2012 Tige Z3 - Starting when key is in on position

[chpthril]

Use your meter to decipher the relay pinout.

One terminal should have battery voltage with main battery switch on
one should be ground side of control
one should go to the solenoid
last one gets voltage with key in CRANK to activate the relay.

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

Boat starts in RUN?

If I remove the “Starter Relay” the boat will not start when I turn the key to “ON.” All electrical gauges and instruments come on with the starter relay removed. When I plug the starter relay back in and switch the ignition relay and fuel pump relay to eliminate the fact it is one of the relays. I get the same problem the boat starts in the “ON” position. I am wondering if the whole relay box is bad. BTW thank you so much for your help on this as there is zero info on the forums or internet about this issue.

[freeheel4life]

I'm slightly confused. You said you swapped the IGN and FP relays. Those are smaller and different pin configuration than the larger 5 pin starter relay?? Did you just swap the FP relay into IGN spot and IGN relay to the FP spot?? If that is the case and the result is that boat runs when starter relay is back in then that relay is likely bad. Occasionally the switch contact at pin 87 gets welded internally(diode failing in the relay is usually the cause) so starter circuit is always closed(Voltage always being sent to S terminal of starter.

Not 100% that's your problem. Just a guess.

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

Use your meter to decipher the relay pinout.

One terminal should have battery voltage with main battery switch on
one should be ground side of control
one should go to the solenoid
last one gets voltage with key in CRANK to activate the relay.

1. The right side of the relay gives me 12V (Battery Main Voltage)
2. The left side is ground 0V (All Times tested)
3. The bottom of the relay gives me a reading of 1.5V when the key is in the “OFF” position and 0V when the key is in the “ON” position.
4. The top of the relay gives me 0V when the key is in the “OFF” position and when I turn the key to the “ON” position it is giving me 12V. (I feel like the top relay should not register 12V until the key is in the “CRANK” Position?)

Not sure where to go from here

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

I'm slightly confused. You said you swapped the IGN and FP relays. Those are smaller and different pin configuration than the larger 5 pin starter relay?? Did you just swap the FP relay into IGN spot and IGN relay to the FP spot?? If that is the case and the result is that boat runs when starter relay is back in then that relay is likely bad. Occasionally the switch contact at pin 87 gets welded internally(diode failing in the relay is usually the cause) so starter circuit is always closed(Voltage always being sent to S terminal of starter.


Not 100% that's your problem. Just a guess.

Thanks for the feedback I already purchased two new starter relays two different brands and the boat still started as soon as you turn the key to the “ON” position. The engine fires and starts running. I think chpthril is on to something with the voltage testing of the starter relay. There are two terminals the right one and top that are getting 12V when the key is in the “ON” position. It seems like the top terminal should not get voltage until you turn the key to the “CRANK” position.

[chpthril]

1. The right side of the relay gives me 12V (Battery Main Voltage)
2. The left side is ground 0V (All Times tested)
3. The bottom of the relay gives me a reading of 1.5V when the key is in the “OFF” position and 0V when the key is in the “ON” position.
4. The top of the relay gives me 0V when the key is in the “OFF” position and when I turn the key to the “ON” position it is giving me 12V. (I feel like the top relay should not register 12V until the key is in the “CRANK” Position?)

Not sure where to go from here

Can you correspond these to the pin #'s on the relay?

[freeheel4life]

Can you correspond these to the pin #'s on the relay?

^^This. I'm won sd ering if from your description coil is energized all the time (1 and 2 in your data)

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

A80F9DF9-8364-4365-AB29-16D15C4E6FC6.jpgAD6AC0C1-A168-48B6-A891-FCAD1710DE71.jpg

Can you correspond these to the pin #'s on the relay?

I am not sure what you mean by PIN numbers here is a picture of the starter relay and where it plugs into. The terminal with the red in it is my battery main 12V. The terminal with the black in it is what I believe to be the ground

[freeheel4life]

Forgive my crummy paint skills. Get some voltages and relate them to those numbers. Also, ground your meter to known good ground then probe each slot with just your POS lead.

Pin 30 should be 12v constant. Pin 87 should only be 12v after relay switch closes, aka cranking position at key switch(so cant test with relay unplugged) . 85 and 86 is the coil side of the relay. One will be constant ground and the other should be switched 12v(should come and go as key is cycled to cranking position). If you are always seeing ground and 12v on these two pins the coil will always energize and close the relay as soon as you plug it in.

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

[ATTACH]51256[/ATTACH][ATTACH]51257[/ATTACH]

I am not sure what you mean by PIN numbers here is a picture of the starter relay and where it plugs into. The terminal with the red in it is my battery main 12V. The terminal with the black in it is what I believe to be the ground

Here is the PIN numbers and the Key in the “OFF” Position and Key in the “ON” Position.
Key “OFF”
8BA04DC1-18F0-4420-87C1-DBC3114897E3.jpg

Key “ ON”
FFE03C4B-2140-45D7-8F9C-FB198C48B3BD.jpg

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

Forgive my crummy paint skills. Get some voltages and relate them to those numbers. Also, ground your meter to known good ground then probe each slot with just your POS lead.

Pin 30 should be 12v constant. Pin 87 should only be 12v after relay switch closes, aka cranking position at key switch(so cant test with relay unplugged) . 85 and 86 is the coil side of the relay. One will be constant ground and the other should be switched 12v(should come and go as key is cycled to cranking position). If you are always seeing ground and 12v on these two pins the coil will always energize and close the relay as soon as you plug it in.

I found a good ground and retested. 1. The boat starts the moment I turn the key to the “ON” Position. The only way to keep it from starting is to pull the Starter Relay off. When I do this there is a 12V supply to PIN 86 as soon as I turn the key to “ON” shouldn’t it wait to give me 12V until I turn the key to “Crank”? See my multimeter readings above.

[chpthril]

When I do this there is a 12V supply to PIN 86 as soon as I turn the key to “ON” shouldn’t it wait to give me 12V until I turn the key to “Crank”?

Yes, if 85 is the relay ground.

Is their contenuity between 87 and 30 on the relay itself?

[DoubleDeeze1215!]

Yes, if 85 is the relay ground.

Is their contenuity between 87 and 30 on the relay itself?

There is no continuity between 87 and 30 on the relay.
F1F0D7D0-F65A-4561-9E02-C82323C1635B.jpg

There is continuity between 86 and 85
BF43A842-909C-4E1E-99F7-56D8BBB6E04F.jpg

[freeheel4life]

Mike nailed it. If 85 is the coil ground(seems to be) then 86 should only have voltage in cranking position. If you have it in on position that's likely you problem. Possible short to power between purple ignition wire and yellow and red stripe S wire somewhere in the harness...

[freeheel4life]

If you have some jumpers and are crafty you could disconnected boat harness from.engine at the back of the engine. Jump from larger red wire on engine side of harness to purple wire pin at engine harness. If it cranks right away you know the short is on the engine side of the harness.

If this doesnt make sense or not a procedure that you are comfortable with dont attempt.

It also seems somewhat odd that you are seeing one volt on pin 85 with the key off but isnt what's causing the coil to energize.