Upset over issues during first outing of the year

[ag4ever]

Due to a very busy schedule, this weekend was the first time I was able to take the boat out this year.

I had taken the boat to the dealer for it's routine service and some other items while it was there.

The first thing I noticed when I took the cover off it was that the carpet on the walls of the hull is still coming loose. I had asked the dealer to fix this, and they said they would.

The second thing was it would not start. I thought the battery was low since it would click, and not crank, but if it did try to crank it would crank for a second or two really slow. Since I was at a campground over 100 miles from home, I just went to a local store and bought a battery charger. After 10 hours of charging it would still not start with the charger hooked up in the 50 amp jump start mode. So then I robbed one of the batteries out of my truck (for powerstroke that has two starting batteries) and installed it in the boat. It would not start and was just as bad as the original battery before the charger. During this time I was driving my truck around with only one battery, so I know that if it cxan start a diesel engine it should be able to start the boat. So then I replace the battery with the boat battery, and leave it on the charger all night. The next morning it will barely start, but it does start. We go out on the lake for about 2 hours being sure not to turn the engine off. Once we come back, I try to kill the engine and restart while on the trailer. It won't start again.

The third thing was the digital tachometer is going out again. Only half the lcd works, so I use the tach on the perfect pass.

The fourth thing it the oil pressure guage does not work, so i hit it a couple times, and it springs to life.

I am just not too happy that after getting it out of the shop and spending over $1,000 for "fixing anything you see wrong" that I have this kind of trouble.

I don't have a lot of free time, but when I do, I want to do what I want to do!

Now I have to drive over 100 miles to get the boat, and over 100 miles to take it to the dealer.

[Flux]

RE: Upset over issues during first outing of the year

I can help you on a couple items, but I am not sure why your boat was not starting with good batteries. Maybe the starter solenoid?? But I really cannot say.

On the Oil pressure gauge, mine also fritzed. I undid the gauge pod and wiggled the wires around while the boat was running to see what wire it was. I would bet that there is a loose connection on one wire in the connector harness. I found that wire and taped it in a position that keeps the loose connection in contact. Problem solved. Probably take you half an hour on the lake to do it, only tool needed was some electrical tape.

The gauges are a known problem and there is a retrofit kit from CC available. I am not sure about the cost for it or if it was a warranty thing.

Carpet = glue.

I know you have more money than time, I walk a fine line with that too, but the dealer is 100 miles away fro me as well and I would rather spend the windshield time with a beer in my hand and a screwdriver in the other fixing the little things myself. I definately sympathize though, I would see what exactly they were supposed to have done for your thousand dollars. With that much coin you could have a new starter, battery, & gauges and still be able to fill the gas tank on the tuck and the boat. Best of luck.

[ag4ever]

RE: Upset over issues during first outing of the year

Just for the record, none of the money was spent on the items mentioned.

I was just a little irritated that after letting them know I wanted every thing fixed, I can't even use the boat the first time I try to.

I am not sure if I want to try my second set of replacement gauges, or just go to the retrofit. I guess I will find out when I talk to the dealer.

The starter really puzzles me. I had a similar problem last year, and since the solinoid is on the starter for the chevy engines, I replaced the starter last year. Now it is doing the same thing again. I guess it might not be the starter. It kinda sunds like the wiring going to the starter has a bunch of resistance. It would only start if the voltage was over 16 volts.

I agree with the carpet, it is only glue, but since all of the carpet has problems, I think it is CC's responsibility to fix it under their 5 year promise.

I really love the boat, but if I can't use it when I am available there is no point in having it.

[AbunDiga909]

Sorry all that happened to you on your first day out for the season, that sucks. I now find that summerization, spring commision, w/e you want to call it, is the riskiest service you get done to your boat by your dealer. I say this b/c the dealers get SO many boats in from paranoid boat owners that know nothing asking the dealers to "summerize my boat." When in reality nothing is probably wrong at all--it is just an expensive check-up. I think, this is my person opinion only, that the dealers start to slack off when it comes to summerizing boats so much that when something IS wrong w/ a boat, they miss it. All the major problems I hear w/ boats happen at the beginning of the season, and I know dealers can mess up big time spring season. Ours did, although not affecting us at all, it is a sign of them not paying so close attention to the service--they forgot to connect one of the batteries... :shock: woops

[Flux]

Hmmmmmm. I would first check all the battery connections and lines. I really don't know much about the startering circuit, but i think there is also a relay in there, and it's a whole lot cheaper than the starter itself, that could be an easy one to swap out. Really, this is the only one that is killing your time on the water. You might be able to take care of it yourself. Maybe call SKIDIM and get one and swap it out. Maybe someone on here can suggest the way to jump the relay and see if that is the problem, I know it kicks up some sparks and is not the best thing to be doing, but it would tell you if that thing has gone bad.

On the gauges, definately get the retrofit, those digital gauges are junk, mine are shot too, but the PP works fine and that's what I really need anyway. Another problem with no lost water time, but a pain none the less.

Definately harp on the dealer about the carpet and if you are taking it in, get the gauges and have them swap the starter relay. If the solenoid and starter are new, then it has to be the relay or a bad connection like you said, but that would be evident at the battery terminals or the alternator terminals.

I feel your pain though, we trailer everywhere and at the lake is no place to find out somebody did not do what you asked. This is my main reason for always trying to learn more about the boat. Last weekend I was bending back my prop with a pair of pliers so we could still ride the next day after I dinged it. Now i have a spare prop, won't take the chance of a good weekend going to crap because I am too lazy to have a spare. Summertime glass is way too precious.

[Flux]

Here ya go, could be worth a try. Does the GM starter also have the relay built in??

http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R130001

[skiswm]

I once had an issue getting my boat to start did the change of the battery, charge it etc. Turned out, when it was serviced they had hooked up the plug wires in the wrong order, 10 mins at WCCC they had solved the problem and needless to say i felt dumb having lost an entirely good wknd to something so simple.

[bkhallpass]

Re: RE: Upset over issues during first outing of the year

I am not sure if I want to try my second set of replacement gauges, or just go to the retrofit. I guess I will find out when I talk to the dealer.

.

Just had my fourth set put in ag. It's become an annual thing. I'm not exactly sure what are the total hours on my boat anymore, but other than that, what the heck. They replace them for free. BKH

[surroundsound64]

RE: Re: RE: Upset over issues during first outing of the yea

Sounds like your starter solenoid is acting up. Either that or potentially a loose wire, probably a bad ground.

You can bypass the solenoid to test it if you want. Just take a BIG guage wire and make a jumper where the battery wire connects to the solenoid, to the wire that goes from the other side of the solenoid to the starter.

That really stinks that the dealer didn't do all of his job. That's dissappointing.

Good luck with everything.