New guy needs Bass Tracker help :(

Hello everyone..Im having a lil issue with my 94 Bass Tracker Pro 17..I just got done replacing the carpet and decks, and put the boat back together today..went to fire it up and make sure everything was hooked up correctly, and it wasnt...I have power going to switches, bilge and aerator work correctly, but no power going to ignition switch or gauges. I re-checked all the wiring, and the only wire I could find disconnected is on the cranking battery, it has a inline fuse, and is brown in color, so I'm guessing it is not the original. They had the wire going from the battery, up through a hole at the back of the boat near the light plug-in and running down the side of the boat. Problem is, I cant remember where the heck It went to! which is the problem with doing a project "a little at a time". The fuse panel is still getting power. The PO rigged some of the wiring, and Im trying to get this thing running again, seeing as it worked fine before..I hate to think I traded a bad looking but great running boat/for a great looking but non-running boat.. Since I real wiring diagram for these boats is like trying to catch a unicorn, Im hoping someone has some answers. Thanks, any help would def be appreciated!

Ok ...well, I kinda figured it out, after thinking about it for 7 hrs or so...but that wire with the inline I think goes to the ignition switch, I had a red wire with the correct end that def used to go there connected..after unplugging that connection and plugging the wire from the battery to it, my volt meter is coming on again..boat still wont crank, but im thinking its not in neutral for some reason, I was worried about taking the controller apart, Ill mess w that later..So now I have a red wire not running to anything, and the PO actually has a BRN/BLUE wire and a PRPL wire twist tied together..also, when I turn my dash lights on, the fuel and volt meters don't illuminate. Is this normal? This boat is already driving me crazy...

I can not figure this thing out...Power is getting to the fuses, but I'm still not getting juice to start the boat. When you turn the key to on, the volt gauge comes on, when you turn to run, the voltmeter drops a little so its pulling power. But the boat doesnt turn over or anything. I spun the prop to make sure the boat was still in neutral so I dont think thats the problem..I am completely stumped...Anybody have any ideas what to check?

I am no mechanic, and I am sure someone wayyyy more knowledgeable than me will soon pipe in.

I wouldn't take the control apart unless I tested everything possible outside of it. You never opened it up, so it probably isn't the issue. Wait for more input.

You probably just have a few wires going to the wrong places. I try to remember to take digital photos of anything I take apart these days...My old memory needs some help.

Rich

Yeah, I know..I thought I would have had it back together in a few days, not weeks ive taken a few pics of the unknown wires, hopefully someone can identify what the heck the PO has garbage'd together..
The first one, is the hot wire that I believe should have been going to the ignition switch that is now bypassed..You can see a brown-ish color wire at the top of the switch, that wire is going directly to the battery w a inline fuse, the red wire..is dead and is connected at the harness connector to a red and red/white wire which I believe is part of the tilt/trim controls the boat does not have.

This mess, I have no idea what they have going on, a bypass on the wiring harness im guessing. Boat ran fine before w this non covered twisted montrosity..

Lastly, is the 3 wires in this pic.. red/white blue/white green/white, which go to the tilt/trim controls i think..these shouldnt have to be connected for the boat to start I wouldnt think.


Im usually pretty good at wiring trouble shooting, but this boat has had me stumped for a few days. it ran fine before I removed the console, so Ive def done something! Volt meter comes on w key, all switches work except ignition, even the choke is working, but im not getting signal to the motor. Checked the fuses on the motor, they were fine.

Try This; Trace the small wire coming off the starter solenoid. That wire should run to the ignition switch. Also make sure the the igniton switch is working. Using a 'testlight' turn the switch "on" and note which terminals are "hot". Then Note which termiminal is hot when the switch is turned to "start". That is the wire that should run to the starter solenoid. I'm thinking that somehow the soleniod wire is plugged into the wrong terminal on the switch.

Well...everything on the solenoid side was good...heres whats wierd...on the neutral safety, if I unplug one side of it and try it, the motor will hit..Im pretty sure that one side was unwired when I took the console out, so im guessing its never worked. The question is why? When I hook up both of the yellow/red wires where I think they need to go, then turn the key, nothing happens. When I check the neutral safety switch for voltage, only one wire is getting power when I turn it to start.. I wonder if the switch is bad? Ive tried reversing the wires in every configuration I can try.

Have you tested the netural safety switch. Maybe it was bad and PO bypassed it. That is one switch the I would want to work.

good call sawmill! I meant to post a few hours ago, that was exactly what the problem was! I honestly dont remember it being able to start in gear before, but ive only had the boat out a few times before the rebuild, and I always put it in neutral out of habit..but that is exactly how I got the boat to run..hook up the switch like it should be..nothin..bypass and go from the harness to the switch, fires right up! So now I need to decide if I even want to mess w it, or just drive it like it is..Thanks though, you were right on w it.

I've found in my lifetime that bypassing a safety device is usually a bad idea. Better to take the time, expense and effort to repair/replace it. Switches are a whole lot less expensive than your life might be. That's my thoughts on the matter.

BTW, earned my living for 26 years working with electronics and electrical/electro=mechanical devices.

Respectfully,

Dave

Will 12 volts kill you?

jasm2 said:

Will 12 volts kill you?

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No but a motor starting in gear will

jasm2 said:

Will 12 volts kill you?

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Yes, 12 volts with enough amps provided through heavy gauge wiring can kill you. Not only that, but a boat motor that's still running when you got knocked overboard (knocked out perhaps and are helpless), can run over you, crush your skull, cut off and arm or less (or both) and kill you easily. If that wasn't enough, a running motor on a boat with no driver can leave you stranded in big water with the shore a long way off, perhaps no life jacket, the boat can ram other boats, hit debris in the water/near shore, destroy/damage the boat and motor, perhaps sink.

Lots of negative things can happen without a working kill switch, which was designed to prevent as many of those events from occurring as possible. Why was the kill switch designed in the first place?

BECAUSE THOSE NEGATIVE EVENTS WERE ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY GETTING KILLED! For goodness sake people, learn from the mistakes and deaths of others.

DaveInGA said:

Lots of negative things can happen without a working kill switch, which was designed to prevent as many of those events from occurring as possible. Why was the kill switch designed in the first place?

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I don't think they are talking about the kill switch, but instead the neutral safety switch, which just doesn't let the starter work when the engine is in gear.

bassboy1 said:

I don't think they are talking about the kill switch, but instead the neutral safety switch, which just doesn't let the starter work when the engine is in gear.

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So you'd just tear up your high dollar starter gear and possibly your flywheel. No big deal then, just hard on the wallet.