2011 GTX iS 260 no lights on dash

[dvhouten]

I just bought a 2011 GTX 260 and it spent the last 2 years sitting on a skid in the lake without a cover. The battery was 4 inches under water. after draining it, I took it apart, pulled off covers and unplugged all the plugs I could reach. After drying it out for a day and putting in new gas and plugs, it started right up. We ran it for a couple days and then trailered it. The next weekend I come out and it won't start. The cluster won't even light up. I've pulled it apart again and used contact cleaner on everything electrical. All the fuses are good and I checked the ground from the negative post to the frame. I cleaned the starter solenoid and it will turn the motor if I jump the terminals.
I'm only getting 10 volts to the main relay fuse F8 (main fuse supply) but if I jump across it directly from the battery it still won't respond. I'm getting 7.5 volts to F4 (fuse to gauge), and less than a volt to F3 (fuse for start/stop switch). Even though I knew it wouldn't start until the dash responds, I tried both keys.
Any suggestions on what to test next? Maybe voltage regulator?
Thanks,
David

 

[Digdog]

Possibly the 30 amp relay in the fuse box , check the battery voltage , charge it and do a amperage test. If the battery checks out then you have resistance in a cable somewhere, the ends fail all the time as they are just crimped on , and being it was just under water , well (((( . Check the voltage if you get it running, should be at least 13.5 volts with good connections.

 

[dvhouten]

Thanks for the quick response. I'm an old motorcycle guy, so most of it makes sense, just different locations and waterproof. Battery is new, freshly charged and shows 13 volts just sitting. So I should be seeing 12+ volts on the battery side of the main 30amp fuse? I'll pull the battery out again tomorrow to see the connections better, but is there a junction before the fuse box that might need cleaning? Should I go ahead and change out all the battery cables due to the water damage? I got a great deal on it and putting another $500 in it won't break my heart at all.
Thanks,
David

 

[Digdog]

You could just solder the ends (unless it was salt water) , I use electrical solder and a torch, just don't overheat the ends. The easiest way is to crank it for 10 seconds and feel what is hot , if you're not seeing the same voltage downstream then it's usually resistance, and that works backwards when it's charging.

 

[pretex]

if you battery was 4 inches under water, that means your fuse box was under water too. Check and clean the buss bar in the fuse box (provides pwr) and your canbus bars, as check and clean all your fuses.

 

[dvhouten]

Thank you for all the advice and suggestions. Digdog, I verified the cables were good with my meter and followed the current through the fuse box (if it had been in salt water I would never have taken it on). pretex, I pulled all the fuses and bus bars and cleaned with a wire brush and contact cleaner.
I finally took it to my local guru and he diagnosed it as the PCM. He replaced it, reprogrammed the keys and cleaned any connections I missed, and it's screaming again. He explained how the PCM does not like low voltage, and my guess is that because of all the compromised connections, it wasn't getting the voltage it needed. After $600 for the PCM, I still got a great deal.
See you on the water,
David