I have an '84 ODay 28 with a M-15 Universal diesel. I was having a problem where nothing would happen when I pushed the start button, yet it would turn over if I bridged the solenoid to the battery cable. Based on a suggestion in this forum, I put in a second solenoid to provide adequate juice to the starter solenoid. Problem was there wasn't enoiugh power to activate the second solenoid. Plus, there apparently wasn't enough voltage to the glow plugs to start the motor, because the motor would just crank & crank when I bridged the starter solenoid. My solution was to run a hot wire from the main battery cable at the starter to the positive side of the ignition (keyed) switch. This worked great for a few weeks. I went to start it yesterday and there wasn't enough power at the battery to crank it. I checked the voltage at the batteries and they were both 11.7 volts. I jumped it to get it started and again checked the voltage at the battery at high idle and it was 11.5 volts. As I was motoring back to the dock, I continued to check the voltage at the battery and it kept going down, to where it was 9.5 volts when I arrived. During this time, I disconnected my hot wire to see if it had any effect but it didn't. Apparently the alternator is not charging and I'm wondering if my hot wire may have screwed something up. Questions: What should the voltage be at the battery with everything off. What should it be at the battery when the engine is running assuming a good alternator? Did my hot wire burn out my alternator? Where do I go next? I know some of you are going to say I took the lazy way out with the hot wire and I should have investigated to see where the voltage loss was. You're right.
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM
- Thread starter jerry10848
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check this link
You should have about 12.6 volts on a fully charged battery at rest. You should have around 14 volts if your alt is charging. Check out this link for more details on batteries. http://www.phrannie.org/battery.html
You should have about 12.6 volts on a fully charged battery at rest. You should have around 14 volts if your alt is charging. Check out this link for more details on batteries. http://www.phrannie.org/battery.html
I had similar problem with 89 272 ...
Universal harness in 80s seems to have been underdesigned. I had to do separate wire from battery to switch for glow plugs to glow plugs. Also did a little heavier wire to start switch. Original harness showed burned/discolored copper wire. And the most stupid thing re universal is that BEHIND the start panel was a fuse holder. This meant that you had to take the start panel out to check that fuse. When I checked that fuse holder it was just about faling apart with corrosion. Sound like you have a alternator problem ... when the motor is on you should have 14.5+ going into a low battery. Vic
Universal harness in 80s seems to have been underdesigned. I had to do separate wire from battery to switch for glow plugs to glow plugs. Also did a little heavier wire to start switch. Original harness showed burned/discolored copper wire. And the most stupid thing re universal is that BEHIND the start panel was a fuse holder. This meant that you had to take the start panel out to check that fuse. When I checked that fuse holder it was just about faling apart with corrosion. Sound like you have a alternator problem ... when the motor is on you should have 14.5+ going into a low battery. Vic
Check the wiring harness is a good idea
Vic's right. Do a Forum Search on wiring harness. I just sent a separate email with the wiring harness upgrade to a respondent. It may NOT be your alternator.
Vic's right. Do a Forum Search on wiring harness. I just sent a separate email with the wiring harness upgrade to a respondent. It may NOT be your alternator.
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