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Can a bad temp gauge cause a short in the ignition circuit?

B

Bebopalula

Member
The temperature sensor has been R & R'd and the temp gauge reads 160 with power to the control panel off. Can a bad gauge cause a short and blow the ignition switch fuse?
 
There's more to this. After they secured the bilge pump switch to the bilge floor as they should have when the first installed it, I went to start the boat and the ignition was dead. The batts were ok, i.e., the horn worked and the pump and blower worked. I'm fraid the flood may have created a short in the starter and that's what's blowing the ignition fuse. When I asked the mechanic if the flood could cause damage to the starter he said "absolutely not", and that rainwater is fresh water and he even sometimes submerges starters I fresh water to clean them...."fresh water is good". Does this guy sound like he knows what he's doing? BTW, is the S terminal connected to the sensor on the engine? Maybe the new sensor they just installed is shorting.
 
I'll give you the same advice as I'd give my brother.... RUN AWAY!!!! That whole "wash in fresh water" is total BS. Yes, hosing off the outside of a starter with fresh water may not kill it, but I've never known a mechanic to CLEAN ANYTHING they didn't have too... and total immersion in fresh water ????? RUN AWAY!!!!....RUN AWAY!!!! Do not let this mechanic touch your boat again!

Re: "S" lead. industry code has this as a pink wire. It should go to the "center" (insulated) terminal on the gas level sensor. There should be a connection from the uninsulated screw on the gas level sensor to ground.

BTW... my first boat had the starter flooded briefly (less than an hour) with rainwater... It failed two weeks later.


PS.... I can almost guarantee that this mechanic, after his third beer bragged how he told you that a fresh water dunk was good for a starter to his drinking buds!
 
Last edited:
Bebopalula said:
There's more to this. After they secured the bilge pump switch to the bilge floor as they should have when the first installed it, I went to start the boat and the ignition was dead. The batts were ok, i.e., the horn worked and the pump and blower worked. I'm fraid the flood may have created a short in the starter and that's what's blowing the ignition fuse. When I asked the mechanic if the flood could cause damage to the starter he said "absolutely not", and that rainwater is fresh water and he even sometimes submerges starters I fresh water to clean them...."fresh water is good". Does this guy sound like he knows what he's doing? BTW, is the S terminal connected to the sensor on the engine? Maybe the new sensor they just installed is shorting.
Click to expand...

Most guages have three or four connections on the back of them in the dash

B
I
S
G

B = Battery = RED wire color

I = ignition = Purple this is what powers the gauges when the key is on

S = what ever color is designated for the sender, IE; gas = pink, tachometer = grey, volt meter = purple/red ( i believe). Temp = tan, Oil pressure = light blue.

G = Ground.........Black wire

A blown fuse is either a short (wire touching ground or another wire) or bad component that may be internaly shorted.
 
kghost said:
Most guages have three or four connections on the back of them in the dash

B
I
S
G

B = Battery = RED wire color

I = ignition = Purple this is what powers the gauges when the key is on

S = what ever color is designated for the sender, IE; gas = pink, tachometer = grey, volt meter = purple/red ( i believe). Temp = tan, Oil pressure = light blue.

G = Ground.........Black wire

A blown fuse is either a short (wire touching ground or another wire) or bad component that may be internaly shorted.
Click to expand...


Would a short in the starter do it?
 
I also saw on the last check of the engine compartment that the harness was taped where before all of the splices they did were exposed. Why they had to re-work the harness I don't know. The engine ran fine and all electrical systems worked as they should when I had the boat in the water last. I should mention that the boat hasn't been launched prior to this past two and a half months for about six years, being stored and shrinked for all that time. The starter was replaced with new just before storage and virtually unused. The engine had no more than 10 hours on it after a long block re-power and was properly fogged before storage. So when I brought it to this marina I thought she'd only require the normal spring get ready stuff and outdrive service in addition to replacing anything that may have dried out in the transom, i.e.,bellows, hoses, etc. and of course having the old residual fuel pumped out of the tank and replaced with fresh. Half of the things they did weren't even mentioned in the original work order. "Check electrical" doesn't mean re-wire the friggen' thing...without even asking me. Now, after 70 days and $5400 in repair bills and $1700 for the slip, she still doesn't start to say nothing about my family's ruined summer.
 
Bebopalula said:
There's more to this. After they secured the bilge pump switch to the bilge floor as they should have when the first installed it, I went to start the boat and the ignition was dead. The batts were ok, i.e., the horn worked and the pump and blower worked.
1.... I'm fraid the flood may have created a short in the starter and that's what's blowing the ignition fuse.

2.... When I asked the mechanic if the flood could cause damage to the starter he said "absolutely not", and that rainwater is fresh water and he even sometimes submerges starters I fresh water to clean them...."fresh water is good".

3.... Does this guy sound like he knows what he's doing?


4..... BTW, is the S terminal connected to the sensor on the engine? Maybe the new sensor they just installed is shorting.
Click to expand...

1.... Water intrusion within the starter motor can and will cause corrosion. If fresh rain water, it may not show up immediately.... but it will show up eventually.
This corrosion is what henders the electrical function of the starter motor. Ask anyone who has taken apart a starter motor that has been submerged.

2.... IMO, You need to find another mechanic. This one is incompetent and perhaps even dangerous.


3.... NO! And your first clue was with how he connected up your bilge pump float switch.

4..... Yes!
BTW, the temperature instrument must be powered in order to give you a temp reading.


As for the ignition circuit being near the starter motor...... if you consider the "Start-by-pass" circuit (if so equipped), yes it is near via the starter motor solenoid.


.
 
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