Problem with my port engine in my 2003 340DA.............

**Kreole Kid** · 10-26-2012, 09:39 AM

RGL, the old part number is 89-96158, but let me say this, If you go to an Auto zone or Pep Boys etc. ask them to look up a 03'-04' Chevy Suburban 2500 with the 8.1 engine in it and it's gonna be the same part!!!

**rgl1100** · 10-26-2012, 02:06 PM

So you mean if I need a part for this engine, other than the exhaust and water pumps I can just go to autozone and get the parts. If that's true that would be the best news I've heard. As soon as anything has marine in front of it all of a sudden it triples in price! Thank you for the advice.

**Lazy Daze** · 10-26-2012, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by rgl1100

So you mean if I need a part for this engine, other than the exhaust and water pumps I can just go to autozone and get the parts. If that's true that would be the best news I've heard. As soon as anything has marine in front of it all of a sudden it triples in price! Thank you for the advice.

It depends on the part. Sometimes being labelled "marine" simply means a re-labelled auto part and it is OK to use an automotive part (I used a good quality automotive timing gears/chain instead of the "Mercury" brand, for example). But often, it means the part, while similar in appearance, is actually made to be "spark arrested". In boats, we have an enclosed engine bay -- in cars, the bottom is completely open. Gas fumes are heavier than air. In a car, they simply disappear into the atmosphere. In boats, they collect in the bilge and then when something (a "non-spark arrested" part) makes a spark... well, you get the idea - you hear about this happening every year. It's a very real problem.

Keep your head up - I know, electrical problems can be a real PIA. But it will eventually get sorted out. Hang in there.

**Quint4** · 10-26-2012, 03:58 PM

Good stuff Lazy Daze. Posts like this make this site extremely valuable.

**rgl1100** · 11-02-2012, 01:50 PM

So it looks to me as though this "mechanic" has really abandoned my engine........This is after he disconnected every last relay trying to "trace" the short. Now, in his defense, he claims that everything he's checked is fine and he hasn't been able to figure it out. I've talked now to a mercury mercruiser mechanic who seems to know what he's talking about but I have to say I'm so tired of these guys. The state of the industry is in a shambles and I now see why. These guys are a joke. I've learned more and understood more from this blog than they have even tried. I can't begin to tell everyone how disappointed I am in the lack of expertise I see in boat "mechanics" From my point of view most of these so called "mechanics" only want to change oil and pour fluids. They don't know squat about what or how an engine works. God forbid if you ever needed a head rebuilt. That being said, I took the liberty of ordering a starter and slave solenoid, a 90 amp starter fuse and a new aftermarket starter. I now have all the schematics and the wiring diagrams. I'm going to put the harness back together with the new components and put freshly charged batteries on the port engine and see what happens. Weather is getting worse and if I ever left it up to these guys I'd open the boat up in the spring to a frozen block. These guys are fools and crooks. They have no right calling themselves mechanics. If I ever performed like one of these guys for just one day in my job I'd be fired so fast it would make your head spin. I'll fix this problem if it kills me..........

**Time To Relax** · 11-02-2012, 09:21 PM

I didn't read all of the posts on this thread but I would try
1. Turn the manual knob on the fuel solenoid to open
2. Disconnect the electrical wire to the solinoid
and try starting

Seams like if the solinoidand was left on it could be shorted

**rgl1100** · 11-04-2012, 10:20 AM

Unfortunately, I did try this (excellent thought BTW, thank you).............no luck. I've tried so many things I'm just so confused at this point because I'm not a boat mechanic. I'm going to have another guy come out on Weds who, according to some others around here, is pretty good. (we'll see). He is a mercruiser mechanic at least. In the meantime I'm still waiting on these parts I ordered. There's just no time to do anything. Between work and the coming cold weather it may look like I'm just going to have to drain the block, close her up, cover her and tackle this in the spring. It's really a shame because it should have been fixed so long ago. I wasted so so many weeks with an inferior boob who wasn't honest about his abilities. It's not some back alley guy either. He's been around for years and people swear by him. Unfortunately, his "mechanic" skills seem to stop at oil and antifreeze changes........

**carterchapman** · 11-04-2012, 11:36 AM

I may have missed it - did any of the mechanics bring a laptop with the ECM software and plug into the engine and run diagnostics?

**Time To Relax** · 11-04-2012, 04:15 PM

My thought is still with the fuel solinoid I would bypass it completely or replace with a new one. Could be that it being on till the battery's drained could have damaged it some how. Thinking low voltage and or overheating. Could only be opening partially. Kind of like a overheated thermostat whin it overheats it pushes some of the alcohol out of the seal and then doesn't have enough left to open it up completely.

**rgl1100** · 11-10-2012, 04:35 PM

So we got some relief up here in Massachusetts and I finally got the parts I wanted in from my online sources. I decided to take everyones advice and change out the starter, the 90 amp fuse on the starter and the slave solenoid that's found under the PCM (aka "Brain). I also disconnected a bunch of leads and polished them up for better connection. Batteries were removed from boat (no easy task......) and charged fully. Changing out the different parts was fairly easy and straight forward, especially the starter. Two bolts and connecting the fuse and it was done. My mickey mouse "mechanic" had disconnected all of the relays, removed the 50A momentary circuit breaker (which, BTW, is now an obsolete item on the new 8.2L Horizon) and disconnected the leads to the slave solenoid and alternator. Using the other engine and a schematic drawing book of the engine I was able to reassemble everything quite nicely. I actually was pretty excited and told myself I was going to be so proud when I depressed that starter toggle and finally heard that low oil pressure alarm right before starting the engine and hearing it run. Well, much to my dismay, after all that work, I hooked up the batteries, turned on the keys and circuit breakers inside the main salon on the control panel and what do you think happened when I depressed the port engine starter toggle at the helm?????????.............................no sound...............just the immediate trip of the circuit breaker at the main panel switch. Sooooooo................perhaps the first guy is actually on to something saying it just has to be searched for. However, it appeared he has had every relay and connection in the starter/charging circuit apart looking for a short. I just don't know or understand. I have to say I'm about to give up. I'm truly disgusted. I thought for sure the problem lied in the starter. Luckily they're not too expensive. According to the "mechanic" this is what I know so far. The short does not lie in the harness from the console to the engine. It's somewhere in the engine. It is not the alternator. It is not the starter. He did disconnect the fuel pump and supposedly rule this out by, honestly, I can't be sure. A part of me wants to purchase this part and replace it simply because it's something I can do since I can see it. It seems fairly straight forward. I checked the 3 small 20A bayonet fuses in one of the watertight holders that sit next to the PCM as someone had suggested. They're not blown and appear fine. If you recall I switched the PCM onto the starbboard engine and it ran fine so........ruled out a brain problem. I even went so far as to switch the circuit breaker that keeps tripping with the starboard engine to insure it wasn't that........it wasn't. As it stands now I have another mechanic (this ones supposedly a mercruiser certified person) coming on Weds to take a look. The first guy hasn't even called back. He texted a few times because he did winterize the other engine and stuff in the boat but I feel as though he's given up on the engine. This other guy is a last hope since the days are getting colder and the boat will have to be covered. I'm one of those people (call it OCD if you'd like) but I don't like leaving problems. I'm naturally inquisitive and want to solve things. This should have been solved. I'm sicked by the lack of qualified individuals I've met and dealt with during this episode. Based upon all of this I haven't decided once this is fixed whether I'm even going to continue with this boat or move into something else..............definitely outboards. That I know. Thank you for all the ideas and continuing help.