And Then Depression Set In, Part II

[NautiqueJeff]

I finally was able to take my SAN out for the first run of the year today. All went well for the first twenty minutes or so, but then several problems arose.

First, after cruising around for a little while, I stopped and had the boat in neutral (engine running). I turned the blower on, and the engine immediately died! It started right back up, and I didn't really think too much of it.

When I started moving again, my boat started to overheat! As if that wasn't bad enough, I COULDN'T TURN THE ENGINE OFF!! Pressing the stop button did NOTHING! None of the other accessory buttons did anything either. The entire electronic dash was out! So there I am, in the middle of the lake, with an overheating boat that won't turn off! After thinking for a few seconds, I pulled the kill switch, which made the engine shut off. The engine never got above 200*.

I let it cool off for a little while, and decided to check what I could out on the water. I removed the water strainer, and found a small amount of debris inside. I cleaned that out and reinstalled the bowl. I couldn't get to the impeller on the water, so I didn't check that yet. I started the boat again, and it cooled normally!! I thought I probably just had a leaf or something covering the water inlet, but decided to head in anyway because of the dash problems.

As I got to the marina, I started overheating again! I was almost to the dock so I decided to go ahead and go to the dock before turning it off. The temperature never got above 200*. When I tried to shut the engine off, it WOULDN'T TURN OFF AGAIN!! The dash was out again!! I pulled the kill switch and trailered it.

I plan to look into the cooling system tomorrow afternoon, but I have no idea where to look for the problem with the dash. My closest dealer is four hours away, so any help that you guys could provide would be appreciated.

As for the cooling issues, I plan to check the impeller, thermostat, and lines. I already checked the water strainer (no cracks), and I made sure the seacock for the water inlet was fully open. Is there anything else I should check?

[nms1991]

hi nautiquejeff i think your problem with the boat not shutting off is due to a bad key pad, but also check out your pme box also, on the over heat problem is it a exclaibur or gt-40, if it is a excalibur check to see which date code is stamped on the back of the cover it could be a bad pump which loses prime at idle just a few thoughts on your problems.

[SGY]

I feel your pain. Just keep telling yourself: "There's nothing on a boat we can't fix, there's nothing on a boat we can't fix". Worked for me.

I would do what you are already thinking. Check the impeller and hoses, etc. If you found some debris in the strainer, you might also have debris blocking the screen on the tranny cooler. Also, you might think about replacing the gasket on the strainer. I would also give Vince at Skidim a call as well as Woody at SE Correct Craft. Two very knowledgeable people. Hopefully others will chime in here as well--including Tyran and SN.

The electrical issues are a bugger. Did your whole dash go out or was only your key pad non responsive? It sounds like the latter since you said a couple of times that the motor never got over 200 degrees. The fact that turning the blower on killed the motor makes me inclinded to agree with 1991's posting that you have a bad key pad. If the whole processing unit was bad, then I'd think you wouldn't get any information from the dash.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[NautiqueJeff]

Well, I have two excellent dealerships working on my issues. Mid-Ohio Nautiques (http://www.midohionautiques.com/index2.htm) and White Lake Marine (http://www.whitelake.com) are both working hard to figure out the electrical issues. The cooling issues can only be so many things, so unless the gauges are getting a bad reading somehow, I feel like I can work that out tonight. We'll see what happens. I'm working with Mid-Ohio tonight to try some more thorough troubleshooting on everything.

[SGY]

Sounds like you are in good hands. You might also email CC customer service. If Jeff Warner is around, he might have some information for you. That guy has a wealth of information.

Good luck.

[Rick]

Jeff Thnis is somewhat off the wallbut How old is the battery. On ocassion I've had a weak battery cause similiar symptoms in my car. Check the alternator for charging also good luck

[NautiqueJeff]

SGY, It was just the keypad that went out. The gauges continued to work.

Rick, The battery and alternator should be okay. The battery is only about one year old, and the alternator seems to be working properly.

Working with Mid-Ohio Nautiques, we decided to try to fix the electrical problem first. That way we won't be working on an overheating problem that possibly isn't really there. The gauges may be giving false readings due to the electrical problem. Mid-Ohio suggested that it is probably an internal problem in the PME box. I'm planning to take the boat to White Lake as soon as possible to have that tested. We checked several other things, and everything checked out okay. We'll see what happens....

[tryan]

it's odd that the key pad issue didn't arise on the wet test at the factory. is white lake going to swap out the key pad before they swap computers? if so, i would just have them mail you a pad to try.

i would still take a peak behind the dash for a loose plug or ground. if the blower draw was enough to drop the pad below operating voltage, i can see it not having enough voltage to reverse the ON relay.

not shutting off is a helluva lot better than not starting. :D

[NautiqueJeff]

I was planning to be in the area of White Lake on Saturday anyway (I was planning to be ON the lake). Now it looks like I'll drop the boat off Saturday morning and see what they can do with it.

