honda electrical problem

lloyds · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:32 pm Post subject: honda electrical problem

I have encountered an electrical problem with my honda 50 on my 16' cruiser. This weekend I took it out to test my new permatrim and now the tach and the tilt/trim indicator don't work. The nav lights within them work but not the actual functions. I have checked the two fuses on the engine, the 10 amp and the 15 amp (as I recall) and they are alright. I moved the tilt indicator actuator arm by hand and it is free but doesn't register. Are there any additional fuses on the engine that could possibly be causing this? I also checked the fuse box on the back of the dash and they are alright, and all wires are secure without corrosion. Any other suggestions of where to look would be appreciated. I am taking it in for service in a couple weeks but would really like to be able to take care of this myself.

SEA3PO · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:41 pm Post subject:

You might want to check the battery voltage...with the motor running (at hight idle) and without the motor running.... to see if the voltage regulator fried.... My 2003 Yamaha all of a sudden quit showing anything at the tach.... one minute it was fine, next all that was there was a 0....

The voltage regulator burned out... I was on a trip.... so I had to wait to repair it.... the regulator cost over $200 alone... I found one on EBAY for $40 and it works just fine..... should last the life of the motor... it's kinda rare that they go out...

Joel
SEA3PO

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: honda electrical problem

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:00 pm Post subject:

Lloyd, is it just the indicator? Does it move (I.E. does the engine tilt) when you press the switch both on the throttle control and locally on the engine?

Charlie

lloyds · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:03 pm Post subject:

I have done all of the above (made the potential mistakes that is). I moved the battery while I was doing all this. I will go back and look at the wiring loom. I believe the regulator is okay as I bought one of those inexpensive battery condition indicators some of you picked up at Walmart and at rest I have about 13 volts and when I fire it up it starts to climb. And really climbs when I go to fast idle, up to about 14.5 or so. I believe that indicates that that system is all working. But I did blow the fuse on the front of the engine when I accidently cross connected the battery cables after I moved the battery. I should have taken that second look to make sure but thought I had followed my plan. When I turned the switch the fuse blew. But I replaced that fuse, and swapped the other one around with the spare, they both looked okay. I have no idea what the other one is for but will look at the diagram tonight.

lloyds · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject:

How do I identify the switch that resets the number of cylinders? I don't recall seeing that in the manual.

lloyds · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject:

Charlie, both buttons tilt the engine fine. That all seems to work. Everything seems to be in order except those two guages. I have had a problem with the tilt guage before, but I believe the lever had bound up. When I moved the lever up and down it seemed to get the guage working again. That was a year or so ago. I wonder now if both guages get their power from the same place and are in series. Doubt it but you never know.

Captains Cat · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:59 pm Post subject:

Wandering Sagebrush · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 4:01 pm Post subject:

lloyds · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 4:19 pm Post subject:

I looked at the back of the tach and it is really hard to get at. Might just have to pull it out. On my boat it is mounted directly above the steering wheel, which puts the back behind ahd steering and the wiring from the tilt guage. I did see a bar-appearing thing near the top of the tack. From a distance it looked like some kind of computer port with silver receptacles but I will put on my glasses tonight and look at it closer. As for the series to parallel, that sounds a little tougher to get at. Almost all the loom is behind the inner liner. I hope it is something simpler than that. Thank you all for your help.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject:

lloyds-

Is the tach a digital display (liquid crystal charcoal gray digits on a medium gray background) or some kind of analogue unit with a needle or something similar?

Same question regarding the trim meter- digital or analogue?

Some, even maybe a majority of electronic (but not simple electric) units, sensors, and displays are polarity sensitive to the point of not only not working when reversed, but the circuitry never recovers from the reversal, be permanently fried.

Hopefully, the fuses protected your units.

Best of Luck and Wishes!

Joe. Teeth

lloyds · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:58 am Post subject:

Both guages are analog. Needle. I have potentially fried both of them in the brief moment I turned the key on. I checked the wiring loom last night and nothing I did interfered with it. I was hoping there was another fuse on the engine somewhere that I missed.

Fairbro · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:52 am Post subject:

Please just check the tightness of the connections to the batteries. Please just do it even though you are sure that's not the problem and do it with a wrench not just your thumbs..

Grumpy · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:06 pm Post subject:

I don't know if it's related to your problem but on a Honda 50 I once had the little doodad on the plastic lever get itself outside the part of the engine bracket with the result that when I tilted the engine it forced the lever past it's end stops on theposition transmitter. Result is no indication because it's waaay off scale.
You can check by loosening the tiny screw at the top of the lever and pulling it off the transmitter body. Then you can spend 20 minutes looking for the spring and the screw that you dropped when the spring flew off.

Seriously, if you rotate the transmitter spindle with you fingers you may get you indication back and then all you need do is replace the transmitter.

I don't recommend re-using it as this seems to destroy some end stops inside it and it's one of those things that will come back again.

Hope this helps.

Merv

Not For Hire · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:38 pm Post subject:

Also check for loose bullet connectors in the wiring. These may be near your throttle.

Regards,