Won’t Start in the Water

[spinbp5]

Well here we go again…
I finally got the boat running and have been running it at least once a week. It’s been about 3 months or so and this week I decided to take the grandkids fishing in the boat. Well wouldn’t you know it… I put it in the water and all it did was drain my battery and my jump starter. I put it back on the trailer and brought it home and charged the battery and the jumpstart and with two turns of the key the boat started right up as it always has before putting it into the water.
is this really possible? Won’t run in the water but will run out of water? I almost find this hard to believe.
Here are my specs:
1994 Glastron
Mercruiser Alpha One
MCM 3.0 Litre/LX
Digital Electronic Ignition System
Engine# 0F268907
Transom# 0F316451
Drive# 0F249994
4 Cylinder
Displacement 181 CID
Engine Rotation LH

 

[Scott06]

Well here we go again…
I finally got the boat running and have been running it at least once a week. It’s been about 3 months or so and this week I decided to take the grandkids fishing in the boat. Well wouldn’t you know it… I put it in the water and all it did was drain my battery and my jump starter. I put it back on the trailer and brought it home and charged the battery and the jumpstart and with two turns of the key the boat started right up as it always has before putting it into the water.
is this really possible? Won’t run in the water but will run out of water? I almost find this hard to believe.
Here are my specs:
1994 Glastron
Mercruiser Alpha One
MCM 3.0 Litre/LX
Digital Electronic Ignition System
Engine# 0F268907
Transom# 0F316451
Drive# 0F249994
4 Cylinder
Displacement 181 CID
Engine Rotation LH

So when it was on the water were you missing fuel or spark?
think the water vs on the hose is just coincidence. Maybe loose connection at cannon plug ?

 

[kenny nunez]

Try starting the engine and warm it up at home before leaving for the lake.
This way you know it will start. I always started my boats up before heading to the launch.

 

[spinbp5]

Try starting the engine and warm it up at home before leaving for the lake.
This way you know it will start. I always started my boats up before heading to the launch.

Will do, thanks Kenny.

 

[nola mike]

Try starting the engine and warm it up at home before leaving for the lake.
This way you know it will start. I always started my boats up before heading to the launch.

Blows my mind that people don't do this. I always assume my engine won't start LOL. My neighbor had her boat on the lift (brackish water) all winter. Wanted me to help her pull it. Short story, she didn't even try to start it before hooking up the trailer and heading to the ramp. Just assumed it would start right up (spoiler alert, it didn't...and the shifter cable was frozen)

 

[ESGWheel]

As long as your start up process is the same on the trailer as it is in the water, agree with Scott that it’s a coincidence.

The pre-start and run is a good idea but also be prepared to do some trouble shooting in the water. Here is what I suggest:

Without the grandkids – so no expectation to enjoy the day on the water – this is a ‘troubleshooting’ trip but with a spouse or friend go to launch the boat. Have the needed tools, like a multimeter, a way to check spark (an old sparkplug will work), a jumper wire with some alligator clips on it like this link (you can make one of these at home or buy them > they are a great troubleshooting tool), and a flashlight.

Now for the launching > I do not know your ramp / dock situation but clearly you do not want to be in the way of others while troubleshooting, so this must be thought out on how to do. Idea is to get the boat in the water and hope it is a no start. If no start, now the trouble shooting comes into play.

Start the trouble shooing process by using that jumper wire to connect battery to coil like you have done before. If it starts, great. Pull the jumper and try again, if it does not start, great as now we know what to go after. If it does restart (no jumper wire) this is also an indication of where to start but not as definitive. Let me explain:

From your previous thread back in Feb, dumped a lot of $$ into this boat to get a ‘new’ motor. Post that repair, you had a no start issue that was eventually traced back to a wiring issue at the ign. switch. I think you are still experiencing a wiring issue but of a different nature > an intermittent one. I.e., you have an electrical connection that becomes disconnected when bounced around. I think that trailering the boat to the water (or back home) bounces around the boat such that it is causing that connection to make or break.

Which leads me to my next statement: it is good it did not start with the grandkids. I know it was frustrating to expect a great day on the water with them but would have been much worse if you are out on the water and trying to get home and cannot start.

Which leads me to the next statement: please, let’s get this issue fixed before you go boating again. Even if you have 3 or 4 successful starts, I am concerned that the root issue will reappear at the most inappropriate time. And this can be dangerous.

So here is an alternative idea. Instead of a trip to the boat ramp for a troubleshooting trip, at home on the trailer try jiggling around wiring harnesses and connections in hopes of getting a no start condition.

Sorry for long post but I started thinking thru this situation more and more as I was typing. And I have some other ideas on how to troubleshoot on the trailer without draining down the battery by trying to constantly start but I will hold for now and see what you are thinking first…. Thx.

 

[cyclops222]

Man Over Board switch is now erratic ?

 

[spinbp5]

Blows my mind that people don't do this. I always assume my engine won't start LOL. My neighbor had her boat on the lift (brackish water) all winter. Wanted me to help her pull it. Short story, she didn't even try to start it before hooking up the trailer and heading to the ramp. Just assumed it would start right up (spoiler alert, it didn't...and the shifter cable was frozen)

I’d never had an issue with this until now. I’ve always been able to take it out and it would start right on up. But you still have a good point.

