Boat Electrical Problem, Johnson 90-HP Flushing

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Author Topic:   Boat Electrical Problem, Johnson 90-HP Flushing

gobama posted 05-10-2011 03:09 PM ET (US)
A 2001 Johnson 90-HP runs fine. When running the boat the electronics, i.e., speedometer, tach, and fuel guage, will go dead for no apparent reason for a few seconds at a time. Then they all power up again causing the idiot lights for the oil system and alarms to go off, just like they would when you turn the iginition on.
The last time I flushed the saltwater out of the engine we noticed that water was coming from the front part of the foot. Does this have anything to do with the water pump? It has not been changed in a little over two years.
contender posted 05-10-2011 03:40 PM ET (US)
Sounds like a loose wire for the electronics, front of the foot is the intake for a speedo (if it is coming out of the factory hole)
seahorse posted 05-10-2011 04:05 PM ET (US)
Wing nuts or stainless steel hex nuts and lockwashers on the battery terminals?
gobama posted 05-10-2011 04:36 PM ET (US)
Wingnuts.
LKD posted 05-10-2011 04:58 PM ET (US)
I have the same engine and had the same problem with
faulty signals from the system-check gage. Replaced
the system-check gage per my dealer's suggestion but
still had the same problem. My son examined the wiring
in the console and found one loose connection. That
was the problem and have not had any more problems
since then, about eight years ago.
gobama posted 05-10-2011 05:36 PM ET (US)
Hey LKD does your son know specefically where that loose connection was?
I'm assuming that the water coming out of the front of the foot when flushing is not a problem?
masbama posted 05-10-2011 08:20 PM ET (US)
The water out the front is not a problem. Having no water coming out is.
LKD posted 05-10-2011 10:40 PM ET (US)
My problem was from a loose terminal on the key switch.
2manyboats posted 05-11-2011 08:28 AM ET (US)
We had similar problem with an 2005 90 hp. Loose battery cable was the problem.
jimh posted 05-11-2011 08:54 AM ET (US)
If electrical power distribution is interrupted, check the electrical conductors that distribute electrical power for integrity. The reason the SystemCheck gauge goes through its start-up procedure when the power loss occurs is because when power is first applied to the SystemCheck gauge it goes through a start-up procedure. The SystemCheck gauge is not self-aware and it cannot distinguish between the application of power when there was no power applied that occurs from an accidental disconnection. You need to locate the source of the power interruption. It is likely external to the SystemCheck gauge and involves a loose connection in the wiring associated with distribution of the battery power.
gobama posted 05-11-2011 11:48 AM ET (US)
When you say loose battery connection I'm assuming that you're saying that the terminal wingnuts need more than just hand tightenning?
Thanks for all the responses.
2manyboats posted 05-11-2011 05:43 PM ET (US)
Wing nuts are no longer recommended, use hex nuts instead.
contender posted 05-11-2011 08:41 PM ET (US)
2many: who has stated that wing nuts are not recommended?
2manyboats posted 05-11-2011 10:40 PM ET (US)
Riggers, mechanics, outboard motor dealers, battery manufacturers , shall I go on?
I quit using them years ago and if you buy a marine battery it will come with hex nuts. We have 12 batteries on 6 different boats ( 5 on the 36ft trawler) and not a wing nut to be found.
Mr T posted 05-11-2011 10:44 PM ET (US)
I am one of them. I had wing nuts on two different motors and in both of them electrical issues came up. One was a fried power pack, and the latest one ended up being a rectifier being taken out by big fluctuations in the electrical connections to the battery.
Based on input here and on another site, wing nuts were called the culprit in both cases.
I switched to nylock nuts on the posts three years ago, and no problems since then. It may not be related, but in my mind, I think it was.
seahorse posted 05-12-2011 12:28 AM ET (US)

quote:

who has stated that wing nuts are not recommended?
Johnson and Evinrude stated that 1/4 of a century ago.
Chuck Tribolet posted 05-12-2011 12:56 PM ET (US)
SS wingnuts, no problems 13 years, 1200 hours. I do use a
crescent wrench to tighten them.

