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Hi all,

Took my engine out last week for an overhaul and now tidying up the bilge and rest of the boat. Before taking the engine out I saw that the bilge pump was not working, presumed this was down to an oil leak in the bilge (one of the reasons for removing the motor) so bought a new pump. When I removed the old pump I saw that the wiring connection was corroded and disconnected. I threw out the old pump (connector shown on right of photo) but left the other part of the wiring in place (left side of photo) so far.

The new pump I installed connected directly to the battery, I didn't hook it up to the loom as was not bothered about having it connected to the switch in the cockpit.

Going through the rest of the boat, I have realised that the shower sump pump and forward bilge are also likely connected back to this loom, but the wires in the engine bilge don't match the wires at the pump...

I need to get the shower sump and forward bilge pumps working again, any idea where to start?

The corrosion on this connector was likely caused by spending some time submerged in dirty bilge water that conducts electricity. It should have been mounted up higher where it doesn't get wet. Could also have been salt residue (from salt water) that continued to attract moisture and conduct electricity. Even if you are not using the connector, I would clean it up enough to make sure it does not leak any current from one wire to the next. It could even be coated with liquid electric tape to preserve what's left for future use.

There is no logical reason that the power for the forward bilge pumps would pass through this connector first. I suspect those wiring issues are somewhere else.

There are electric diagrams available (although the Vista's are known for not always following the electric diagrams). What Year / Model is the boat?

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Thanks for the post, my boat is a 2000 268 Vista. I do have a wiring diagram in the owners manual but it's like reading Chinese to me!

By the way it turned green, I don't thinks it tinned wire.

Crappy wiring and connector that has no business in the bilge of a boat. Replace at least the connectors with water proof ones! Open up that fuse holder too, I bet its all corroded inside. Blue Seas, or Ancor stuff is what you want on a boat.

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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

If the same genius designed your circuitry as on my 2009 278, then have serious look at the wiring in the underfloor compartment in the cabin. Any water ingress there, the connectors are underwater.

The shower sump was full to the brim and the fwd bilge was full, both of them the pumps were totally submerged. This is why I thought that the wiring loom might be for all the pumps. I've got a spare battery now so will go down today and test each pump.

All the wiring I have replaced I've done with waterproof crimps/heat shrink with a second layer of heat shrink and kept any connections way higher than the waterline should ever go.

Re. Fuse holder, any idea what this fuse is for? I will open it up today and take a look.

What I thought was a fuse holder is actually the connector for the transducer. As the original hummingbird depth sounder display died a while ago I'm going to replace this anyway but again want to avoid running new wires where at all possible, although wiring to the cockpit is going to be a lot easier than to the forward bilge.

As the engine is out I hooked up the negatives and ground to the batteries using a jump lead and tested the shower sump and fwd bilge, both working well after a good clean up.

Cabin lights are not working and fuel gauge stopped working just before I lifted the engine out so another few jobs to get done now too... All good fun and a good learning exercise!