GOODT

if not have him get his merc rep out there they carry the spx with them but a lot of times the techs pride gets in the way and they waste alot of time before they call him but push the issue if not he will be wasting your valuble time


oh by the way Im as old school as they get, I still have people bringing me omc stringer drives to build, my wife says I wake up in my sleep yelling that Thought I was done building them 15 yrs ago

GOODT

with the exception of John ( pwbt 33 ) at offshore performance I like to think that I have more time working on the 496s then anyone around here and I wouldnt even think about trying to diag you problem with out the spx or rinda

it would be a waste of your time and mine


if nothing else call merc customer support and tell them, then ask if they can send out the rep that is the fastest way to get it done,

youll be suprised how fast it gets fixed

phebus

I called Merc customer support, and asked what could be done to get my boat fixed. After all, is has been in the shop nine times now for the same problem.
Their response was that they were approving everything the dealer was requesting, so they were doing their part.
Maybe I need to call back and request that a Merc service tech visit the dealership.
Any idea how long something like that might take? I'm have no idea how regional they are, and where they would have to come from. If the dealer can't fix it, I would think that is my only option no matter how long it took. My problem is that Havasu is a vacation destination, so everyday I haven't been able to use the boat, is a wasted day of vacation while I'm still having to pay the hotel bills etc.
What a pain in the a**. Why couldn't it have been something simple........

GOODT

insist that the rep come out tell them they dont have the spx ( they dont know if you dont tell them) and that you paid all this money for the product and warr and now its costing you your boating season because this shop wont spend the money for the right equipment.....


watch how fast it gets done

I no longer work for a merc dealer...... have my own small shop...... but I have both rihnda program and merc spx program


I dont play when it comes to taking care of my customers,
I belive in what Lee Iaccoa used to say..... to be the best

Dave_N

Joe has a point that the right guy with the right equipment may be able to find the problem quickly. But the answer may not be stored in the ECM, and sometimes recording this type of failure is not possible because you lose communication with the ECM when it loses power (if that is what is happening).

I think I would start by monitoring voltage at the output of the Main Power Relay. Have you checked to see if there is any problem with the shifter mechanism itself hitting or pulling at ignition or lanyard switch wiring?

Dave

phebus

Well, the dealer may have found the problem. Off the back of the motor, by the bell housing, are several unused wire looms that would be used if my boat had the smartcraft system. As it turns out, one of the sets of wires had gotten wedged in the steering system, and had bared the wires, causing an intermittent short.
Hopefully, that was the cause of my problems. The dealer tied up all the wires so they can no longer get pinched in the steering, and he says the problem is cured.
My fingers are crossed.
Thanks for all the helpfull advice, and I will post my findings.

GOODT

that could do it best of luck, the spx more then likely would of shown it as it can read all of the smart craft values

Dave M

I removed the additional harness that wasn't being used. I was tired of it hanging back there. It just unplugs, and then I put a piece of plastic over the end.

phebus

I checked it out a little better myself. The wires that had bben pinched/rubbed, exposing bare wire were: a set of three wires that enter into the drive gimbal, and a set of two wires that enter the drive gimbal. All five wires had exposed wire. I re-taped all wires, and encased them in split loom.
I am going out today, and I hope my problems are gone.

phebus

Boat runs great!! Thanks for all the replys from everyone