark, do you think when going over wakes it could bounce around enough for the guardian to cut the power to the engine, if I slowed to like 10mph it was fine. Did not take it out today due to just not knowing whats going on.

 

[alldodge]

Found it and the ground seems tight, so does the battery connections. The drive fluid was about 1/4 inch above the min mark, do you think when going over wakes it could bounce around enough for the guardian to cut the power to the engine, if I slowed to like 10mph it was fine. Did not take it out today due to just not knowing whats going on.

If doesn't need to just be tight it needs to be clean and tight on both ends including both ends of the positive and negative cables. There is several things which can cause your issue. The most common is a low voltage from a bad connection, weak battery, and others. Many times it comes down to a connector that has some kind of corrosion, so unplugging and plugging back in sometimes fixes it, but not always. Here is a list and if Fun Times comes along he can fill in where I left off. Need a scanner to see if any codes have been left

Warning system Faults, SC1000 Yes/No, Audio Alarm, Available Power %, Description.

(1) Cam Sensor Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open or short, engine must be cranking to set this fault code.
(2) ECT CKT HI Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open
(3) ECT CKT LO Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Short
(4) ECT Coolant Overheat Yes Constant 6-100 % Engine guardian overheat condition
(5) EST 1-8 Open Yes 2 Bp/min NA Coil harness wire open
(6) EST 1-8 Short Yes 2 Bp/min NA Coil harness wire short
(7) Fuel Injector 1-8 Open Yes 2 Bp/min NA Fuel injector wire open.
(8) Fuel Injector 1-8 Short Yes 2 Bp/min NA Fuel injector wire short
(9) IAC Output Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Only with rpm
(10) Knock Sensor 1 Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Alarm sounds for 20 seconds in NEUTRAL and indefinitely in gear.
(11) Knock Sensor 2 Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Alarm sounds for 20 seconds in NEUTRAL and indefinitely in gear.
(12) Low Drive Lube Strategy Yes Steady Bp 0-100% Low oil in sterndrive.
(13) Low Oil Pressure Strategy Yes Constant 0-100% Low oil pressure strategy.
(14) MAP Sensor 1 Input High No 2 Bp/min 90% Short, no visual on SC1000.
(15) MAP Sensor 1 Input Low No 2 Bp/min 90% Open, no visual on SC1000.
(16) MAT Sensor Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open or short in MAT circuit.
(17) Oil PSI CKT Hi Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Short, defaults to 51.7 psi.
(18) Oil PSI CKT Lo Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open, zero oil pressure.
(19) Overspeed Yes Constant RPM Limit Engine over rpm limit
(20) Port EMCT CKT Hi Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open, defaults to 32 degrees F.
(21) Port EMCT CKT Lo Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Short, defaults to 32 degrees F.
(22) Port EMCT CKT Overheat Yes Constant 6-100% Overheat condition, 212
degreesF(100 degrees C) limit.
(23) Sea Pump PSI Lo Yes Constant 6-100% Low water pressure strategy, defaults to 43.4 psi.
(24) Sea Pump CKT Hi Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open.
(25)Sea Pump CKT Lo Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Short.
(26) STB EMCT CKT Hi Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open, defaults to 32 degrees F.
(27) STB EMCT CKT Lo Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Short, defaults to 32 degrees F.
(28) STB EMCT CKT Overheat Yes Constant 6-100% Overheat condition, 212 degrees (100 degrees C) limit.
(29) Steer CKT Hi Yes No No Open and short.
(30) TPS1 CKT Hi Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Short, signal to 5v+, engine will not start. Refer to data monitor screen.
(31) TPS1 CKT Lo Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Open.
(32) TPS 1 Range Hi Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Above 4.8v, 994 counts.
(33) TPS 1 Range Lo Yes 2 Bp/min 90% Below 0.5v, 35 counts.
(34) Trim CKT Hi Yes No No Short, high range, visual warning on SC1000 only.
(35) Trim CKT Lo Yes No No Open, low range, visual warning on SC1000 only.
(36) 5 VDC PWR Low Yes 2 Bp/min varies Short any 5v+ to ground.

 

[achris]

There is nothing in the software of the ECU that will cut the engine completely. That was considered too dangerous. If you have a critical condition engine POWER is reduced, but the engine is never shut off. If the engine is stalling completely, there's a fault that needs to be corrected.

 

[Fun Times]

New Stingray boat with Mercruiser 4.3 MPI engine, Serial number is 2A173854 Alpha 1 drive.

