09 Enzo ignition woes

[StevenCW 2]

I purchased this boat new, I've had it a while. I do all maintenance myself and always have. The problem we encountered this weekend was the only issue I've ever had. Put in, started and ran fine. Shut it down, fueled up at Marina, started and ran fine. 15 minute trip down stream, shut it down to setup for surfing. Will not start. Cranks, plenty of juice in the batteries. No spark. Fuses good, lanyard switch is good, circuit breaker is good. We checked everything that is easily done. The boat is now in the driveway and it's raining. All I can do is sit and stare. I know there is no spark from the coil. I didn't have a test light at the lake, and plan to test the coil for power when the rain ends. Any extra advice or support would be appreciated. My tow ratio is now around 28:1, and that makes me very sad. Of course, the wife had to take pix and post it all over for the world to see. Thanks Honey. Maybe there is a c/b or fuse or something I'm missing. It has to be something simple...

[StevenCW 2]

330 merc.

[CenturionSkier 43]

Do your gauges turn on and go to 0 when you key up? If not then your problem is in the kill switch circuit. Check the purple wires coming off of the back of the kill switch, make sure they are hooked up to the switch. You could touch them together and see if the engine will start as well. Otherwise follow them to the dash to see if there is a break in a connection.

 

Can you hear your fuel pumps come on when you key on? If the Gauges come up and the fuel pump does not run check the relays and fuses under the Black Scorpion box on the rear of your engine.

 

Just a couple of starting points for you.

[StevenCW 2]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, yes, and yes. Not the kill switch. Fuel pressure good, all the fuses at the engine (sort of under the plenum) are good as is the fuse at the batteries. Obviously the c/b at the batteries is fine because it does crank over fine. The c/b at the engine is fine and I have power on both sides. All the c/b under the dash are fine and they don't control the engine anyways, but checked them all anyways. The kids were monkeying around the storage locker (batteries) and it could just be coincidence, but I think something was bumped, or knocked loose, etc., but I cannot find a thing wrong. Any advice is welcomed, even if I think I've covered everything. Stupid after Labor Day curse has followed me my entire boating life. No more after LD for me. Ever. Thanks again.

[StevenCW 2]

Okay, with the advice of CenturionSkier, I checked the kill switch again. I finally pulled the entire switch out and have it on the bench (still raining and it's dry in the garage). Based on what you tell me there should be continuity between the two purple wires. There is not, in any key position (off, on, or start). My gauge cluster does work tho. Just for the record the switch housing is in the correct position and the drain hole is at the bottom, no water in there... Just in checking the switch and the purple wires there is no continuity between the two. I haven't jumped them yet, because I want to make sure I'm reading this correctly. Thanks again.

[StevenCW 2]

Now I'm getting a different reading. There is contact between the two in the on position. Maybe it's sporadic, or I failed during the initial test. My bad...in the on position the red, and both purples are hot. In the start position yellow becomes hot, of course. Two black remain open unless I trip the safety switch.

[StevenCW 2]

I still have nothing. Maybe it's the coil wire or the coil itself. The coil wire was routed in such fashion that it was twisted and really in a bind against some of the other components, so I thought I'd check it out. Can't get an ohm reading on the coil wire at all, but I also can't find plug/coil wires local. Tried to find automotive plug/ coil wires that had the same end as my coil (just so i could test it), but no luck with that either...

[StevenCW 2]

Checked and tested:

Ignition switch. See above.

All fuses and circuit breakers.

Safety kill (tethered) switch. Engine will not crank if switch is off. In the on position it cranks over fine.

If I'm correct, there should not be any neutral safety issues, because if the throttle is moved prior to start up, the engine/trans (DTS controls) is in throttle only mode...

Coil (have power in to the coil) and wires have been replaced (expensive) and still NO SPARK from the coil. Something is "tripped" and I'm missing it.

All gauges work, fuel pump primes, just no spark...

Idk?..

[truekaotik 458]

Engine breaker ontop good?

Check the wiring going to the distributor and make sure she is good... The sensor under the rotor ( inside the cap) has been known to not let it start as well... Just throwing ideas?

