How to open Engine hatch is battery dies 87' 240 Sport
 

Im curious, how I would be able to open my electronic engine hatch if the battery died? Boat is a 1987 Baja 240 sport.

On a Rinker I looked at a guy showed me procedure for it.... I was not told that procedure for this boat?


Thanks!

Do you have hinges that are accessible when the hatch is closed. Mine does, but some don't.

It all depends on how thing were wired on your boat. I had jumper posts on mine under the backseat where I could put a jumpback or batter charger on and be ok.

Now I would have to remove the switch and jump the terminals to a battery or use my cigarette lighter plug with a little jumpback I have specifically for that.

+1.. i also have posts under the back bench seat on my 25OL. I can also lift the hatch up with my hands about 8 inches or so, just enough to reach in and pull the pins from the hatch lifts.

my '90 250 has 2 posts under the back seat where you can hook a jumper battery. check your firewall and under the seat to see if you have them, most likely you do!

on mine if the actuator actually crapped out i dont think mine will lift anywhere near enough to get to the bolt and unscrew it since my actuator is on the starboard side and the only side that will lift up at all is the port side do to flex in the engine hatch:lolhit:

Got it! Thanks for the responses guys!

I went to the hardware store and bought one of the cotterless hitch pins that has a ring on one end and the spring-loaded ball on the other. Try to get one that is close in diameter to the bolt that fastens the top of the actuator to the hatch bracket. Then get some vinyl coated wire and fasten it to the ring, and run the other end of it so that is in a position that is accessible through your side vent. In the event that the batteries are dead or the actuator craps out, this will allow you to remove the vent bezel with a screwdriver (four phillips head screws) and pull on the cable to pull out the hitch pin. You can then lift the hatch manually and deal with the problem.

The problem with the jumper lugs is if something goes wrong with the actuator itself (and they do occasionally go bad), you are SOL.