dead throttle on 2007 suzuki df250

mike · 20 January 2009, 20:33

hello,
I had my engine serviced a couple of months ago and upon tucking her up for the winter dropped the engine from the engine trim tab.
I went out yesterday to move the boat and after trying the trim on the helm nothing,

I diagnosed flat battery but that appears to be ok as both batteries show 100 %
the instruments do not light up nor does anything happen when you turn the key to start etc.
gps nav echo vhfs all work fine. Is there an in line fuse on the ignition? I couldn't see one tonight by torch light??
the helm throttle is effectively dead, no clicks no lights nothing, the engine trim is fine ie the trim on the engine.
any ideas, fuses or whether it's possible the service has left a wire un connected?
suzy manual useless.
The engine is superb and I am assuming this is a simple matter as the only thing I have done differently is servicing agent, who are very competant and experienced.
needless to say I will call them tomorrow am.
regards
Mike

JSP · 20 January 2009, 20:40

Hi Mike,
could be a dodgy contact on part of your main wiring. That's where I'd start to fault find. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be able to tell more.

Hope it's a short cheap fix.

Nos4r2 · 20 January 2009, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

hello,
I had my engine serviced a couple of months ago and upon tucking her up for the winter dropped the engine from the engine trim tab.
I went out yesterday to move the boat and after trying the trim on the helm nothing,

I diagnosed flat battery but that appears to be ok as both batteries show 100 %
the instruments do not light up nor does anything happen when you turn the key to start etc.
gps nav echo vhfs all work fine. Is there an in line fuse on the ignition? I couldn't see one tonight by torch light??
the helm throttle is effectively dead, no clicks no lights nothing, the engine trim is fine ie the trim on the engine.
any ideas, fuses or whether it's possible the service has left a wire un connected?
suzy manual useless.
The engine is superb and I am assuming this is a simple matter as the only thing I have done differently is servicing agent, who are very competant and experienced.
needless to say I will call them tomorrow am.
regards
Mike

So, everything that should become live when you turn the key doesn't, but the trim/tilt works?
There's a starting point.

mike · 21 January 2009, 07:17

hello,
no from the throttle nothing, all the gps vhf are unrelated so the only trim control is off the engine. sadly absolutely nothing from the helm throttle/ignition.none of it's functuions work and the unit is completely lifeless!
will try fuses today.
mike

Nos4r2 · 21 January 2009, 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

hello,
no from the throttle nothing, all the gps vhf are unrelated so the only trim control is off the engine. sadly absolutely nothing from the helm throttle/ignition.none of it's functuions work and the unit is completely lifeless!
will try fuses today.
mike

Probably the best bet. If it's not fuses and you've got a warranty I'd take it in-the next candidate is the ignition switch.

Avocet · 21 January 2009, 08:57

Mike

Sorry to hear of your problems. I had an identical sounding problem with the same (late 2006) engine a couple of months back (although the problem arose in the middle of Christchurch Bay, necessitating a tow into Lymington by the RNLI whose cox worryingly admitted to having the same engine on his own boat!).

It turned out to be caused by corrosion in the 21-pin connecting block which connects the main wiring harness to the engine. If you remove the engine cover, you will see the block towards the top on the starboard side. Not all the pins are necessarily affected and you may have to remove the individual pins to see it.

The problem was solved by replacement of the wiring harness under warranty. Suzuki initially rejected the claim but I hear via the servicing agent (Yellow Penguin in Poole) that Ribcraft (whom they contacted to discuss the matter) had also recently dealt with an identical problem on the same engine.

I can't guarantee that yours is the same problem - but it seems rather coincidental.

Good luck.

David

biffer · 21 January 2009, 09:47

turn the key to on, get up the back end and just twist the main loom plug glently backwards and forwards to see if the dash lights up, if it does it's definately what the other post said

mike · 21 January 2009, 17:14

thanks. I have tried to wiggle it etc but sadly no response, fuses ok, now tracing under dash power cables all thru boat as the hydrocarbon detector which powers up at the same time is also out.
I am going to try again later re wiggle but it looks possible a cable has simply died somewhere and since the electrical circuit seems dead this may be the cause of the problem.
I have removed the batteries and will have a go later at following it to where the igniition joins the loop.

luckily engine is just inside warranty(8 weeks) so hopefully if the loom is dead may have a result, if it's worn wiring (after 80 hours??) will be one of those things, at present I just want it working! the sea was flat yesterday and today until later when it got interesting so a fun day was missed!!!
fingers crossed re power circuit which will be easier and more accessible to sort.
mike

Nos4r2 · 21 January 2009, 22:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

luckily engine is just inside warranty(8 weeks)

Get it in and sorted. You really don't want them saying the warranty is invalid because you tried to fix it!

mike · 22 January 2009, 08:01

you are right I think, I have the main agent coming here this am. Thanks for all suggestions I have decided to let the pro's deal with it and then argue about details later.
I don't want to go backwards and cause extra problems so plan B stay in the warm, drink T earn some cash let somebody else worry about it and then have fun in the summer!

