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I'm a newb,so please bear with me.

I have a 2000 Dauntless 18' with an Optimax 135. After sitting for four months, it won't start and the power trim is inoperable.

I have performed the following:

Checked the four twenty amp fuses in the motor
Cleaned all battery connections including the ones in the selector switch
Took the batteries to have them checked-all okay

All accessories from the switch panel function properly

Any ideas?

Ed

[Moderator edited title for specificity]

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When you say it won't start do you mean it doesn't fire or doesn't turn over?

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I'm sorry for that, but it won't turn over.

Ed

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Then start here.

1. Check batteries (you've done this)
2. Check battery connections at the motor
3. Check Starter and connections
4. Check key switch and wiring

If it won't even turn over, then you are not getting power to the starter or the starter is shot.
Check all of the above to see if you are getting power to the starter when you turn the key switch.

If the trim switch is also inoperable, then it sounds like you might have a bad power wire going to your key switch.
Or maybe a blown fuse on your motor. Check your motor manual for this fuse.

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Joe,

Thanks for the reply. I have checked the four twenty amp fuses in the motor, and all were okay. I cleaned all battery cables.

Thanks,

Ed

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My understanding of the Optimax 135 starting circuit is: High current supplied from the battery positive post to one post of the engine mounted solenoid. When the key is turned to start the solenoid is activated completing the high current circuit and current flows from the solenoid through the starter and back to the battery negative post. Now, the low current side of the starting circuit is more complicated, taking current from the positive battery post sending it through the key switch and somehow involving the neutral start switch and from there energizing the coil of the solenoid then back to the battery negative post. I'm not sure where the tilt/trim gets it's power but I'm betting that if you check the positive cable on the solenoid with the ignition switch turned on you will detect 12 volts there. I don't know how any of this May help you except to say that. I believe your problem is in the low current side of the starting circuit and the presence of the 12V at the solenoid will show that. Then again, I probably am wrong but if neither starter nor tilt/trim works I don't think it's your engine.

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I tend to think the problem is not in the engine. I can't find a schematic that illustrates what wires receive power from the batteries or the engine. What I am trying now is to clean every connector I can find. Additionally, yesterday the power trim worked for two brief times.

Thanks

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The motor wiring harness supplies the power to the key switch and the trim switch, etc.
Look at the owners manual for your motor and/or purchase a repair manual and look at the wiring harness.

Here is another brand of wiring harness for OMC/BRP
This article explains what all the wires do in the harness for OMC.
http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...icle_id=72

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Joe,

Thanks again for the info. I'm going to the library tomorrow to check out a repair manual. The owners manual is not very good in this respect.

Ed

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Sounds like bad cable from motor to battery or connection points at battery from motor since you said the trim worked one day; had the same issues this year. Your battery lines are 14 years old,, bet they are brittle and green at the battery. I would put new connectors on at the battery, if you have enough slack I would cut these back 1-2 inches and replace with new connectors. If that does not work then I would replace battery cable from the motor to the battery (tie a string to the old cable when removing to pull the new lines in when replacing). These motor are sensitive to power, has nothing to do with motor electrically it is battery connection points or the battery line to motor.

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Thanks for the reply. Do you know of a good replacement cable end?

Ed

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I first wish to thank all who replied to my post.

The problem has been solved. The culprit was a loose and corroded ground wire. It was the ground cable from the boat to the motor.

Thanks again,

Ed