Catalina Atomic 4 No Crank Problem Resolved

[sastanley]

jb...I had a plug at the engine, and another one behind the galley drawers as the harness made its way up into the port sail locker towards the instrument panel. I have heard of various configurations based on the length of the run..I have a tiller, so mine only goes to the port sail locker...I guess some boats with wheels may have had another set of plugs in the run to get it farther back in the cockpit...but I cannot confirm that..it is only my theory.

Here is a picture of the backside of my 'new' gauge cluster...there are no plugs any longer, just the two junction blocks...one on the forward bulkhead in the engine 'room' posted earlier in this thread, and this one, on the backside of the gauge cluster pan. I didn't quite achieve the same quality as Neil did with his re-wire, but I was inspired by his work, which you can find elsewhere on this forum with a little digging around...likely in the electrical section.

[hanleyclifford]

Looks good from here, Shawn.

[ndutton]

About those Catalina trailer plugs. . . .

In alignment with Shawn, my boat was originally tiller steered with the engine instrument panel low in the cockpit footwell where it's difficult to see. My original engine harness had only two trailer plugs: one at the engine and one at the panel. I believe the third plug in the vicinity of the galley was common on wheel steered boats with the control panel in the cockpit coaming but that's not a guaranty. If there's a third plug it could be anywhere around the galley drawers, under the ice box or even under the cabin sole. The only way to be certain is to yank the old harness out and if you're going that far it makes little sense to put the old harness back.

The thread describing my harness replacement is entitled Kalina gets new engine electrical found in the electrical forum category.

As an added incentive to replace the harness or at least remove the dreaded plugs, here's the nightmare I removed from mine. Those plugs were for the builder's convenience, not yours.

[sastanley]

Thanks, Hanley...just for personal verification/clarification that I try to do things the right way...that renegade black wire with the yellow terminal that you see on the far right side of that terminal block in the pic and then apparently heading to nowhere to the left is a temporary ground wire to the old original Catalina electrical panel, which is just out of view..i am still working on re-wiring all of that. The running lights and the port side cabin lights still function with their original wiring, so that is why that funky ground wire is there. With all the manifold issues and other stuff I've found over the winter, the ongoing re-wire project may continue to get pushed back on the replacement list....as long as it still works..

Speaking of the manifold issues I've been having and tearing the boat apart...I had a ground wire that was on the engine that I didn't dare disconnect since it went off into an unknown part of the boat. I figured it was important, and I never knew what crazy stuff the P.O. had done, so I left it...it was grounded on the backside of the motor, wrapped around the coil/throttle cable bracket area. Since I had to yank all of that to get that stupid water tank in (another thread), I finally traced this wire and discovered it to be the ground wire for the blower..apologies to my Dad the P.O...not his doing. I wonder if there is an ABYC mandate that the blower motor be grounded to the engine. ...it would be much cleaner for me to wire it to the ground bus on the gauge panel.

[joe_db]

FYI - I installed one of these extra relays because of the same issues - a long run to the cockpit switch. I have had ZERO issues with starting since then. The start button in the cockpit activates the starter relay in the photo that is connected to the starter solenoid.

[Mo]

Tidy indeed.

That's some nice work done there Joe. Tidy indeed.

[jbsoukup]

joe, ditto on the nice relay install. just to be clear, I'm looking for a second plug - I only found one in the engine compartment. BTW my boat is also tiller steered.

[sastanley]

jb...My boat (#511) and Neil's boat (#600) are of similar vintage..both '77. I can't recall if you had posted previously what hull # yours is.

The two galley drawers to port of the stairs are easy to remove...the frame generally has 4 sheet metal screws into fiberglass..also easy..this gives you enough access to stick your head and a big light in there. Have you tried that yet?

Based on Neil's description, I would guess Catalina made these "harnesses" in 6'-8' lengths..as they went to longer runs, they just added another length(s) of harness..I had two short runs (at the engine and gauge pod) with a 6'-8' run in the middle..add a wheel and an aft gauge pod and it could be two or more sections..

Just throwing it out there for things to look at...I have no positive data on this.

[jbsoukup]

I'm pretty sure my hull is #783 but I don't have the paperwork (or boat) in front of me right now. I'm also pretty sure I reached in there and traced the harness with my hand and didn't feel a plug. I have had the drawer frame out on several occasions but not for the purposes of locating the plug. Next time I go to the yard I'll check for sure. Like I said before, I'm not really worried about the wires but I would feel better if I could verify the condition of the plug -if there is one. The other one looked absolutely fine and of course I cleaned it anyway which is all I would do to the other one provided it's in good condition. The plugs don't really bother me as they have worked fine for over 30 years, as long as I can keep an eye on them that is.
here's a picture of Her, just for grins http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/at...1&d=1357323394

[jbsoukup]

sorry, little too big!http://www.moyermarine.com/forums/at...1&d=1357324462

[sastanley]

MMMmmmmm...I assume tall rig since you have a bowsprit too, (with lower chainplate upgrades)/fin keel/tiller/endboom sheeting (my preference) & folding prop...very nice! Your teak looks great too.

[joe_db]

Thanks guys

joe, ditto on the nice relay install. just to be clear, I'm looking for a second plug - I only found one in the engine compartment. BTW my boat is also tiller steered.

[Raymond]

Blower ground

...I had a ground wire that was on the engine that I didn't dare disconnect since it went off into an unknown part of the boat. I figured it was important, and I never knew what crazy stuff the P.O. had done, so I left it...it was grounded on the backside of the motor, wrapped around the coil/throttle cable bracket area. Since I had to yank all of that to get that stupid water tank in (another thread), I finally traced this wire and discovered it to be the ground wire for the blower..apologies to my Dad the P.O...not his doing. I wonder if there is an ABYC mandate that the blower motor be grounded to the engine. ...it would be much cleaner for me to wire it to the ground bus on the gauge panel.

Shawn, I too am considering wiring this ground to the bus at the panel. Have you found any reason not to?