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Seems like no power to trim and starter.
Jim Reardon	#1  Posted on 03/08/09 - 6:56 PM
Member Posts: 6 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/08/09	Just put my battery back in my 2003 17' Montauk with 90 h.p 4 stroke mercury. Put it back in just like any other year, battery all charged, red wires to positive, black to negative - not even a sound when I try to trim up motor or turn ignition. Checked the wires to the battery and no fuses that I can find blown under the center console. Lights, radio, bilge pump all work. Anyone run in to this before? Thanks.
Derwd24	#2  Posted on 03/08/09 - 10:40 PM
Member Posts: 1607 Comments: 9 Joined: 05/09/07	Jim, Are you running the wiring through a battery switch or are the cables going straight back to the motor? I'd start by checking the connections of the black and red cables at the powerhead. Clean and tight. Also, at the battery, regular nuts are preferred to wingnuts, you can use a box end or socket to get a good tight connection. Dave - 1983 Outrage 22
CES	#3  Posted on 03/09/09 - 5:21 AM
Member Personal Page Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 2681 Comments: 7 Joined: 04/27/07	I had an electrical problem with my boat too and I found that I had two loose wires: one was the red lead connector from the battery and the other was a bad connection within my lighting system. Like Dave said, check all your terminals for looseness or corrosion. Cliff 1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker
MW	#4  Posted on 03/09/09 - 9:12 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1827 Comments: 10 Joined: 01/08/06	Ya gonna need a "Test Light" (Auto. store). Matt
Jim Reardon	#5  Posted on 03/09/09 - 10:26 AM
Member Posts: 6 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/08/09	Thanks for the input - I will check the connections again. Anyone ever have the 20 amp fuse in the motor go? I found a manual on line that indicated that a fuse at the motor would cause there to be no power to the trim and starter.
brooks89	#6  Posted on 03/09/09 - 10:36 AM
Member Posts: 177 Comments: 0 Joined: 05/24/07	If you have not already take a wire brush or some emory cloth and make those terminal connectors bright shiny clean. I've seen this before... shine 'em up and your problem may be solved. Also my '00 70HP 2 cycle Johnson used to occassionally pop the engine fuse. I never definitively ID'ed the problem, but when I replaced my console switches and re-organized the prior owner's wire work the problem stopped.
Jim Reardon	#7  Posted on 03/09/09 - 10:43 AM
Member Posts: 6 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/08/09	Thanks for your input. Terminals are clean, battery good. With the electrical working on radio, lights etc I am thinking I should check that fuse at the motor. It's a funky fuse holder that is not obvious how it opens...
Derwd24	#8  Posted on 03/09/09 - 11:20 AM
Member Posts: 1607 Comments: 9 Joined: 05/09/07	Check that fuse for sure. If you're unable to open the holder, post a pic, I'm sure someone can advise. Also, when there's a poor connection, the lower current draw items will sometimes still work. It's the higher current draw like the trim and starter, that will overload the weak spot when energized... Dave - 1983 Outrage 22
Jim Reardon	#9  Posted on 03/13/09 - 12:42 PM
Member Posts: 6 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/08/09	Problem solved - the 30 amp mini fuse in the motor was blown. It seems a neutral wire hit the positive side of the battery. Everything good now. Thanks for the input - the boat is just about the only thing except my kids which can make me lose sleep at night. Jim R