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Need help with engine codes!


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I've got a 2014 23 LSV with the LS3. I've been battling engine codes all summer, which has caused me to miss the boating season. The dealer can't seem to figure out the problem, yet keeps charging me as they throw ideas at it. I'm hoping to learn a little more about the codes from the experts here to see if I can help steer the techs in the right direction, and also arm myself for an argument with the dealer on getting charged each time they try to fix it.

The first time I took my boat out after winterization this year, I got these codes about 5 minutes after I started the boat up:

SPN: 66020 FMI: 8 Abnormal frequency or pulse width

SPN: 66017 FMI:5 Current below normal or open circuit

The dealer (not the one I'm going to now, I moved across the country this summer) replaced a fuel pump based on info from the code reader, which ended up costing me about $600.

I moved right after that repair. I took the boat out for about 2 hours after the move and everything was great until the very end where the exact same codes came back. 

I took it to a dealer in my new hometown (the one I'm dealing with now) and they replaced an O2 sensor based on the code reader results. They ran it on a hose for an hour and it was fine. That cost me another $500.

I took it out again for a few hours and again, everything was good until the very end and codes came up again. This time, one was different and the other was the same:

SPN:65594 FMI:7 Mechanical system not responding properly

SPN:66017 FMI:5 Current below normal or open circuit

I took it in again and they said the codes correspond to a misfire. They replaced the spark plugs, and also claim the ECM connector was loose. They took it out on the lake for an hour and it was fine. I won't be able to take it out until next year since the season is over here.

What I'm hoping you all can help me with:

1) Is the SPN:66017 FMI:5 indicative of a problem that hasn't been addressed? Or is it a secondary code that is being thrown because of the first one? (SPN:66020 and SPN:65594)

2) Does the O2 sensor make sense as something that could address the SPN:66020 code?

3) Does it make sense that SPN:65594 (along with SPN:66017) would be a completely new issue? Or could it be related to the original issue?

4) Would SPN:65594 be addressed by simply replacing spark plugs? Or could it be just a loose ECM connector?

5) Would the dealer have to remove the ECM connector for the previous attempts to fix the problem? (i.e. could the new issue truly be another issue that was underneath the other, or was it induced by them trying to fix the original issue)?

6) Based on what has been done so far, do you think the issue has been addressed and wont come back? Or do you think it will show up again in the spring?

7) Have any of you been charged for a lake test of a fix that you didnt authorize? They are trying to charge me $125 to check their work, which seems absurd to me, especially since they keep charging me labor when their fix doesnt work

I'm really feeling at a loss for how to get my boat fixed, so I appreciate anything you can do to help clarify this for me. This has been a frustrating and expensive process and I'm not sure what else to do! Dealers don't seem to be able to fix it, and they don't seem to care that it is costing me a fortune to try to fix it.

Thanks in advance for the help and advice!

-Bill

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@Eagleboy99, could the low voltage fuel pump have anything to do with the loose connector? The first time they tried to replace a fuel pump, but that code comes up every time. Seems strange that none of the other fixes have been targeted at that code, unless it's the connector, or for some reason gets thrown automatically with the other ones.

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I assume you have the Marine Power LS3 in your 2014 Malibu and it should have a MEFI 6 ECM.  Here is a link to that manual:

http://marinepowerusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/MEFI-6-Service-Manual.pdf

 

The reoccurring code SPN 66017 FMI 5 you are getting can be found on page 9-182 of the manual.  It can be caused by a poor engine harness ground, a damaged engine harness or corroded/damaged connections, a faulty fuel pump1 relay, poor connection/corrosion on the relay pins and sockets, or a faulty internal circuit on the ECM.  I would recommend swapping the fuel pump1 and fuel pump2 relays first to see if the trouble code changes to SPN 66025 FMI 5 (which would indicate a faulty relay) or if you still get the same SPN 66017 (which means it is possibly a wiring, connection, or ECM issue).  Also, look for burnt or miss-shaped pins where the relay plugs in.

The SPN 65594 FMI 7 can be found on page 9-139 of the manual and refers a misfire on cylinder 4.  The misfire detection is designed to alert you to the possibility of catalyst exhaust damage if it is allowed to continue without repair.  Any disturbance in crankshaft rotational speed can trigger a misfire alarm when the throttle is steady and above idle but below wide open throttle.  There are many things that can cause misfire detection, but the most common are loose spark plug wires, worn spark plugs, leaking or clogged fuel injectors, or excessive vibration.  A damaged prop, poor engine alignment, loose engine mounts or loose sea pump bracket can even be detected as a misfire.  I would recommend swapping the spark plug with another cylinder to see if the same or a different code occurs, and the same can be done for the injectors to try to track down the problem.

 

 

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@csleaver, that was immensely helpful, thank you! I think I have a good handle on the codes now. Seems like I probably had an O2 sensor and old spark plugs, which they probably fixed properly. I'm thinking the fuel pump issue could be caused by a poorly seated ECM connector. Could that make sense? They already replaced the fuel pump itself and I still have the code. They apparently reseated the ECM connector and think the code is gone now (at least after an hour of lake testing). A connector issue might also explain why it only shows up after hours of operation.

Thanks again!

Bill

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That could be the problem.  Most poor connections that I have seen either involve corrosion, a loose pin or poor wire crimp, or the female plug having a worn center connector that will not properly contact the male pin.

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1 hour ago, csleaver said:

That could be the problem.  Most poor connections that I have seen either involve corrosion, a loose pin or poor wire crimp, or the female plug having a worn center connector that will not properly contact the male pin.

And I have seen a case where a tech was probing a harness to check voltages, then reconnected it with several female sockets spread by him shoving his probe in too far.  He caused more trouble than he fixed. 

I fixed it by gently prying the sockets back into shape with a dental pick. 

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Thanks so much for the feedback - I'm gaining confidence that maybe this latest fix is the right one and everything will be fine next year.

Next question: I'm sort of tired of taking my boat to the dealer every time, hoping they will figure out what is going on. I'm both mechanically and electrically inclined, and have worked on cars and an old Sea Ray I/O. I'd like to think I could tackle issues with this boat, but since I don't have the code reader, I have steered clear.

How do you guys work on your Malibu engines? Do you just follow the service manual based on the code? The one @csleaver linked has a lot of details, so I can imagine getting most of my information from there. Has anyone purchased the software (and hardware?) required to read the codes (like OBD2 on a car)? Is it worth it? What would I need to do that?

Thanks,
Bill 

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Diacom from Rinda.com and the factory ECM manuals are immensely helpful for doing diagnostics on boat engines built in the last 10 years or so.  It works with most Windows laptops and the 94030-DiacomMarine+CAN kit will likely be the most useful for most boats built since 2001.  If you are going to do your own repairs, I would highly recommend it.

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