[StevenCW 2]

Thanks TK. I just noticed the "purple" lead to the dizzy has no signal. Just open, nothing, nada. Tach lead is fine, ground is good, no power?... wth? Hot at the ignition switch... Thanks again.

[truekaotik 458]

Ok you sure you found all the breakers and fuses?

[StevenCW 2]

No. That's my initial call for help. Two fuses at each battery = good. C/B above battery = good. C/B at engine = good, power on both sides. Safety kill = good, or engine wouldn't turn over. All c/b at the helm=good. Fuses under the engine plenum all tested good. Neutral safety, idk, but shouldn't matter anyways as it was explained to me (doesnt have to be in neutral to start), maybe I was told wrong...

I could be missing another fail safe switch or fuse or ?. That's what it seems like, ran great until I turned the engine off and it just will not start. Cranks good and fast, no spark, but everything checks okay.

Why would that purple/red stripe not have any signal at all? My Enzo only has mid ballast tanks (nothing else, no switch blade, no heat, etc) and there are so many open circuits under the dash it is driving me nuts. Several of them are "hot" and have no where to go.

 

The basic question is what do I check now? Thanks.

[StevenCW 2]

For sale - cheap boat.

[surf moocher 127]

Probably a stupid question, but since it cranks, if you put it into neutral by pushing the button on the throttle and then give it max throttle/gas, does it flood (like a car)? Can you smell gas? Getting fuel presssure from your fuel pumps?

[StevenCW 2]

Not stupid, but yes it's getting fuel. I've posted that it is for sure a spark issue. I now know there is no power at the dizzy. I do not know why tho. Is it a glitch (real electrical issue) or is there some kind of switch or fuse that I'm missing? What would interrupt power to the dizzy?

[StevenCW 2]

I (we) have come to the conclusion, based on test (merc technician walked me thru it all), it has to be the ignition module. Should have the part and be home late this afternoon. We shall see.

[StevenCW 2]

At this point I'm stumped. Ignition on, gauges power up, tach moves while cranking, no start. Fuel pump primes, injectors "no work". Coil and ignition module test good, no power to dizzy. Crank position sensor works, 5v on, 0v off. That test sucked the most, the back half of the exhaust is scattered thru the yard, band clamps everywhere (and I don't care). Kill switch is open, obviously. Grounds when tripped. Neutral safety I don't understand, it's all electronically controlled. Only thing I see is where the harness connectors snap in to the trans housing. All fuses that I can find check good (4 in one connector and 4 in another, all under the plenum. Two at the battery) and the circuit breaker at the engine has power on both sides. All of the grounds I've checked are good. There is a relay or two under the plenum, and it appears the plenum has to be removed to get to these and I have not done that yet. My new question is "if the NSS was the culprit, would it allow the engine to crank over? I would think not, but at this point I feel kinda stupid, so I'm second guessing everything I think I once knew. ANY advice or support would be appreciated. I now must go to the dentist for a cleaning/exam, which may get this off my mind for a bit, but doubtful. Stupid boat...

If anyone has ever tripped (or had a curious kid trip) the c/b at the engine, that "no start" condition is the same as what I'm getting now.

[truekaotik 458]

NSS will not let the boat crank in gear push the throttle forward and it shouldn't crank at all.. Easy test ... Safety lanyard will kill dash and crank but won't start....

 

So if I read this correctly your telling us there isn't any spark? You mentioned fuel injectors?

 

There will be a lot of wiring not "terminated" or hooked up due to features your not equipt with... Never mind those... Your doing good so far, I woulda dropped a can of gas by accident and a match as I walked away.... Lol

Edited October 3, 2013 by truekaotik

[StevenCW 2]

Okay thanks. If you kill the lanyard switch, mine won't do anything, no dash, no power nothing. It grounds the ignition switch when tripped. As I've said before, with the DTS controls, if you move the shifter forward prior to starting, it's just in throttle only mode (as in, I do not have a neutral lockout button) So...idk.

[StevenCW 2]

After further investigation I have found that the merc nor livorsi DTS (digital shifter) has a nuetral safety switch. So, one less thing to troubleshoot. TK, I'll take those matches now...