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  1. #1
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    Nov 2013
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    Tavares, Florida
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    Check your Direct Injector Harnesses! (or ruin a perfect fishing day)

    Just something to look into.... I dropped my ActionCraft in Mosquito Lagoon on Tuesday around 6:30AM, the wind was still and there wasn't a ripple on the lagoon. I fired the Optimax up, and proceeded to get the Garmin ready. Less than a minute into warmup, I get the alarm sounding, and the SmartCraft displaying "Check Engine, Injector Fault." I shut the motor off, waiting a few minutes, and refired, in some slim hope there was some sort of glitch. No dice, alarm immediately started sounding again.

    I pulled the boat out of the water and popped the cowling, hoping something would be gleaming, like a loose connector on one of the injectors - no dice as well, all were snug, or so I thought.. I stopped by one of our local Mercury Race Builders who happens to have a DDT, and started checking each injector, expecting to drop at least $450 on a new direct injector. We made it through all 6 fuel, and 5 of the direct injectors with no faults and good sounds, when injector number 6 starting sputtering and triggered the alarm again. Injector is toast, right? No, we swapped direct injector 4 for injector 6, and all of sudden, the "new" number 4 starts working and sounds great. The "new" number 6 won't even fire now... I recently had a new PCM put on the motor, and I immediately started thinking the PCM has failed, but I could hear the a relay coming on when ever we started the injector 6 test, even though no injector fired. I went back to basics first, checking the continuity of the lead from the PCM to the injector, and had continuity. I checked for a dead short from the PCM lead to the engine ground, and had nothing. I checked the injector harness ground to the engine and had continuity.

    Ruling out a short, a PCM failure, or a bad injector, I focused my attention on the injector electrical connector. We restarted the injector test on number 6, and during the test, I jiggled the connector, and boom, injector started firing. I held the connector in the position that made it work, and the injector continued to fire perfectly during the test with no alarms. There was no corrosion or other issues visible.

    I went ahead and removed the end connector from the harness and directly attached the leads to the injector (insulated with electrical tape of course) simply to flush out the motor. I had to use a pair of needle nose to tighten both of the female connector ends (not the injector male ends) to get them to be tight, so it was clear the connector was loose. May be wishful thinking, but I swear the motor is idling smoother than before. I have a new connector on order to install this weekend.

    Needless to say, check all of your injector harnesses and make sure they are good and tight. If you get an injector fault alarm, check your connectors first instead of immediately assuming you have a bad injector and ruining a perfect day of fishing....

  2. FOOTLONG MEMBER Ranger RT's Avatar
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    #2
    good info..
    2013 Pre-Johnny Ranger RT 178
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  3. Mercury 3L/4 Stroke/Verado Moderator EuropeanAM's Avatar
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    #3
    Rare... but it does happen. Good that you had a Smartcraft Instrument... helping to point you to the cause (initially), and that you proceeded to get the problem addressed.

    Replacement pigtail-end harness repair kits are available for repair of these connectors.


    Dual Mercury Master Technician- for Mercury Outboards, Mercruiser and Mercury Racing at European Marine in Greenville, SC.
    Still consider myself a "Marine Apprentice" after 47 years (learn something new every day).
    Mercury Parts, Mercury Outboards, Smartcraft & Accessories, Injector Service, TDR Reeds- BBC Sponsor

  4. Member TritonTRXV8's Avatar
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    #4
    Smartcraft saves the day again.
    Roy
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  5. Member
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    Jul 2011
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    high rock lake, North Carolina
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    #5
    saved your engine! awesome!!!

  6. Member Bullet20dc's Avatar
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    Jun 2004
    Location
    Highland
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    786
    #6
    2007 225 optimax. (1B426518) i know this an old post but I have two connectors on the direct injector 5 and 6 on an optimax 225 both have broken female pins right where the wire crimp is U mentioned a repair kit for these connectors can you give me the link, addy or can I buy em direct from you

    bullet20dc@aol.com
    Last edited by Bullet20dc; 07-08-2016 at 04:35 PM.
    Charlie B
    Ranger Z521C w / 250 Yamaha SHO



  7. Member
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    Jun 2013
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    LONGVIEW TEXAS
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    #7
    DI harness repair kit p/n 879346A49
    .................................................. ...the scariest thing in life is the unknown ...................................

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