Weird ELECTRICAL Problem HELP!!!

[argali66]

Hi,

I have been restoring a 1968 Evinrude Sportsman 155 HP and took it out on the lake last week. All was going great. When I got ready to put the boat back on the trailer, my Battery was down in power and Motor wouldn't fully turn over. Speeding forward through this story. I found when I got home that the Alternator's EARS that the Bolts go through that mounts it had Broken and the Alternator was setting down. No big deal right, just buy another alternator. I ahd to remove the Sterndrive when I got to the Boat Ramp, because the Tilt wouldn't work with low voltage (battery being drained). Before I removed the Sterndrive:

The Tilt Motor was clicking WITH NO ONE TOUCHING THE SWITCH.
The Sterndrive was making sounds like it was shifting gears WITH NO ONE TOUCHING THE SWITCH.

When I got back home, I recharged the Battery and when I Put the terminals back on with The Sterndrive removed from the Boat, The Tilt Motor RUNS WITH NO ONE TOUCHING THE SWITCH. Meaning the Minute Power is Hooked up to the Battery, The Gear is Turning from the Tilt Motor WITH NO ONE TOUCHING THE TILT SWITCH. I haven't put the Sterndrive back on, but I am assuming it will also Make the Shifting Sound WITH NO ONE PUSHING THE Shifter Buttons.

What do you guys think happened? Did the Back terminals on the Alternator Touch other Metals and Short Something out? Why would BOTH the Tilt and the Shifter Be Operating at the same Time with no one Pushing a Button?

I bought 2 New Solenoids for the Tilt and am going to put them on Tomorrow to see if that stops the Tilt from Running.
I just hope that the Alternator falling down didn't zap the coils or solenoids that are inside the sterndrive. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Steve

 

[the_tassie_devil]

Sounds like you have a short in the electricals.

The Solenoids are only a "switching" method to allow a small current flow from the vessels wiring from the Dash and Throttle lever to operate the Solenoids.

The main power that is passing through the Solenoids, once the forward switches are operated, is the heavy duty cables from the Battery and then to the components.

If the Gear Selection is on continuously, and out of the water, then the magnet could be cooked, as it is the outside water that keeps the shifting magnets and housing cool.

Firstly, look at the Alternator, and area around it and see if there is any tell-tale marks where it could have been shorting out. If not, then I would be testing the circuitry by disconnecting the solenoid leads leads, and individually testing them, bearing in mind that the leads on the solenoids, opposite the lead that goes to the leg, and the tilt motor will be live.

Plus, make sure that someone hasn't incorrectly connected the Tilt Motor to the Solenoid that operates the gear selection (Forward or Reverse) or vice versa.

Plus, check all grounds, as electricity is a funny thing, and can track to places where it shouldn't, if Grounds are incomplete.

Bruce.