www.iFourWinns.com

Well I finally got the motor in my boat and got everything back together this winter, now I go to start it tonight and it won't start... not getting fuel. Testing with a multi-meter on pin 85 on the fuel pump relay (this is the pin that activates the relay coil... ) shows only 2 volts, so I'm guessing that's not enough to activate the relay coil... when I turn the key to 'on' I don't hear the fuel pump come on. However if I jumper the relay pins 30 and 87, the fuel pump starts humming... not sure what would cause this other than a bad ground? The starter engages and turns the engine over, so I don't believe it's the neutral safety switch? although I don't hear the 'beeeeep' that should happen when I turn the key on either...

Any ideas? Does anyone have a better wiring schematic than the one on the four wins owners manuals? I'd like to figure out where the red (orange maybe?) and green wires that go to this pin come from so I can trace it back.

thanks in advance for any feedback, I'd really like to get this thing going this weekend... been stuck in the garage for 2 years now and it's actually sunny for a change on May long weekend here in Canada!

_________________
Newbie Boat Owner, Looking to Learn!
1998 Four Winns Horizon RS 180
4.3L OMC/Volvo Penta Outdrive

Note: I just found a Seloc schematic which shows theres a diode in the green wire from the alternator which apparently powers the 85 pin... is it possible this diode is the culprit? or something in the alternator?

_________________
Newbie Boat Owner, Looking to Learn!
1998 Four Winns Horizon RS 180
4.3L OMC/Volvo Penta Outdrive

I'm not sure if this is by design or if there's something else at work here, but when checking the green wire at the back of the alternator I only get 2-3volts... I've swapped out my alternator with the alt from my old engine, same thing. So either I have 2 bad alternators, or this is by design and somehow this amount of current is supposed to power the fuel pump relay?

I did notice that the green wire was connected to the terminal on the alternator marked 'IND LIGHT TERM'... which according to the wiring diagrams I've found is supposed to be correct. there are other terminals on the back of the alternator however that come on with the key and DO provide full 12v power... I'm wondering if I can connect the fuel pump relay wire to one of them? Or will this damage my alternator, or cause other undesirable issues?

_________________
Newbie Boat Owner, Looking to Learn!
1998 Four Winns Horizon RS 180
4.3L OMC/Volvo Penta Outdrive

Not sure on the connection to the alternator, but the clue in the scenario to me is you don't get the been when the key is turned to on. Could the safety lanyard switch be open? Wire off the back or something?

_________________
Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

I'm not sure what happened, I'm thinking the shift interlock is a bit corroded up... I read a bit more on the owners manual about throttle operation and figured out the interlock release button that disengages the shifter mechanism and allows you to give it gas while still in neutral... (yeah it's my first boat) - after that it started beeping when you turn the key on, and it fired up! Took it out to the lake and put it in the water only to find that the interlock broke the second I was floating away from the trailer and couldn't get it out of neutral! lucky I still had my test light in the boat and used that to pry the interlock out of the slot behind the handle so I could shift! what a gong show...

anyway, we took it out for a 30 minute cruise (we were the only ones on the lake), and it seems to run well. hopefully get some more seat time in the next couple weekends!

Thanks for the response anyway, I'm sure I'll be back with more questions over the summer

PS. I answered my own question about connecting the fp relay to the other terminals on the alternator... turns out the starter relay is also connected to the fp wire, so when I connected it to the EXC terminal, when I turn the key to the 'on' position the starter started cranking! This is not a good thing to do!

_________________
Newbie Boat Owner, Looking to Learn!
1998 Four Winns Horizon RS 180
4.3L OMC/Volvo Penta Outdrive

What kind of throttle/shift control does it have? You might want to consider replacing that one because that's a problem you don't want to have again if you can help it. Teleflex makes a nice one (CH 1700) for a bout 350 or so.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Just factory as far as I can tell... ouch, $350? grumble grumble...

_________________
Newbie Boat Owner, Looking to Learn!
1998 Four Winns Horizon RS 180
4.3L OMC/Volvo Penta Outdrive