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Neutral safety switch

Chrisr

Junior Member
I have a 1987 Ericson 35-3 with a 5432 diesel. On a recent cruise the engine would not start at the most inopportune time. We played with the wiring behind the panel and moved the transmission in and out of gear. The engine did eventually start but need to track down the reason for not starting. At the time of the issue there did not appear to be any power to the starting button although the key was on. Does anyone know if this model engine with the Hurth transmission has a neutral safety switch?
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Whither the Electrons

I have a 1987 Ericson 35-3 with a 5432 diesel. On a recent cruise the engine would not start at the most inopportune time. We played with the wiring behind the panel and moved the transmission in and out of gear. The engine did eventually start but need to track down the reason for not starting. At the time of the issue there did not appear to be any power to the starting button although the key was on. Does anyone know if this model engine with the Hurth transmission has a neutral safety switch?

A safety switch like that was not included in my '88 M25XP with Hurth 50. I seriously doubt that any boat has one, unless it is on a new boat.
My guess is an open circuit, i.e. you have a wire that is either loose on its connection or looks tight but has corrosion around the lug. It does not take much to interrupt the circuit with 12 volts.
I would suggest removing, one at a time, each wire from back of the panel, cleaning/sanding the parts (post base and metal lug) and tightening each one back on. Do the same for the connections to the starter and for each ground cable.
Does your boat still have the stock harness with a couple of places where the wires pass thru the old hard plastic 'trailer connectors' ??
Those plugs are under a lot of wraps of black tape.
 

Chrisr

Junior Member
Thanks Loren. The boat is a recent purchase. It started fine at the beginning of the cruise. The weather was rough at the end and needed the engine to enter a relatively narrow harbor entrance. I’ll follow your advice along with a multimeter check
 

Chrisr

Junior Member
I haven’t taken a real close look at the wiring harness yet. I’ll be going up tomorrow to take a closer look. The engine was totally rebuilt a few years back but no information on wiring. Once again, thanks for the response
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Also an excuse to buy another tool......

I haven’t taken a real close look at the wiring harness yet. I’ll be going up tomorrow to take a closer look. The engine was totally rebuilt a few years back but no information on wiring. Once again, thanks for the response

When diagnosing a voltage drop in our former Universal diesel harness, I bought a laser temperature meter (lots of vendors and Harbor Freight has them, and cost will vary but likely be 20. to 30. dollars). I read a ten degree rise over ambient in both those taped-wrapped connectors. (yikes)

Since I was already near the financial decision point for a lot of engine work, that was one more reason to start over rather than make up my own new set of wires.
So, I installed a new engine/trans/panel/wiring.... etc.

There are great threads here with pix regarding replacing those old connectors, and / or the wiring itself.

Having the laser-pointer temp gauge around is also handy for checking your cans of beer in the icebox and of course for pointing at guests who might possibly be Zombies. :rolleyes:
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
On a recent cruise the engine would not start ....there did not appear to be any power to the starting button although the key was on.

The easy stuff (if you have stock Ericson wiring)

1. With the battery switch and key switch on, is there any power at the panel (gauge lighting? volt/ammeter? low oil pr light?)? If no, check the 20A inline fuse in one of the large (10 ga) red wires feeding or coming from the key switch.

2. If panel has power but starter doesn't crank, check the 10A inline fuse in the yellow-red wire feeding the starter solenoid (the fuse is located near the engine, not the panel).

3. If the fuse is good, go back to the start switch. Unscrew either lead on the back and touch it briefly to the other lead (I.e. bypass the start switch). If it cranks (be prepared for that) it's your start switch. If not, repeat this last step while holding the glow plug button (some setups power the start switch only when the glow plug switch is activated).

4. If still nothing, try touching the starter wire to the glow plug switch's feeder wire (I.e., bypass both the start and glow plug switches). If none of that works, you need deeper elect troublehooting.

Only good news then is that the starter circuit is grounded only by the starter's contact with the engine, so there are no other grounds to troubleshoot, only "hot" wires.
 

eknebel

Member III
Ah, the joys of intermittent electrical problems! Since it is new to you, Loren's approach is excellent advice, you will likely repair several corrosion issues. Pay particular attention to the negative connection on the engine, all the power of the starter flows thru it. Just as in cars, the starter can be intermittent failure. when the engine is not turning over, see if tapping on the starter with a hammer resolves the problem. if so, a replacement starter from Kubota is 1/3 the price and seemed exactly the same.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
The glow plug and starter switches are a weak point in the stock setup. I went through 3 switches in a fairly short time before I rewired and put the glow plugs on a relay. That high amperage flow through the switches is hard on them and the key switch.
 

hodo

Member III
The harness has a push together plug between the engine and panel to facilitate installation. I found several corroded pins, in the plug. I removed the plug, and installed a terminal strip in it's place. End of issues, plus you now have an easy place to check with your voltmeter.
 
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