OMC V4 charges the battery when it feels like it

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Small Boat Electrical
  OMC V4 charges the battery when it feels like it

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   OMC V4 charges the battery when it feels like it

Teak Oil posted 08-13-2006 08:53 PM ET (US)
My 1985 V4 Evinrude 90hp engine seems to charge the battery whenever it feels like it. I will start the motor one time and it charges fine, about 13 volts at idle and over 14 at cruise. Then the next time I start it the needle on the guage will sit at about 11-12 volts the whole time and not move regardless of speed.
A couple times I have shut the motor off and restarted and then the battery will charge, though this did not work the last time. I have not had a chance to get a digital voltmeter on the motor when the problem is occurring, so I am relying on the OMC guage on the dash for my information. I do believe the gauge is working properly though.
Any ideas on what I should check? Thanks
bsmotril posted 08-13-2006 09:52 PM ET (US)
If your motor came with power tilt and trim, then it also has a voltage regulator mounted on the top rear of the block, halfway under the flywheel. I'd suspect the voltage regulator is at fault. BUT....Since that is such a pain in the butt becuase you have to pull the flywheel to replace it, check everything else you possibly can first.
1) Make certain the wiring to the volt meter is tight and not corroded. Even better, use a digital volt ohm meter and check the voltage directly from the battery posts when the motor is in failure mode.
2) Make certain the battery terminal cables are tight and not corroded.
3) Make sure the ground bus in your console has a good solid connection to the battery ground.
4) And....try another battery. Many times a battery with some age on it will start to fail by shorting plates together dropping voltage to just under 12 volts. It can still turn the starter, but the alternator can pour all it can into the battery and still never get the voltage up there.
If all this makes no nevermind, then it's time to find a flywheeel puller and have at the alternator. BillS
Teak Oil posted 08-16-2006 09:23 PM ET (US)
I started the motor at home today and was only getting 12.2 volts. I messed with the wires in the regulator to no avail. Then I tapped the regulator bolts with a hammer and it jumped up to 13.3 volts so it must be something loose inside the regulator.
What kind of puller would I need to get the flywheel off?
bsmotril posted 08-16-2006 10:42 PM ET (US)
I use a generic one I bought at NAPA which will also work with Pullies or Gears too. You can probably rent one from a good tool rental shop. Our local CarQuest store rents them too. BillS
Teak Oil posted 03-28-2007 05:39 PM ET (US)
I know its been a little while but I wanted to close this thread out by saying I replaced the regulator on top of the motor and it fixed my problem. I got a solid 14 volts today for 10 minutes in the driveway.
I ended up using my cheap Autozone flywheel puller with an impact wrench to remove the flywheel. One thing to note when doing this repair is that the threads in the flywheel for pulling it are inexplicably metric, when every other bolt and nut to do this repair is standard. If you try to use standard bolts to pull the flywheel you could strip the threads and ruin your flywheel, or have to drill and retap it.
contender posted 03-28-2007 09:30 PM ET (US)
Are not old rudes great, easy fix and still running

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: OMC V4 charges the battery when it feels like it
Teak Oil	posted 08-13-2006 08:53 PM ET (US) My 1985 V4 Evinrude 90hp engine seems to charge the battery whenever it feels like it. I will start the motor one time and it charges fine, about 13 volts at idle and over 14 at cruise. Then the next time I start it the needle on the guage will sit at about 11-12 volts the whole time and not move regardless of speed. A couple times I have shut the motor off and restarted and then the battery will charge, though this did not work the last time. I have not had a chance to get a digital voltmeter on the motor when the problem is occurring, so I am relying on the OMC guage on the dash for my information. I do believe the gauge is working properly though. Any ideas on what I should check? Thanks
bsmotril	posted 08-13-2006 09:52 PM ET (US) If your motor came with power tilt and trim, then it also has a voltage regulator mounted on the top rear of the block, halfway under the flywheel. I'd suspect the voltage regulator is at fault. BUT....Since that is such a pain in the butt becuase you have to pull the flywheel to replace it, check everything else you possibly can first. 1) Make certain the wiring to the volt meter is tight and not corroded. Even better, use a digital volt ohm meter and check the voltage directly from the battery posts when the motor is in failure mode. 2) Make certain the battery terminal cables are tight and not corroded. 3) Make sure the ground bus in your console has a good solid connection to the battery ground. 4) And....try another battery. Many times a battery with some age on it will start to fail by shorting plates together dropping voltage to just under 12 volts. It can still turn the starter, but the alternator can pour all it can into the battery and still never get the voltage up there. If all this makes no nevermind, then it's time to find a flywheeel puller and have at the alternator. BillS
Teak Oil	posted 08-16-2006 09:23 PM ET (US) I started the motor at home today and was only getting 12.2 volts. I messed with the wires in the regulator to no avail. Then I tapped the regulator bolts with a hammer and it jumped up to 13.3 volts so it must be something loose inside the regulator. What kind of puller would I need to get the flywheel off?
bsmotril	posted 08-16-2006 10:42 PM ET (US) I use a generic one I bought at NAPA which will also work with Pullies or Gears too. You can probably rent one from a good tool rental shop. Our local CarQuest store rents them too. BillS
Teak Oil	posted 03-28-2007 05:39 PM ET (US) I know its been a little while but I wanted to close this thread out by saying I replaced the regulator on top of the motor and it fixed my problem. I got a solid 14 volts today for 10 minutes in the driveway. I ended up using my cheap Autozone flywheel puller with an impact wrench to remove the flywheel. One thing to note when doing this repair is that the threads in the flywheel for pulling it are inexplicably metric, when every other bolt and nut to do this repair is standard. If you try to use standard bolts to pull the flywheel you could strip the threads and ruin your flywheel, or have to drill and retap it.
contender	posted 03-28-2007 09:30 PM ET (US) Are not old rudes great, easy fix and still running