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2008 Sea Doo Challenger No Power to Dash

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If the gauge cluster doesn't have power to it, it will never run.
I realize now that the thread title is a little confusing. The dash stays blank when I put the key on the post, but I do get 12 volts at the purple wire with the key on.
 
For the newer style dashes that came out in 2006, they are integral to the electrical system and necessary to be functioning properly for the engine to run. Some dashes get old and the screen stops working due to sun exposure or water intrusion and it will still run because it is still "working" but the lcd screen won't come on. It sounds to me like your cluster went dead if it's not turning on and it has both positive and ground and the screen is still in good shape and working fine before. It should at a minimum go through the power up sequence once it receives power and ground.
 
I realize now that the thread title is a little confusing. The dash stays blank when I put the key on the post, but I do get 12 volts at the purple wire with the key on.
Positive 12 volts is always supplied. You need to see if the ECM switches the ground, which turns on the cluster. Use a test light (or meter) with one lead on a +12 and the other lead on, I think, A-31 (or maybe A-15) coming from the VCM.
 
I didn't get a chance before having to put the boat in storage to get it fixed. I'm back working on the boat now and looking to get this fixed.

I have voltage on the purple and black wires on the dash plug when I put the key on the post. After I take the key off, about 5 seconds later voltage goes away. I get nothing showing on the dash throughout this process. There had to be an issue with the dash then right?
Battery has 12.3 volts, the dash wires get 11.5 volts with the key on 20230522_185206.jpg
 
So, when I was de-winterizing my speedster last month I replaced the battery. It has 2 negative cables attached to the battery and 1 positive cable. I forgot to hook up the second negative cable. Turned my battery switch on, no lights on my cluster and no beeping. I put my key on, still no light or beeps, pressed the start switch and my engine started. My cluster WAS NOT lighted up and I never got a beep. The 2 negative cables are:
one for engine ground
and one for the "console ground buss block", which is under the dash.
The point I'm trying to make is my cluster (or anything under the dash) did not have a ground path and did not work but my engine still started.
I would think your purple wire should have battery voltage. I wonder what reading is with the + lead on the purple wire and the - lead on the battery neg? That purple wire is supplied +12 from connector A pin 11 on the fuse block. The purple wire splits between the fuse block and the cluster to supply +12 to the beeper and a depth gauge (if equipped). Is the ground on the beeper switching? The other 2 wires on the cluster plug come from the VCM and they carry the data from the ECM thru the fuse block and VCM to the cluster. For all its worth, I had a intermittent engine shut down and would not start back up for an hour. Also had a problem with my key not working sometimes. Bought a Candoo Pro scanner. After troubleshooting with the scanner, everybody on the Candoo forums said VCM and DESS post. Found bought used VCM and new DESS post, also bought a new cluster because mine was faded. . Did not fix it. It was the ECM. The fuse block and VCM are really just pass-through devices. All logic comes from the ECM. I believe the engine will start without the cluster having power.
 

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I still have unfortunately not fixed this....thinking its time to try and replace the ecm. I need to have it programmed for the current key and post to work with it right?
 
Any chance someone local to west michigan has this computer that I could borrow to try? Or does someone out there have a used one I could purchase?
 

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The rotax ECU is OK, its the computer mounted by the starter relay and battery that I suspect is bad. This one from what I am told does not need to be programmed to the key.
Thats not a computer above the starter solenoid. It's a fuse block. Voltages in and voltages out. Out of all the electronic devices on your boat its the easiest to test. You can do a continuity test and a voltage test on it. The box under the dash kind of does the same thing.
 
Thats not a computer above the starter solenoid. It's a fuse block. Voltages in and voltages out. Out of all the electronic devices on your boat its the easiest to test. You can do a continuity test and a voltage test on it. The box under the dash kind of does the same thing.
All pins, except pin E on the round connector have continuity with each other. I could also get continuity between the pins on the round connector, and the rectangle connector, again except for pin E. I could not get continuity from Pin E on the round connector, to any other pin. Could this be my problem? Or should I be testing for voltage on the pins, with 1 connector plugged in?

Thank you for all the help so far!
 

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The plug with the "E" pin is connector "B". Pin E is rectified +12 volts. With both connector "A" and "B" disconnected and with the fuses pulled I would think pin E supplies one side of the fuses. Check those for continuity. Data to the the gages look to go thru connector A, pins 1,2,4,5; +12 volts goes thru connector A pin 11. With everything plugged in and the boat turned on what is the volt on pin 11?
 

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With both connectors unplugged I have continuity between pin E on the b connector, and one side of the fuel pump fuse, no other fuses have continuity with pin E.

With connector B plugged in, connector A unplugged, and the key on the post I get not voltage at pins 1-16. Pin 17 I have 12 volts, and Pin 32 I have 12 volts. Pins 19-27 I get a voltage reading on all them, around 2 volts or less, and is somewhat inconsistent. According to the diagram these are all supposed to be grounds, so I have a short to ground inside the computer somewhere?
 
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