I did pull the kick panel out and checked the external things on the PME box. Everything looked okay to me. The technician at Mid-Ohio walked me through some checks, and everything checked out okay, so he thought we should start with the internals of the PME box and move on to the dash pad if necessary.

I'll keep you guys updated...

[ag4ever]

I had the key pad go out on me in the first month or two of owning my SANTE. The dealer replaced it, and I have not (knock on wood) had any trouble from it since.

I do know how to run the boat without any keypad though, so i won't be stranded in the middle of the lake if it goes out. As long as the engine computer works, none of the gauges or switchs need to for this to work.

[Air206]

I do know how to run the boat without any keypad though, so i won't be stranded in the middle of the lake if it goes out. As long as the engine computer works, none of the gauges or switchs need to for this to work.

Post the short course for us - In case we are next (I have a new 206 on the way!)....Thanks!

[Air206]

On second thought, don't scare me with details.......... Kill switch is good enough for me..

[skinautique]

Guys,
This is a rare fluke thing. I have seen one key pad go out since 2000 and I have been in a ton of different Nautiques. The world isn't 100% perfect so there is bound to be a slight problem here or there.

[surfsup]

What a bummer!

I had just finished showing my wife how to use the PP Wakeboard Pro on my 211 when I jumped in the water for a quick set. She starts the boat and alerts me that there's nothing on the display of the PP unit. Confident she had missed something, I completed my set and climbed back in the boat. Sure enough, the PP had no power! I located and replaced the 5 amp fuse only to have it blow again. Turns out that the power wire connected to the resistor on the servo motor had a small crimp in it. Sometimes those little things can really wreck your day....

[ag4ever]

I do know how to run the boat without any keypad though, so i won't be stranded in the middle of the lake if it goes out. As long as the engine computer works, none of the gauges or switchs need to for this to work.

Post the short course for us - In case we are next (I have a new 206 on the way!)....Thanks!

Due to security reasons, I don't want to post it in an open forum. I would suggest asking your dealer how when you pick up the boat. If he won't or can't tell you, then PM me. When you find out how, you will ask yourself why you did'nt think of it earlier.

[ffmedic74]

Can you private message me also. I have had one key pad go out already and was fortunate enough to have someone give me a tow in. Supposedly the new keypads will last forever! Yah right!

[redelf75]

Due to security reasons,

SOunds like you know how to start the engine with bypassing the keypad prefix. Am I right?

[NautiqueJeff]

Let's make it standard practice to ask your local dealer for this information rather than passing it freely amongst ourselves. I would rather not hear of anyone's boat being stolen due to something posted on this site.

[skinautique]

Short of hot wiring it, I don't know how to bypass the keypad either. I would be curious to hear how it is done. Jeff, anymore info on your boat?

[NautiqueJeff]

No, nothing yet. I am taking it down to White Lake this weekend, and hopefully I'll hear something Monday.

[skinautique]

My guess is that the keypad needs to be replaced. Do you have a friend near by with a nautique that has keyless ignition? You could pull out his and test yours real quick. As far as the over heat, rev the throttle in nuetral a few times and check it out to see if that gets some water going. Just running won't draw it quick enough sometimes on the initial start up for the year.

[NautiqueJeff]

I just heard from White Lake (http://www.whitelake.com). After consulting with Correct Craft, they have decided to replace both the PME box and the keypad. I feel very confident that replacing those parts will cure my electrical issues. Ken at White Lake has once again gone out of his way to make sure the customer is happy. He even went in and worked on my boat on Sunday night! Hopefully I'll be able to pick it up on Saturday, and spend the weekend at the lake.

[NautiqueJeff]

My boat works again!

I met a guy at the lake today with a SAN with the Python engine. The engine cover sits higher than the two storage compartment covers. I guess the extra room is needed for the larger engine. That was the first SAN I've seen with the Python.

[skinautique]

I think MD has a super sport with the python in it. The engine is a 454 so it is alot wider and taller than the 350/351 engines. Glad to hear your boat is working well. Just be glad there is a 5 year warranty!

[SGY]

I was at the lake today with my family. At the end of the day, I went to load the boat and just like Jeff, the boat (206 Limited) would not shut off. (And, it was starting to pour.) The perfect pass just displayed "???????????" and I couldn't get anything to work. I then remembered what Jeff had posted so I hit my blower button and sure enough, the motor shut off. Then it wouldn't start. (Rain is really coming down now. Five year old girl is really scared.) I noticed the status light to the right of the dash was not on. So I re-keyed the ignition code and the boat started right up--and everything was fine. I checked it a few other times while on the trailer and it seemed fine.

I wonder if I have the same problems as Jeff. The only thing I can think of, short of a problem, is that my 13 year old, while I was getting the trailer turned off the boat. (Had the heater on to keep the kids warm under idle.) She told me that she pushed the stop button 6 or 7 times to try and get the "little light" off--the key pad status light. Could that have confused things?

Any thoughts you guys/gals might have would be appreciated. Thanks.

[skinautique]

That shouldn't have messed anything up. If anything is wrong, it is probably the keypad.