No power (electrical) 1996 454 Crusader XL TBI

[390Express]

I got a head start on the port motors, per the headache I had with the starboard side. I preemptively rebuilt the TBI, and replaced the Oberg fuel filter and top filter right out the gate, to dismiss those issues. I like both motors on the same maintenance schedules, so I rebuilt the starters, alternators, and TBIs all at the same time, this year.

I thought I was having the same issue with the fuel pump as the starboard motor, but it's not getting any juice when I turn the port ignition breaker to "on." (the starboard motor fuel pump kicks on for 1-2 seconds when I flip the switch, as it should) I thought it may be a bad fuel pump relay or an interruptor from some sort of sending unit somewhere, so I bypassed everything and ran a hot to the fuel pump. Pump works fine, perfect fuel pressure. Next I noticed that I don't have any spark, then tested the fuel injectors with an LED indicator light that plugs into them, no fire their either. Starter has power, and turns over at the helm. Shouldn't have anything to do with the neutral safety switch. No power to anything else.

I have both batteries installed on the #2 bank, and no batteries installed in the #1 bank, but that shouldn't matter. I had the battery selector switch to "both" and the motor turns over at the helm. There are no loose "accessory" wires left to connect to the batteries. I did a quick check for loose or dangling wires and didn't see anything. The motor/ignition breaker isn't tripped. The wiring harness has a round connector that goes to the 16 pin for the ECU. I'm guessing the round connector is the same style 9 pin connector that Merc uses. I haven't messed with it yet. I have a good running motor on the starboard side, and I will likely try swapping computers at some point tomorrow. However, I would like to know if there's anything else I should look for, and a basic wiring diagram that gets me power to the ECU, that tells me which pin or pins on both the 9 pin, and the 16 pin that should have power. I would like to make sure that the computer is receiving power, before I waste time trying to swap them. (I don't believe it is, and I hope it's not... the much easier and cheaper fix is wiring, or sensors, vs ECU replacement)

Another issue that I'm having, which may or may not be related:

When I turn on the ignition switch on the panel for the starboard motor, I get no warnings at the panel or at the dash, and the motor starts with no issue at the helm or by jumping the starter.

When I turn on the ignition switch on the panel for the port motor, I get no warning at the panel, but I do get a "V-Drive" warning light at the helm. I disconnected the green wire on the only electrical connection that I saw on the V-Drive, and the light turned off. Still no power to the fuel pump or to the port motor. I tried jumping out whatever sensor or switch that is by connecting the two wires together, and still no power. The fault light on the dash turns off when I disconnect the green wire, or touch the two wires together, but neither scenario changes my power situation to the port motor. What does the sensor on the V-Drive sense? (temp?, oil level?) The oil in the V-Drive is a little milky, but it's full. The sensor doesn't seem to be any faults triggered from anything to do with the transmissions. Messing with the sensor on the V-Drive turned the fault light off.

[Viper]

Is there a red button breaker on or near the engine? It might be tripped and they're also known to fail occupationally.

The V-drive light works on pressure if I recall. Once you reach a certain rpm around the 1K mark, the lamp should go out.

[390Express]

Source of the post Is there a red button breaker on or near the engine? It might be tripped and they're also known to fail occupationally.

The V-drive light works on pressure if I recall. Once you reach a certain rpm around the 1K mark, the lamp should go out.

Do you know if the V-Drive light will keep me from getting any power to the motor? And is that circuit supposed to be open or jumped to properly bypass the fault? (I'm guessing jumped)

The breaker to the motor isn't tripped, but that doesn't mean it's not bad. I'll head down there again today, and poke around with a multimeter, but I was hoping for some insight as to where to look or additional tips and tricks. Power to the ECU should be a fairly simple trace, especially given that I have power at the helm, that triggers the starter. I don't believe there is any additional in-line fuse or anything else like that. I'm guessing corroded 9 pin, corroded or bad breaker, or bad ECU.

[bud37]

I don't know whether this is a trick or not.. ....but be careful with the ECU itself re static charge, and use the appropriate multimeter......in your manual should be an explanation of the precautions to keep from the possibility of damaging the ECU while doing checks.
Check start solenoid, they can get corroded inside but the inside contacts can be cleaned if the blue engines use the same one as the black engines.

[km1125]

Source of the post
I had the battery selector switch to "both" and the motor turns over at the helm.

To me that's the important statement of all you wrote. You mean you can turn the motor over with the key, right?