Will update with result when I have one.
most odd.Mike

mike · 22 January 2009, 14:57

It looks increasingly likely there's a break or stretch in the loom which has failed. As a result new loom on it's way just to check and if it is an apparent saga of pulling the thing and redoing the new one. Absolute nightmare! if it's a break (70 hrs useage!!!!!) it's down to me if it's the plug mr suzuki better stump up for it. Only connecting a new one will show us.
Charlie at Ribcraft has been excellent and I have to say very helpful indeed.
Lets hope Monday brings good news.

Avocet · 22 January 2009, 15:56

Fingers crossed for the plug, then!

behavin · 25 January 2009, 17:01

i had exactly the same problem on my df250..
My local outboard mech and friend sorted it by painstakingly going through the wiring diagram with a multimeter.
all the fuses were ok,batteries ok..my problem was a corroded join on one wire in the wiring harness.

I was lucky as he found it had gone just under the deck in the console so was able to pull enough out to recut and rejoin it.
it was really green and corroded.
All i can tell you it was a white wire that split from one to two and it was this join that had failed.

It is possible that i helped it on the way when i got a mouse rope stuck trying to get a extra VHF ariel through the ducting..possibly snagging the join and weakening it.

good luck

MarkM · 26 January 2009, 11:30

Had it twice. Was the main switch, with the red handle. Sprayed lots of WD40 in it. Push the key in and out to get the WD40 deep inside.
Second time I opened the switch wich was all corroded inside. The brass plates were gone.
I bought a more expensive one and that seems to be ok.

mike · 27 January 2009, 09:32

The new loom arrived and hey presto she lives!
now we need to pull it through (thank god Ribcraft left a hefty line thru! nice one) and then we can see exactly what went wrong, hopefully it will be down to Mr Suzuki as we have done 70 or so hours only!

Boat going in Monday next week so will know more then. Thanks for all help given and thanks to Charlie at Ribcraft who has been most helpful with his info.

Avocet · 27 January 2009, 13:17

My money remains on the engine connecting block....and my fingers remain crossed for you!

David

Erin · 27 January 2009, 17:11

Possibly a bit late to help you now, but it sounds like the auxilary power lead. The gauges and controls get power from a white wire in the loom. This either gets its power from the engine or direct from the battery dependingon which of the two options were used when rigging it. If it comes from the battery there should be an in-line fuse. I'd check that first.

mike · 05 February 2009, 17:49

good news, it was the connection, luckily suzuki had a chap down here today and Whitstable marine have sorted this out. We had to remove lots of wiring to get the loom back through but it is now in and sorted. Anyone buying a suzuki like me should get an extra metre on loom and ensure the aux connectors stay above deck. new one now in, good !

thanks again Ribcraft ie Charlie, now it's time to get a 4.8 if she will let me!
if anyone else gets this problem call me on o1227 375842 as I now have a better idea of what goes where and goes wrong!
Thankyou too for info from you all as some of it came in handy today.

mike

Avocet · 06 February 2009, 16:28

Good to hear and I assume, therefore, that all was done under warranty?

Let's hope for both our sakes that the problem doesn't reoccur!

David

mike · 07 February 2009, 14:34

yes i hope so, i have made sure it's all coated with petroleum jelly in clips and also ensured no clip end sits below deck. sadly due to the nightmare of getting it all out ie the whole lot, power fuel line etc had to come out and then go in again I did incur a cost. bit annoying but not as bad as it could have been. i feel suzuki should be amending the loom slightly and ensuring waterproof connections are fitted when they get made.
Having said that I am pleased it is all resolved.
Getting the blasted loom out and in again took a whole day of fiddling about!
I feel lucky that this happened in the Garage and not 10 miles out in rough seas, i shudder to think of the scenario then , but that is for the moment hypothetical.
thanks again for the help!