How new is new? Still under warranty new?

If you can't locate any obvious signs of loose connections then typically it would help to have the engine scanned with a marine diagnostic scan tool either by a Mercruiser dealer or you have the option to buy a diagnostic scan tool direct from Rinda Technologies or search online. http://www.rinda.com/marine/marine.htm

Since it's happing while going over rougher waters, you'll want to carefully start wiggling all the wires you can find both on the boat and engine while the engine is running to see if you can duplicate the problem. Maybe start with the wires at the rear of the ignition key switch and work your way around the helm area, to the shifter lanyard kill switch & wires behind the control shifter handle then back tot the engine.

If nothing is found with the wiring, the engine needs scanned.

Keep us updated, good luck. PS, it's not you, it's the boat or engine.

 

[achris]

I've mentioned this one in previous threads, but needed to know if your instruments were going out at the same time before mentioning it.

I've seen the glass 3AG fuse in the key switch harness get a slightly corroded end and cause intermittent engine kills. I got lucky the first time I saw it, and it's just one of those things I check now. I sort of 'bypass' the problem when I install new engines now by replacing the glass fuse and it's holder with a standard blade fuse and holder. That has the added advantage of using the same size and rating fuse as the engine mounted ones (no need to carry multiple different fuses on the boat), they are all 15A blades, and it's a water proof holder. Here's a picture of what I put in.... Just cut the old one out and solder in the new leads. Cover the joins with heat shrink tubing and it' just like the original, only better

 

[Heelz23]

Thanks again for the comments. Yes, its a 2014 model I just bought last Thursday, first day in water was that afternoon, then Saturday. I actually woke up this morning thinking if I have the safety lanyard in correctly so I will check that after work today....if that seems good I will wiggle the wires while running and see if I can duplicate it as suggested. I am pretty sure it cuts completely off. What is making me second guess is when it does it, I quickly put in neutral and hit the ignitions switch the first time cause I thought I had hit something, only once did it stay running but then again, it was only my second time out and when it did it I just went to neutral and turned it off.....the one time it did stay running, I let it idle about 30 seconds then powered back up to plane.....

 

[achris]

How new is new? Still under warranty new?

Wouldn't matter FT. Merc don't honour their warranty anyway. They'd find a way to blame the owner.

Chris.........
(speaking from experience)

 

[Heelz23]

Anyone got a pic of the main wiring harness, going to jiggle it this afternoon while running to see if I can simulate the issue. How do you get to the wires under the dash and shifter?

Thanks,

 

[Heelz23]

jiggled everything I could and engine kept running, took it to the water and it made it over a couple wakes before it died again. Completely cut off, I waited about 30 seconds and it started back up...this time I dont think it beeped however before cutting off.

 

[Fun Times]

Wouldn't matter FT. Merc don't honour their warranty anyway. They'd find a way to blame the owner.
Chris.........
(speaking from experience)

I know you had a bad experience with the oil leak. I was once told no warranty will be covered even after explaining the situation. So I hung up phone and called someone else in the same department that I had worked with many times in the past.....It was covered by warranty without issue.

Anyone got a pic of the main wiring harness, going to jiggle it this afternoon while running to see if I can simulate the issue. How do you get to the wires under the dash and shifter?

Thanks,

The newer style canon plug should have a look somewhat similar to the photo below,

Sounds like your boat doesn't have easy access to the backside of the control handle say from an access panel or an open cubby storage. That makes it harder to check things out. Maybe try tapping on the side by the control unit to see if the engine will die out.

jiggled everything I could and engine kept running, took it to the water and it made it over a couple wakes before it died again. Completely cut off, I waited about 30 seconds and it started back up...this time I dont think it beeped however before cutting off.

You most likely have a loose connection someplace being a new boat or maybe the Alpha shift cable plate mounted on the engine is being vibrated enough to kill the engine. It should be on the selling boat dealer to find it though vs you.

 

[Heelz23]

Thanks, yes I emailed the salesman last night asking if he can send a tech out, vs me having to take off work and drive it 1.5 hours back to them. The boat only has 3 hours on it...LOL and shaking my head, I decided to buy new to avoid crap like this, at least for a few years you know...I've bought used jet skis in the past and ended up spending as much time fixing them as I did riding them.....

Anyone know if a tech will come to you or do you always have to take the boat to them???

 

[alldodge]

In most cases you have to go to them. Is the dealer near water, and if so may need to take them the boat so they can take it out for testing