www.iFourWinns.com :: View topic - 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??

... previous owner disconnected the switch like a lot of people do. I did reattach it while the boat was running and pulled the lanyard and boat kept running...

On my 1998 225 Sundowner there were 2 screws at the top of the dash on the front side and 4 clips or so on the backside accessible from underneath the helm.

Yes was wondering the same thing, but four winns guy told me on phone yesterday that the kill switch may be controlled through the vdo cluster..... hope so anyway. fingers crossed on the ground.

joet wrote:

On my 1998 225 Sundowner there were 2 screws at the top of the dash on the front side and 4 clips or so on the backside accessible from underneath the helm.

Got it out last night by prying up on top of dash with acouple of flat screw drivers... popped right out... checked voltage at connector and there was voltage across most pin with boat running.... so thinking this may confirm a ground issue. now that i have the cdi diagram I can rewire a ground and hopefully will fix issue... will post when i try it!

thanks

... supposed to be a 5 amp fuse somewhere...

firebird1158 wrote:

... supposed to be a 5 amp fuse somewhere...

Isn't it hanging off of the ignition switch?

Author:	firebird1158 [ Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:13 pm ]
Post subject:	1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Hey i just purchased a 1999 258 vista and everything was working but then towed it home 600 miles and now the dash is totally dead, I checked all the fuses under the steering wheel and wiggled wires but nothing, and can't figure out how to remove the cluster to check out voltage. Searched high and low but can't find how to remove it. any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Author:	acguy [ Tue Jul 17, 2012 5:47 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Are you sure that the kill switch safety lanyard on ok. If that switch doesn't make you will have no power on the vdo cluster

Author:	firebird1158 [ Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:44 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Actually I did look in behind the safety switch and one of the wires are off but assumed that the previous owner disconnected the switch like a lot of people do. I did reattach it while the boat was running and pulled the lanyard and boat kept running so maybe it is disconnected somewhere else along the circuit... will check it out and see, thanks. Do you know how to get to the back of the cluster in case I need to chase wires? Thanks

Author:	firebird1158 [ Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Well I checked out the safety switch itself and it works but it does not shut off motor and even when I ground the two wires together nothing happens?? The cluster illumination lights from dash switch work but all gauges are dead. I can not find a fuse dedicated to the gauges?? Any help would be greatly appreciated....

Author:	joet [ Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:22 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
On my 1998 225 Sundowner there were 2 screws at the top of the dash on the front side and 4 clips or so on the backside accessible from underneath the helm.

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Author:	Desert Steve [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
I have a 98 258 Vista and have removed the dashboard on several occasions, but not in a few years so I am a little rusty on exactly what I did and the boat is in a slip so I can't confirm my memory. First, remove the compass (four small screws, as I remember). Reach into the opening and there are nylon "wingnuts" in the corner of the dash that you unscrew. Be careful to turn them the correct direction. I believe that is all it takes. Simply reverse the sequence to install the dash. The integrated VDO dashes in the 98's (and maybe other years and models) can be source of endless frustration; there are a number of other posts regarding dash issues. Good luck on sorting out your problem. My fuel gauge regularly would go from reading correctly to reading empty, the warning light would come on, and the annoying alarm would beep for random periods of time. In order of activity, expense, and hassle, I replaced the ground wire, the lead from the sending unit in the tank, the sending unit itself, and I finally stuffed a cloth rag into the alarm so I could not hear it if started beeping. Fortunately, it has not acted up in more than a year (knock on plastic). Cheers,

Author:	GTBecker [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:49 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
firebird1158 wrote: ... previous owner disconnected the switch like a lot of people do. I did reattach it while the boat was running and pulled the lanyard and boat kept running... Did you find this boat on a beach? The ignition switch is miswired. A lot of people do that?

Author:	firebird1158 [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:33 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Find on a beach??? Came from Cape Cod.... not sure what you are getting at but boat is in like new condition with 330 hours and everything was working when picked up.... I think (or hoping) that a new ground wire will work after reading the cdi electronics four winns document on their website today.... will try it tomorrow and let you know thanks for the help everybody

Author:	GTBecker [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Just wondering if the previous pilot was thrown overboard by a rogue wave - with no working kill switch - and the boat found land. Seems dumb to me to disable it.

Author:	firebird1158 [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
Yes was wondering the same thing, but four winns guy told me on phone yesterday that the kill switch may be controlled through the vdo cluster..... hope so anyway. fingers crossed on the ground.

Author:	firebird1158 [ Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:08 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
joet wrote: On my 1998 225 Sundowner there were 2 screws at the top of the dash on the front side and 4 clips or so on the backside accessible from underneath the helm. Got it out last night by prying up on top of dash with acouple of flat screw drivers... popped right out... checked voltage at connector and there was voltage across most pin with boat running.... so thinking this may confirm a ground issue. now that i have the cdi diagram I can rewire a ground and hopefully will fix issue... will post when i try it! thanks

Author:	Graham R [ Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:39 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
firebird1158 wrote: Yes was wondering the same thing, but four winns guy told me on phone yesterday that the kill switch may be controlled through the vdo cluster..... hope so anyway. fingers crossed on the ground. I had a similar thing happen a few years ago, but NOT with VDO gauges fitted. The engine was running, no gauges were working and the ignition and kill switches did not stop the engine. It was a combination of a loose main power connection to the helm (poor factory installation) and dodgy ground connections at the engine ( a number of dissimilar metals and corrosion). It never recurred after sorting those out. The only way to stop the engine was to disconnect the low voltage connection to the distributor. I can only assume the engine ECU was somehow getting power from the alternator or battery independently from the ignition circuit.

Author:	firebird1158 [ Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:27 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
firebird1158 wrote: joet wrote: On my 1998 225 Sundowner there were 2 screws at the top of the dash on the front side and 4 clips or so on the backside accessible from underneath the helm. Got it out last night by prying up on top of dash with acouple of flat screw drivers... popped right out... checked voltage at connector and there was voltage across most pin with boat running.... so thinking this may confirm a ground issue. now that i have the cdi diagram I can rewire a ground and hopefully will fix issue... will post when i try it! thanks Well i tried the ground and it was good but there was no power to pin 22 in the diagram which says it is the battery positive wire... there is supposed to be a 5 amp fuse somewhere in the circuit but could not find it. So jumped a wire off the fuse panel under dash and spliced with pin 22 and everything is now working!! The wiring diagram trouble shooting page from CDI electronics were invaluable... much thanks for all the help!!

Author:	GTBecker [ Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:56 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
firebird1158 wrote: ... supposed to be a 5 amp fuse somewhere... Isn't it hanging off of the ignition switch?

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Author:	firebird1158 [ Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:52 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 1999 258 vista VDO gauges dead after tow, how to remove??
GTBecker wrote: firebird1158 wrote: ... supposed to be a 5 amp fuse somewhere... Isn't it hanging off of the ignition switch? Thats what I thought but checked both sides of fuse for power and nothing... So that is the fuse that supplies power to the dash.... the wire must have come loose somewhere else maybe at the starter or where ever it terminates...