Electrical mystery

[Boathook]

Greetings, I am new to this thread, so if it has already been covered let me know. I have a 1997 universal m25- xpa. The glow plug solenoid went bad so replaced with new. It worked once, then got very hot on the top. I currently have a bypass wired so I can use the boat. Also, The oil pressure alarm would not shut off. I put a test guage on and the oil pressure is fine. I have replaced the oil switch, but the alarm still would not go off. It also would vary between the oil alarm and the water temp alarm. Now another twitch has developed. I turn the key on, engage the bypass for glow plugs, start the motor, and now have to bump the key switch over to the glow plug location to engage the charging. I have held off putting another solenoid on until I can figure out where the fault is.
Any suggestions on what else to check?

 

[pk104]

Don't know what year your boat is but there were a number of years they had a wax connection block behind the engine control panel that melts and causes all kinds of problems. The best repair is to cut the plug out and make permenant connections.

Gary

 

[pk104]

I meant I don't know what year boats they made the connections.

 

[Boathook]

Thanks, I will look, but I don't remember seeing anything like that last time I was in the instrument panel. The boat is a 1997 Catalina 28 MkII with the panel that has the voltmeter, fuel, water temp, and tach. I have looked at most connections and they seem clean. I thought it was the key switch, so replaced that and still have same issue. When it is charging, it puts out 14 - 15 volts. The other note is when I start the engine without it charging, it seems fine, but when the charger kicks in, the motor will pull down and changes sound but seems to run fine.
How does the battery switch act if they start breaking down? I have two new batteries, and if I set the switch to 1 or 2 and try to start engine they seem slow. If I put it on BOTH, starts fine OK. When I test the batteries, they both are OK.

 

[nolasafari]

Check and clean all your grounding points and all other connections. Get some Craig DeoxIT. Clean everyting, blub holders, battery terminals, starter connetions, every item do not skip any connections. Take your time and put everything back in the same spot. Then start your trouble shooting.

I would guess your starter is fine, you have dirty grounds and connections just takes 2 battries to overcome the resistance of the bad connectiions. Before you start cleaning disconnect the battries so you don't have sparks flying everywhere.

http://www.caig.com/

Jim