Chuck

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Author	Topic: Boat Electrical Problem, Johnson 90-HP Flushing
gobama	posted 05-10-2011 03:09 PM ET (US) A 2001 Johnson 90-HP runs fine. When running the boat the electronics, i.e., speedometer, tach, and fuel guage, will go dead for no apparent reason for a few seconds at a time. Then they all power up again causing the idiot lights for the oil system and alarms to go off, just like they would when you turn the iginition on. The last time I flushed the saltwater out of the engine we noticed that water was coming from the front part of the foot. Does this have anything to do with the water pump? It has not been changed in a little over two years.
contender	posted 05-10-2011 03:40 PM ET (US) Sounds like a loose wire for the electronics, front of the foot is the intake for a speedo (if it is coming out of the factory hole)
seahorse	posted 05-10-2011 04:05 PM ET (US) Wing nuts or stainless steel hex nuts and lockwashers on the battery terminals?
gobama	posted 05-10-2011 04:36 PM ET (US) Wingnuts.
LKD	posted 05-10-2011 04:58 PM ET (US) I have the same engine and had the same problem with faulty signals from the system-check gage. Replaced the system-check gage per my dealer's suggestion but still had the same problem. My son examined the wiring in the console and found one loose connection. That was the problem and have not had any more problems since then, about eight years ago.
gobama	posted 05-10-2011 05:36 PM ET (US) Hey LKD does your son know specefically where that loose connection was? I'm assuming that the water coming out of the front of the foot when flushing is not a problem?
masbama	posted 05-10-2011 08:20 PM ET (US) The water out the front is not a problem. Having no water coming out is.
LKD	posted 05-10-2011 10:40 PM ET (US) My problem was from a loose terminal on the key switch.
2manyboats	posted 05-11-2011 08:28 AM ET (US) We had similar problem with an 2005 90 hp. Loose battery cable was the problem.
jimh	posted 05-11-2011 08:54 AM ET (US) If electrical power distribution is interrupted, check the electrical conductors that distribute electrical power for integrity. The reason the SystemCheck gauge goes through its start-up procedure when the power loss occurs is because when power is first applied to the SystemCheck gauge it goes through a start-up procedure. The SystemCheck gauge is not self-aware and it cannot distinguish between the application of power when there was no power applied that occurs from an accidental disconnection. You need to locate the source of the power interruption. It is likely external to the SystemCheck gauge and involves a loose connection in the wiring associated with distribution of the battery power.
gobama	posted 05-11-2011 11:48 AM ET (US) When you say loose battery connection I'm assuming that you're saying that the terminal wingnuts need more than just hand tightenning? Thanks for all the responses.
2manyboats	posted 05-11-2011 05:43 PM ET (US) Wing nuts are no longer recommended, use hex nuts instead.
contender	posted 05-11-2011 08:41 PM ET (US) 2many: who has stated that wing nuts are not recommended?
2manyboats	posted 05-11-2011 10:40 PM ET (US) Riggers, mechanics, outboard motor dealers, battery manufacturers , shall I go on? I quit using them years ago and if you buy a marine battery it will come with hex nuts. We have 12 batteries on 6 different boats ( 5 on the 36ft trawler) and not a wing nut to be found.
Mr T	posted 05-11-2011 10:44 PM ET (US) I am one of them. I had wing nuts on two different motors and in both of them electrical issues came up. One was a fried power pack, and the latest one ended up being a rectifier being taken out by big fluctuations in the electrical connections to the battery. Based on input here and on another site, wing nuts were called the culprit in both cases. I switched to nylock nuts on the posts three years ago, and no problems since then. It may not be related, but in my mind, I think it was.
seahorse	posted 05-12-2011 12:28 AM ET (US) quote: who has stated that wing nuts are not recommended? Johnson and Evinrude stated that 1/4 of a century ago.
Chuck Tribolet	posted 05-12-2011 12:56 PM ET (US) SS wingnuts, no problems 13 years, 1200 hours. I do use a crescent wrench to tighten them. Chuck