 

[spinbp5]

As long as your start up process is the same on the trailer as it is in the water, agree with Scott that it’s a coincidence.

The pre-start and run is a good idea but also be prepared to do some trouble shooting in the water. Here is what I suggest:

Without the grandkids – so no expectation to enjoy the day on the water – this is a ‘troubleshooting’ trip but with a spouse or friend go to launch the boat. Have the needed tools, like a multimeter, a way to check spark (an old sparkplug will work), a jumper wire with some alligator clips on it like this link (you can make one of these at home or buy them > they are a great troubleshooting tool), and a flashlight.

Now for the launching > I do not know your ramp / dock situation but clearly you do not want to be in the way of others while troubleshooting, so this must be thought out on how to do. Idea is to get the boat in the water and hope it is a no start. If no start, now the trouble shooting comes into play.

Start the trouble shooing process by using that jumper wire to connect battery to coil like you have done before. If it starts, great. Pull the jumper and try again, if it does not start, great as now we know what to go after. If it does restart (no jumper wire) this is also an indication of where to start but not as definitive. Let me explain:

From your previous thread back in Feb, dumped a lot of $$ into this boat to get a ‘new’ motor. Post that repair, you had a no start issue that was eventually traced back to a wiring issue at the ign. switch. I think you are still experiencing a wiring issue but of a different nature > an intermittent one. I.e., you have an electrical connection that becomes disconnected when bounced around. I think that trailering the boat to the water (or back home) bounces around the boat such that it is causing that connection to make or break.

Which leads me to my next statement: it is good it did not start with the grandkids. I know it was frustrating to expect a great day on the water with them but would have been much worse if you are out on the water and trying to get home and cannot start.

Which leads me to the next statement: please, let’s get this issue fixed before you go boating again. Even if you have 3 or 4 successful starts, I am concerned that the root issue will reappear at the most inappropriate time. And this can be dangerous.

So here is an alternative idea. Instead of a trip to the boat ramp for a troubleshooting trip, at home on the trailer try jiggling around wiring harnesses and connections in hopes of getting a no start condition.

Sorry for long post but I started thinking thru this situation more and more as I was typing. And I have some other ideas on how to troubleshoot on the trailer without draining down the battery by trying to constantly start but I will hold for now and see what you are thinking first…. Thx.

I think you might be right because the day before I took it out it started right up. So I will check the electrical again. One thing is for certain and that is that the battery seems to be draining at a fast rate (3 or 4 turns of the key and battery is dead) and this is a new battery. I’ll take the time to go through all aspects of the wiring and hopefully come up with something. Thank you.

 

[cyclops222]

NEVER EVER release the boat from the trailer without starting it up. AND doing a quick 3 second WOT test run.
Screw the ramp bullies and their B S remarks. Been there 1 time with local police help.

 

[Grub54891]

How long are you charging the battery? Usually it takes a deep charge after being low.
As a side not my friend always put new batteries in his camper every spring as they wouldn't hold a charge. He left it at my place for a week once and just for giggles I charged them up for him. He asked me what i did to hos batteries and all I did was charge them. He said they kept things going for two weeks easily and before they would go dead in two days. He would charge them for an hour before he used it. I charged them for two days slowly.
If the battery is to low it won't create spark.

 

[ESGWheel]

One thing is for certain and that is that the battery seems to be draining at a fast rate (3 or 4 turns of the key and battery is dead) and this is a new battery.

Bill,
This new info changes everything. Let me explain. A fully charged and properly sized starting battery should last more than 3 or 4 start tries before dying unless (1) you are cranking the heck out of it each time like more than a few minutes (don’t do this BTW) (2) there is an excessive current draw when starting.

If excessive current draw, then the voltage of the battery could easily drop below what is needed to create a good spark and thus could be the cause of the no-start condition.

So, we need to change course and investigate this because as stated above this could be the root issue.

Before we do I ask that you take a minute and think about all the fun times you will have with the grandkids later this summer and in future years. Boating is a blast and a good bonding experience especially if you get them to help (with proper training), teach them seamanship and how to drive the boat.

So, take that minute and reflect on all those good times to come. I’ll wait….

Ok now need you to check on a few things and report back on some others. Here is the list

• First check to see if any of your battery cables (both pos and neg) look as if they are burnt or any discoloration of the sheathing. Also evaluate the cleanliness of the connections. They need to be bright and shiny including under the neg cable where it bolts to the block. Please post findings.
• If not a sealed battery check with water level and make sure its correct level. Edit: if the cells are covered by more then 1/8” or so, charge first then recheck level and fill to proper amount.
• Disconnect the battery by pulling off the Neg cable and put the battery on a charger and change for at least 24 hrs… hopefully charger has a ‘charge status’ indicator and it shows fully charged after that 24 hrs but if not keep charging until it does.
• Post the brand, group size, and CCA and Ah of this new battery.
• I do not recall if you have a multimeter or not. If not, need to get one (link) along with some alligator type probes, like this link. Please let me know if you have these tools.

I know you will get this solved with the help of all the good folks here, so keep thinking about those grandkids.

 

[cyclops222]

Crappy engines kill good batteries.
Size / horse power of engine ? Battery size ? # 24 # 27 or a # 31 ?