If so, you need to check the ignition switch. This means that you have B+ to the key (from the motor) but that should provide B+ to the gauges as soon as you turn the key to IGN and also provide B+ to the ECU. The ignition switch must have B+ available if you're able to crank, as it needs to provide B+ to the solenoid to get the starter to crank. That B+ is provided to the ignition switch from that "big red button breaker" on the motor, so that means the "big read button breaker" is also OK.

[390Express]

Source of the post

Source of the post
I had the battery selector switch to "both" and the motor turns over at the helm.

To me that's the important statement of all you wrote. You mean you can turn the motor over with the key, right?

If so, you need to check the ignition switch. This means that you have B+ to the key (from the motor) but that should provide B+ to the gauges as soon as you turn the key to IGN and also provide B+ to the ECU. The ignition switch must have B+ available if you're able to crank, as it needs to provide B+ to the solenoid to get the starter to crank. That B+ is provided to the ignition switch from that "big red button breaker" on the motor, so that means the "big read button breaker" is also OK.

Essentially, correct. The boat doesn't have a key, it just has an "ignition" button, but pressing that button does provide B+ to the starter, and the motor turns over. However, while its cranking, there is no power to the fuel pump, TBI, or distributor, thus - no gas, no spark.

I'm planning on disconnecting the ECU and checking the 9 pin B+ supply first. That should tell me if I'm getting power to the ECU. If no power there, back track to the breaker, I'd guess. The wiring diagram from the Owner's Manual doesn't tell you much about the 9 pin or 16 pin.

The 9 pin goes straight to the 16 pin, straight to the ECU.

Looks like the purple/red wire is hot, and the yellow wire is excite on the 9 pin. Hope they're all more or less the same. I'm really kind of surprised there aren't more wiring schematics and information provided by Crusader.

[390Express]

Source of the post I don't know whether this is a trick or not.. ....but be careful with the ECU itself re static charge, and use the appropriate multimeter......in your manual should be an explanation of the precautions to keep from the possibility of damaging the ECU while doing checks.
Check start solenoid, they can get corroded inside but the inside contacts can be cleaned if the blue engines use the same one as the black engines.

The manual is oddly silent about anything to do with the ECU, EFI, or TBI... The wiring diagram doesn't even mention it. It just shows the B+ from the battery to the ignition to the starter. That said, I've handled enough circuit boards to know to ground myself first, and the board itself will never touch anything with a charge or that could possibly generate a charge.

[Viper]

Source of the post....Do you know if the V-Drive light will keep me from getting any power to the motor? .....

It should not affect engine operation.

Source of the post.... while its cranking, there is no power to the fuel pump, TBI, or distributor, thus - no gas, no spark.....

Probably a long shot, I don't think you do but I gotta ask because you never know what was done in the past; you don't by chance have kill switches do you?

Have you done a voltage drop test at the battery and main power line to the ECM while cranking the engine? If there is a big voltage drop for some reason and the ECM experiences a brownout, it may affect outputs. They don't like voltage drops.

[390Express]

Source of the post....Do you know if the V-Drive light will keep me from getting any power to the motor? .....

It should not affect engine operation.

Source of the post.... while its cranking, there is no power to the fuel pump, TBI, or distributor, thus - no gas, no spark.....

Probably a long shot, I don't think you do but I gotta ask because you never know what was done in the past; you don't by chance have kill switches do you?

Have you done a voltage drop test at the battery and main power line to the ECM while cranking the engine? If there is a big voltage drop for some reason and the ECM experiences a brownout, it may affect outputs. They don't like voltage drops.

I’ll trace the voltage this evening. I’ll be heading down there in an hour or so. No kill switches as far as I know, I was hoping there would be an inline fuse or something, but no such luck. I’ll test the ignition switch, circuit breaker, 9 pin, and 16 pin, in that order.

I may try swapping ECUs if I get ambitious and it looks like the wiring is right. This is the best diagram of the 9 pin that I could find: anyone have anything better?

[km1125]

Source of the post When I turn on the ignition switch on the panel for the starboard motor, I get no warnings at the panel or at the dash, and the motor starts with no issue at the helm or by jumping the starter.

When I turn on the ignition switch on the panel for the port motor, I get no warning at the panel, but I do get a "V-Drive" warning light at the helm.

But then you say:
" The boat doesn't have a key, it just has an "ignition" button"

I"M CONFUSED! Do you have a separate "ignition switch" and an "ignition button"??

Do you have gauges? Does anything happen (even a flicker) on the gauges when you turn on the "ignition switch" for each engine"