No power (electrical) 1996 454 Crusader XL TBI

[km1125]

btw... your "ignition off" switch appears to have four connectors. I can't really see what's attached to the fourth connection in the pic. That would mean it is probably a double-pole, single throw switch which also means there are two distinct circuits running through there. Can you post a better pic of the back of that switch?

[390Express]

Switch is a DPST, but it’s jumped from one side to the other. That’s what the 4th pin is. Another pin also jumps power over to the start button.

Good news is, I figured out the 8 pin under the dash, feeds the 9 pin in the engine compartment. Tested ohms there, good harness. Disconnected and reconnected the gauges and the 8 pins a couple times, added dielectric grease, and my wiring issue has corrected itself. The relay near the breakers is now making contact, and I have power to all circuit breakers... the bad news is...

My Port ECU is in fact bad. (Confirmed by installing it on the Stbd motor). Where’s the best place to buy a MEFI 1/2 for a 1996 Crusader 454 XL TBI?

[bud37]

I figured you would get it if you worked thru all the connections.....now there is a guy in CA that can repair these things, google mefi ecu repairs and upgrades....just can't remember the business name right now......

[390Express]

Apparently they call him MEFI Bob, and he owns OBD diagnostics:

tel:310-793-2410

If anyone needs their phone number, for future reference.

[g36]

Please let us know the outcome if you do use mefi bob or whomever for your ecu repair as to have info for others that have this same ecu

[390Express]

Source of the post Please let us know the outcome if you do use mefi bob or whomever for your ecu repair as to have info for others that have this same ecu

Will do, cursory research has provided that you should not order an ECU off of Ebay, even a new one. I talked to Phil at Michigan Motorz (also has an ebay account). They have a MEFI 1/2 on there for $698, but the kicker is... it doesn't come flashed. There is no program on it, so if you buy it, you'll have to send it out to have a .cad file flashed to it. MEFI Bob charges approximately $200, but he wouldn't give me a straight price. I was comfortable talking to him, but I got the sense that if I sent him my ECU is was going to be "irreparable" regardless, and I would have to spend $1,200 to buy a new one from him. It sounds like, if you go his route, you're out $1,200 no matter what.

Further research has provided that ASM (Arizona Speed Marine) sells flashed ECUs for $750. I have heard negative feedback regarding ASM, but it mainly had to do with high performance parts, and the "tune" not being perfect. Given that I'm not interested in a tune, I would be comfortable buying through them. A factory program should be a factory program.

I'll update as to which route I go, and provide the results.

[390Express]

Quick update, I spoke to MEFI Bob. He's a good guy to talk to, but I wasn't comfortable doing business with him. He told me that I could mail him my ECU, and would "see" if it could be reflashed. As long as I didn't want it back, he wouldn't charge me anything for looking into it. Sounded like if I wanted it back he would charge me time and shipping, and I got the feeling that there was no way my ECU would have been "good" if I went that route. If I was willing to spend $1,200 on a new ECU from him, you'd think he would "check" my old ECU (it takes 5 min.), and ship it back with my new one for no cost. Not saying it was, but it seemed like a bit of a scam to get a free core ECU out of the deal for him.

I ended up going through Arizona Speed and Marine (ASM). They were about $500 cheaper than MEFI Bob (ASM charged $720 for the flashed ECU, and around $80 to two-day air it back to me. There was a hidden $30 fee in there that pissed me off, wasn't even sure what it was for, and they seemed to juice the shipping a bit (when I looked it up it said $40), but all-in I saved almost $500 going through them. Honestly, I really didn't like dealing with them much either. Their customer service sucks. They need some younger blood in there taking phone calls. Guy on the phone was grumpy, couldn't hear, couldn't write fast, didn't type, didn't work with that "new fangled" computer shit. Started spelling my name and he yelled at me to stop talking so fast "I didn't even get the damn "W" on the paper yet, slow down!" So far so good, seems to have fixed my issue.

I haven't been able to try to fire the motor yet. It's been over 90 degrees here every day, I'm guessing over 100 in the bilge, and I have a ton of friends with boats. I did put the ECU in the boat and I have fuel pump, engine alarm and spark now. I just have to swap the fuel intake to a small portable tank to see if it runs. I may head down there this evening. It's much more tolerable workin on it when it's 76 at night, than 90 during the day.

[RGrew176]

Hope all your problems are solved and you can get back to some serious boating. Good luck.

[390Express]

Source of the post Hope all your problems are solved and you can get back to some serious boating. Good luck.

Thanks RGrew. Looks like I will need a rebuilt motor in the offseason, but all-in, I can't complain. I started the port motor, and it was smokey and had low oil pressure. The oil pressure was around 20 psi at idle. It's old oil and should be thicker (it's the old 20w oil out of my truck, I ran it through the motor more as "flush" than anything), but I don't think it's going to have significantly better oil pressure, or stop smoking until I rebuild it.

I was kind of hoping it would be a head gasket, I could leave the lower end in the boat, and do a quick upper rebuild and be done with it, but it doesn't look like I'll be that lucky. The good news is, I have a spare motor, just have to figure a way to change it wet, which seems possible. And when I bought the boat, I budgeted in two motors, and only need one,I can't complain much, especially given what I paid for it. I have access to the aft of the boat by motor vehicle right at the dock, and my friends have hi-los, jibs and heavy equipment. I may try to swap it out in the next couple weeks.

My mechanic tells me to let it run for at least an hour as-is, and to take it out a few times to see what it does. Says that the rings could re-seat themseleves, but at this point I think that's unlikely. We'll see!