where to start?

[dach side]

i've got a no crank/no start concern on a detroit diesel 8.2t engine. some background first, but grab a beer, this could take a while. while doing some trouble shooting on what i thought was a transmission issue, my port engine would not start. cranked fine, but no start. tried with some ether, started, then died. fuel issue. checked system, all ok, checked wiring, etc., then thought "hey, I can't hear my fuel solenoid clicking", so i checked the wiring, grounds, etc. had my wife turn the key on, loud click! hit starter, ran fine. we then drove 1/2 hour to our anchorage. i had noted the port engine seemed to run a little too hot, so next day, i checked pump, impeller, hoses, etc., then tightened the pump belt. started engine, ran fine, but the gauges were all over the place, tach jumping around, etc. figured it was a ground issue and the main ground with 3 wires connected was badly corroded. i cleaned the terminals and stud, reconnected wires, hit the key, no crank/no start. next day, replaced corrodded wires and ring terminals, tried again, no crank/no start. stbd. engine is fine. checked power at ignition switch, none there. checked all relays, fuses, etc., but at this point, i'm out of ideas. any ideas???

 

[Moonstruck]

Fuel shutoff solenoid?

 

[dach side]

Don: yes, the fuel shutoff was a problem of no starting, so I've ordered a replacement. Now, the engine won't crank at all, or even sound the alarms when the key is turned. In short, I'm not getting power to the key switch on he helm. I need to know where that power source is so I can trace it back.

 

[Moonstruck]

Don: yes, the fuel shutoff was a problem of no starting, so I've ordered a replacement. Now, the engine won't crank at all, or even sound the alarms when the key is turned. In short, I'm not getting power to the key switch on he helm. I need to know where that power source is so I can trace it back.

Did you check the connections on the starter and starter solenoid? Sounds like a problem between the ignition switch and there. Also check the grounds. The simplest thing it could probably be would be a fuse or circuit breaker. If there is a circuit breaker look for a little leaver out to the side. Push it back in and try it. There should be one after the alternator.

 

[FlyWright]

Sounds like a ground problem on that side. My fuel shut-off solenoid has a single hot wire running to it and uses the engine mount as the ground. I replaced mine when I thought I had a solenoid problem, but it was the hot wire. If it was first a shut down problem and now it won't crank, perhaps the common ground is the issue.

I was recently reminded that continuity does not guarantee load-carrying capability. I had a lead from my charger that carried voltage with no load and passed continuity tests, but there was very little current flowing into the batteries. After many tests and much head scratching, I removed the leads and peeled back the shrink wrap. There was only 1/3 of the individual wires providing a connection to the terminal lug.

 

[Phil Fill]

So why not hot wire from the positive start battery cable to the solenoid. I installed a start switch in the engine room so I can hear/see/feel what is doing on. I initially start the engines in the engine room. If they to not turn over and start with in 3 to 5 seconds something is wrong. On the gen set I wired to by pass the electrical controls to be able to just start the engine which power the hydraulics for the bow thruster.

 

[bluebyu]

Gear shift in neutral?

 

[Codger2]

Gear shift in neutral?

OMG! I committed that sin about 3 years ago and after checking everything and swearing a blue streak I found the shifter in the forward position.

 

[markpierce]

OMG! I committed that sin about 3 years ago and after checking everything and swearing a blue streak I found the shifter in the forward position.

Done that twice in two years (gear shift out of neutral, but barely, when attempting to start), and I'm still kicking myself.

 

[chc]

Have you tried swapping the run solenoids? Port side to Stbd ? If problem follows swap; bad solenoid becomes a possibility.

 

[wndsnd]

Switch?

 

[dach side]

Checked gearshift was in neutral, ok. Ignition switch, check. Ran a jumper from dc panel positive to breaker at ignition panel, started & ran fine, but gauges still afu. Tomorrow I'm going to check harness plugs for damaged pins, corrosion, etc, and may also run a jumper from the neg. buss bar to the dash ground for the port engine to see if I hen have proper gauge ops.

