Starboard engine starts, but cuts off once I release the key.

[Matthew Dombrowski]

Good Afternoon,

Starboard motor starts up only while holding the key in the start position. Starter is new, Spark plugs new, Air filter new, Motor is an SBT Reman. They have been running well since I dropped both of them in. I had my buddy hook up the hose! And he started the water before the engines! So naturally we flooded the motor out and hydro locked it. I yanked the plugs, filled it with WD 40 and just let the water shoot out until it was mist. I drained all the oil and flushed it out by the Oil filter. I have the milky water gone , and the new filter in place. I can start the motor by using the key but once I release it, it cuts off immediately. Now I let the boat sit for a few days and I went out and BOOM- starts up with no issue. Now I shut it down and am ready to get the boat out on the water but now it rained and I am back at square one. I checked all safety switches and now I am going to hook up the YDS to the boat and see what the hell I can find. My wake switch is also bad on this motor. So I special ordered 2 of them from Carling technologies. (Takes 4 to 6 Weeks) But now I swapped harnesses and still have the same problem. No change - So I don't know what the hell to do but I know my local Yamaha dealer loves to take 500.00 to give advice. SMH

 

[Gym]

Good Afternoon,

Starboard motor starts up only while holding the key in the start position. Starter is new, Spark plugs new, Air filter new, Motor is an SBT Reman. They have been running well since I dropped both of them in. I had my buddy hook up the hose! And he started the water before the engines! So naturally we flooded the motor out and hydro locked it. I yanked the plugs, filled it with WD 40 and just let the water shoot out until it was mist. I drained all the oil and flushed it out by the Oil filter. I have the milky water gone , and the new filter in place. I can start the motor by using the key but once I release it, it cuts off immediately. Now I let the boat sit for a few days and I went out and BOOM- starts up with no issue. Now I shut it down and am ready to get the boat out on the water but now it rained and I am back at square one. I checked all safety switches and now I am going to hook up the YDS to the boat and see what the hell I can find. My wake switch is also bad on this motor. So I special ordered 2 of them from Carling technologies. (Takes 4 to 6 Weeks) But now I swapped harnesses and still have the same problem. No change - So I don't know what the hell to do but I know my local Yamaha dealer loves to take 500.00 to give advice. SMH

@Matthew Dombrowski I had this exact same problem 3 seasons ago in my 06 SX230. I found water in one of my modular connectors. In my case the connectors were located behind the aft starboard access panel where the connectors for the YDS are located. I took one connector apart at a time to inspect them. That's when I found it which resolved my problem.

Have you tried swapping your ignition switches yet. That is another possibility. Let us know how you make out.

 

[Matthew Dombrowski]

Yes sir I did swap them up front. Same result. It must be these switches because I use the YDS pretty often to monitor the new engines. I had some oil pressure lights come on due to over filling upon installation. I got that issue all good now. So Ill check these plugs when I get home this evening and repost how I made out. Next problem I discovered is I have no power to the cluster now for the stereo, lights, bilge pump area. No lights are coming on and no ground were moved around or anything. Maybe it has something to do with the same issue as the starter switch? Ill check it and let you know. Thanks for your input.

 

[Gym]

Matt, I was talking about water in your electrical connectors. These are the modular wire connectors used to connect several wires in one connector. They come apart easily by releasing the plastic tabs on each side. I had water in one of mine which caused my engine to stop the instant I released the key. Your boat is only a year newer than mine so I'm pretty sure this could be your issue.

 

[Matthew Dombrowski]

Yes I will check that, its in the starboard side of the boat and the two main harnesses connect right? I'll know further tonight!

 

[Gym]

Ok. I found my issue in the rear starboard locker behind the round white panel. Good luck.

 

[Matthew Dombrowski]

Ok so I took out all the connectors, noticed some corrosion , no water but green corrosion. I cleaned it out and I put electric grease in there to deter moisture but I’m still having the same problems. Plus side is now my console works and all of my other lights. It starts right up on the starboard but then it cuts off immediately upon key release. The other side engine is fine

 

[Beachbummer]

There is a circuit that when closed it kills the engine. It's triggered by the lanyard, the key switch and the rear hatch. If it was the lanyard or the hatch it would not start at all...how adventurous do you feel behind the helm? Can you check that circuit and make sure the key switch is not closing that contact? Best of Luck!

 

[Matthew Dombrowski]

I feel pretty handy and comfortable with this boat, I left it at the body shop over night but ill
be there tomorrow to check it out. Where can I find this circuit ? Is it in the black box behind the Engine ? I think your onto something because your right if the lanyard was not working properly it wouldn’t have spark and I wouldn’t be able to throttle up on it.

 

[Beachbummer]

It's connected to the key switch, among other places. It's the one that closes when the key is in the off position.

 

[Matthew Dombrowski]

From what I see there "5" is my ignition with the key and "6" is the safety lanyard correct ? I will look under there tomorrow and see whats there when I look behind the ignition. This all started when my buddy removed the "No wake" switch because we kept getting a fault in the YDS from it. Then all hell broke loose with this starboard side. So I swapped them switches to see if it had any effect, turns out the boat can still run without that switch even plugged in. The only other thing I can thing of is maybe the fuel pump no longer is supplied power once the key is returned to "Neutral" vs "Off" for a lack of better words. I would assume my starter relay is good as it "starts" when I turn the key. I am going to plug it in to the YDS tomorrow and see if it threw any codes. I have 3 blinking lights while running but I don't hear anything out of place so I know the oil light is wrong and the temp was wrong too because I hit it with the thermo gun with no difference in temps between the two engines.

 

[Beachbummer]

This is what I would try... with the battery OFF..set the key switch to OFF and check continuity between black and white wire in the key switch. Should be CLOSED/Conductive/Allow Current. This is what makes the engine go OFF.

Try again with the key switch in ON..Is there conductivity still?? If So, Something up. those wires should NOT have conductivity unless the key is off, or the rear hatch switch is messed up. (Notice how the rear hatch switch has action in both positions...that could be a source of trouble too. It should do BOTH things indicated. When pushed in, it should DISCONNECT/OPEN Black and White and CONNECT/CLOSE the other two wires (Br for Brown??)

Best of Luck! hopefully it's easy.

EDIT: I incorrectly described the function of the hatch switch, so I fixed it....it does these things when the hatch is closed, which means the switch is pushed in. If the hatch is open, it does the reverse. Connect White and Black and Disconnect the brown "neutral" switch. So the hatch open switch when working simulates OFF key (Black closed/connected to White) + Neutral switch out of neutral. (Br open to the other Br). Quite Clever.