Sounds like a week battery

I'm assuming this was on the main ground cable to the battery. Be careful of what type of repair cable end you use otherwise you'll end up with the same problem. There are some pretty decent ones that use a compression type end (just like a compression tube fitting) that goes around the complete cable and preferred. Then there's the repair ends that have a simple two bolt strap that clamps onto the cable. These do not last that long since they leave lots of the bare copper exposed. Dielectric grease helps big time.

A new ground cable and of a heavier gauge would be my suggestion.

This has been a good read. This winter I want to re-wire everything. I have a bunch of "get it through the weekend" fixes under the dash, plus I want to fully understand it, which for me means that I need to actually do it. What is it that Lombardi said? "Pursue perfection and you may achieve excellence".

8122pbrainard wrote: Jllogan wrote: 8122pbrainard wrote: Bri892001 wrote: So, in essence, is temp gauge basically just an Ohm meter and the temp sensor is just a variable resister? The positive feeds both the lighting, and the circuit that allows the sensor to work? A week positive would also cause bad gauge readings? Brian, Yes, yes and yes! Justin, the only sender that could have a bad ground is the fuel gauge sender. It would be bad from the engine to the tank. Both the oil pressure sender and the temperature sender are screwed directly to the engine block. That is the ground!! What about the voltmeter? Justin, You're correct on the volt meter. It's the only one that has a ground source under the dash. Well, the hour meter does too but it won't bounce around it's needle!!

YES!!! Got one right.

>>>>>>

Ok, now I get it. Thanks Pete.

Bri892001 wrote: So, in essence, is temp gauge basically just an Ohm meter and the temp sensor is just a variable resister? The positive feeds both the lighting, and the circuit that allows the sensor to work? A week positive would also cause bad gauge readings?

Brian, Yes, yes and yes!

Justin,
the only sender that could have a bad ground is the fuel gauge sender. It would be bad from the engine to the tank.

Both the oil pressure sender and the temperature sender are screwed directly to the engine block. That is the ground!!

8122pbrainard wrote: Jllogan wrote: jumpy guages indicate bad grounds. Not really. The ground on a gauge is only there for the internal lighting. The ground is at the senders. Maybe you were cleaning up the + (hot) connections. Yes, that will do it.

I guess I was saying a bad ground somewhere in the chain, not necessarily on the back of the guage. I didnt mess with those, but I did clean up the terminal strips.

Jllogan wrote: jumpy guages indicate bad grounds.

Not really. The ground on a gauge is only there for the internal lighting. The ground is at the senders. Maybe you were cleaning up the + (hot) connections. Yes, that will do it.

jumpy guages indicate bad grounds. Several have had issues with that, self included. I cleaned up a few connections and it got better. However occasionally mine still does it. When I tear the boat apart this winter for a new floor I will run a new dash supply. Its a pain to work up under there with the drivers seat in. I did it some and had my fill.

starter might be a little tired..probably need to be clean at least...
inspect all connections first and battery of course, relay etc....then I would lean to the starter it self....
I`ve been there, replaced battery, cables, relay, etc, nothing, it was heavy ..finally had to rebuilt the starter...not it turn like a champ..

Any chance you could post some pics of your gauges and some wiring and stuff? A quick video of the gauges jumping around would be awesome if possible.

Do the gauges do a little start-up sequence, like some cars or it more like poltergeist? The poltergeist scenerio would point to a bad ground/grounds somewhere and that can cause a host of problems.

I know the early 90's boats, are notorious for undersized wiring going to the dash. Not sure how long that carried through.

Here is what is looks like in case you dont already know.
http://www.nautiqueparts.com/solenoidstarterrelay.aspx

Basically the ingnition (key) sends 12 volts to one of those little studs on there which completes the circuit from the large left stud to the right stud (or whichever one is connected to starter) causing the starter to turn over. Its like a switch that turns the starter on. You need to figure out where in the sequence you are not getting juice.
If when you either turn the key or jump the two posts together you have at least 12 volts on the wire that goes to the starter, but it wont turn over, then you starter is shot.

Pete, the relay can still energize with one of the battery cabled disconnected?

As far as volts goes... a 12 volt battery is actually at a minimum charge if it shows 12 volts. Or I should say that it is at around a 50% charge. You should never let the battery get below that in a resting state. A fully charged battery will actually read somewhere around 12.6 or slightly higher. A battery that is let rest below a 50% charge will have a significantly shorter life. This is more applicable to RV batteries as your alternator will recharge your battery effectively if used primarily for starting the motor. This deep cycling would be more of a concern if you routinely sit on the lake listening to the sterio for long periods with short runs with the engine running.

Sounds like volts is not your problem just thought you might find this useful down the road.

7golfman wrote: I should not have messed with it. It started the last time i had it on the lake. Just started weak.

It sounds like it would have been a matter of time before leaving you stranded on the water anyway....


What about the starter itself? Could it be bad/have a short? Also make sure the starter is grounded to block good, no paint or rust/corrosion....

Can you jump across the starter relay/selenoid? What happens?

It will not crank at all now. I thought I would clean all of the electrical connections because it appeared to me to start weak. I have done something or the battery has weakend.