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Author Topic:   VERADO 175: Lost Engine Comm

mwood31906 posted 03-27-2011 07:04 AM ET (US)
I'm getting [a diagnostic message of] "Lost Engine Comm" on my VERADO 175 on my [Boston Whaler 200 DAUNTLESS]. Anyone have any ideas? Or, a link to where I can go find out more about this message? Thanks
jimh posted 03-27-2011 07:30 AM ET (US)
The diagnostic message "LOST ENGINE COMM" appears to be a common problem with the VERADO (based on a number of previous inquiries on this topic). Your owner's manual should give you more elaborate interpretation of the meaning of the message, and it should suggest action to be taken.
The remedy usually suggested is to check all of the wiring harness connections between the instruments and the engine. Check that all plugs and sockets in connectors are properly mated and fully seated. Advice is sometimes given to spray electrical contacts in the connectors with an electrical contact restoration aerosol spray, but I would only do that as a last resort. Usually electrical contacts that are clean and dry will work. If you see indications of corrosion or water ingress into electrical connectors, you may try spraying them with an electrical contact restoration aerosol.
jimh posted 03-27-2011 07:34 AM ET (US)
Re the acronym "DT200," I am not clear what you intend to mean by that. Could you elaborate on what the acronym "DT200" refers to? Thanks.
mwood31906 posted 03-27-2011 08:11 AM ET (US)
My boat is a 20' Dauntless. I appreciate your response. Someone on the hull truth point me to www.veradoclub.com I found plenty on the problem there.
Marty
jimh posted 03-27-2011 08:51 AM ET (US)
Yes--LOST ENGINE COMM on a VERADO installation seems like a common problem. Boats have lots of vibration, and electrical connectors can become loose or misaligned as a result. I am sure you will restore your VERADO system to proper operation by checking those connections. I also suspect you will get advice to spray them down with electrical contact restoration fluid from an aerosol can. Take that advice with some caution, as electrical contact restoration fluid should not be used excessively on electrical connectors. It can easily become a required maintenance procedure as the sprayed fluid builds up on the connector and contacts..
I have found that if electrical wiring bundles and connectors are too tightly constrained they become more prone to problems from vibration. I know it looks nice to have everything laced down very tightly, but sometimes binding all electrical connections to the boat actually induces more problems with vibration. The best way to keep electrical connectors working is to relieve all strain on them so that the two connectors will mate easily. If there is strain on the connection created by the wiring being bound tightly into a bundle, you often get problems. The wiring to a connector should have some slack so that the connector can freely mate with its matching connector. Look for situations like that in the wiring harness. The initial installer may have been over zealous with bundling everything together into a structure that then vibrates too much.

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Author	Topic: VERADO 175: Lost Engine Comm
mwood31906	posted 03-27-2011 07:04 AM ET (US) I'm getting [a diagnostic message of] "Lost Engine Comm" on my VERADO 175 on my [Boston Whaler 200 DAUNTLESS]. Anyone have any ideas? Or, a link to where I can go find out more about this message? Thanks
jimh	posted 03-27-2011 07:30 AM ET (US) The diagnostic message "LOST ENGINE COMM" appears to be a common problem with the VERADO (based on a number of previous inquiries on this topic). Your owner's manual should give you more elaborate interpretation of the meaning of the message, and it should suggest action to be taken. The remedy usually suggested is to check all of the wiring harness connections between the instruments and the engine. Check that all plugs and sockets in connectors are properly mated and fully seated. Advice is sometimes given to spray electrical contacts in the connectors with an electrical contact restoration aerosol spray, but I would only do that as a last resort. Usually electrical contacts that are clean and dry will work. If you see indications of corrosion or water ingress into electrical connectors, you may try spraying them with an electrical contact restoration aerosol.
jimh	posted 03-27-2011 07:34 AM ET (US) Re the acronym "DT200," I am not clear what you intend to mean by that. Could you elaborate on what the acronym "DT200" refers to? Thanks.
mwood31906	posted 03-27-2011 08:11 AM ET (US) My boat is a 20' Dauntless. I appreciate your response. Someone on the hull truth point me to www.veradoclub.com I found plenty on the problem there. Marty
jimh	posted 03-27-2011 08:51 AM ET (US) Yes--LOST ENGINE COMM on a VERADO installation seems like a common problem. Boats have lots of vibration, and electrical connectors can become loose or misaligned as a result. I am sure you will restore your VERADO system to proper operation by checking those connections. I also suspect you will get advice to spray them down with electrical contact restoration fluid from an aerosol can. Take that advice with some caution, as electrical contact restoration fluid should not be used excessively on electrical connectors. It can easily become a required maintenance procedure as the sprayed fluid builds up on the connector and contacts.. I have found that if electrical wiring bundles and connectors are too tightly constrained they become more prone to problems from vibration. I know it looks nice to have everything laced down very tightly, but sometimes binding all electrical connections to the boat actually induces more problems with vibration. The best way to keep electrical connectors working is to relieve all strain on them so that the two connectors will mate easily. If there is strain on the connection created by the wiring being bound tightly into a bundle, you often get problems. The wiring to a connector should have some slack so that the connector can freely mate with its matching connector. Look for situations like that in the wiring harness. The initial installer may have been over zealous with bundling everything together into a structure that then vibrates too much.