 

[Moonstruck]

Checked gearshift was in neutral, ok. Ignition switch, check. Ran a jumper from dc panel positive to breaker at ignition panel, started & ran fine, but gauges still afu. Tomorrow I'm going to check harness plugs for damaged pins, corrosion, etc, and may also run a jumper from the neg. buss bar to the dash ground for the port engine to see if I hen have proper gauge ops.

dach side,

Try this.

sabremotoryachtownersgroup : Sabre Motor Yacht Owners Group

Ask Steve Blunden or Kevin O'Keefe, our technical moderators, about the problem. Chances are that they have run across it before. To post you will have to have a Yahoo ID and join the group. They haven't had much activity this week, so put'em to work.

 

[dbles]

We have preliminary solenoid above the tranny in line with the fuel solenoid. when it started failing we experienced similar symptoms... If same setup, would suggest verifying power is flowing through. Ours got progressively worse until failing. Interesting part was both sides failed same summer! $30 part instead of new fuel solenoid.

1991 Sabreline 36 FT
Detroit 8.2's

 

[KJ]

I have twin DD 8.2’s also. I had a similar problem on my trip down the ICW recently. When we got to Jacksonville and fueled up, we needed to move over to the transient dock for the night. When I went to start the engines from the flybridge, neither one of them would turn over. The keys would turn, but there was nothing at all. I went down to the lower helm and they both started fine from there, although the low oil pressure alarm on the stb. engine did not go on.
So for the rest of the trip I just started the engines from the lower helm. The tach and volt meter on the flybridge were not functioning either, but again the lower helm was fine. On the way back we lost the auto-pilot, which was not that big of a deal on the ICW.
I also lost one of the two AC panels which caused some problems with the inverter.

I repaired a frayed alternator wire and tightened a loose ground wire that I found, but other than that, I didn’t want to mess around too much because it probably wouldn’t have taken a lot to make matters worse. Electronics is not my forte.

When I got back I had a tech guy check it all out. He crawled around under the flybridge helm and inside the main electric panel. He said there wasn’t any power getting to a lot of the systems. He said there were a lot loose connections and loose grounds and some of the switches looked questionable.

So I replaced both ignition switches and the auto-pilot pull switch. He tightened all the loose connections up and now everything works fine. Both engines now turn over from the flybridge.

Hope this helps a little. KJ

 

[dach side]

Where to srart

Don: I took your advice; we'll see if he has any ideas. Dbles, I've got one 50a reset and 2 solenoid s above the trans; they seem to be working ok, and right now the fuel solenoid isn't the issue, rather there is no power getting to the port engine start station. When I jumped power to it, the warning buzzers sounded as normal, and it started and ran fine, with the exception of those gauges. KJ, I thought I'd found the problem with the 3 8 ga ground wires at the water pump bracket that had a fair amount of corrosion on the terminals. After I'd cleaned them up is when I experienced the no crank issue. I cit back the corroded wiring and spliced in new wire with new terminals, but still no crank. I've checked all the wires I can reach (I'm old as dirt and not too flexible) but still no crank. I'm going to check wiring harnesses today to see if that helps. If not, I've got a guy coming next week. Thanks all

 

[dach side]

Where to start

Yahoo whoopie !!!!!!!!!!! Found a harness plug in connector loose. Plugged it together, starts & runs fine, gauges ops fine. Secured connector to be sure it stays together. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Iceberg]

where to start

Some things will never change.The darnest problems are so simple AFTER you find the solution.Happy boating.

 

[theran5317]

How come it's always the last thing you check?

 

[CPseudonym]

How come it's always the last thing you check?

Because once you find the problem you stop

 

[Moonstruck]

Dach side, glad you found the solution. Glad to have you onboard the Sabre site. Your posting here and there could help others when they face a similar problem.

 

[markpierce]

Or why isn't it always the first thing checked??