Malibu XTI - Engine Hours - WTF

(clayton191) · (clayton191) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 05-30-2006, 11:29 PM

Is there a way to run the acc without bumping up the hours? I checked my hours today (xti 2004) before I left the lake - I put 16 hours on the frigging boat in three days! I bought it on Wednesday with 36 hrs!!!

This is totally incorrect since (a) we didn't wakeboard hardly at all (b) we sat in the rock quarry saturday and monday! Obviously we bumped the stereo a lot as we swam thoughm, but i had it on acc the whole time.

I don't know what's going on - but i know that I didn't _RUN_ 16 hours (geez, I couldn't imagine the gas prices from that!) ...

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 05-30-2006, 11:32 PM

did you have the key on? Malibu used to have a switch to power the stereo. Do they no longer?

(clayton191) · (clayton191) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 05-30-2006, 11:37 PM

I had the key on the acc switch! Is there a stereo switch?!?!?!

Omg, i'm so pissed (at myself) if this is what I did! It hurts to put almost a 1/2 the hours on a boat in one weekend! hahaha

(jpk) · (jpk) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 05-30-2006, 11:44 PM

Holy cow, there must be a mistake. Do boats really rack up engine hours just for having the key in the ignition in accessory mode?

(dbjts) · (dbjts) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 05-31-2006, 12:58 AM

Both my Mastercrafts ran the hour meter with the ignition in Acc mode.

(dbjts) · (dbjts) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 05-31-2006, 12:59 AM

Both my Mastercrafts ran the hour meter with the ignition in Acc mode. You need to pick up a stereo feed without going through the ignition switch

(Message edited by dbjts on May 31, 2006)

(tyler97217) · (tyler97217) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 05-31-2006, 6:24 AM

yeah i have heard many other stories of people doing this for several evenings while it is parked outside and building up many more hours than that. Consider yourself lucky.... Keep in mind for any prospective seller they should be able to plug into the computer of the boat and see actual hours run at RPM? 16hrs is not so bad..... If it is an 04' you need to put some hours on that thing anyway or people will think it has just been sitting around....

(cbrown) · (cbrown) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 05-31-2006, 8:54 AM

Something is not right, it sounds like there is a wiring mistake. On the two malibus that we have had the hour meter only registers when the engine is running. Check with your dealer and have him take a look at how it is wired. Also you can always check the actual running hours by putting it on a computer.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 05-31-2006, 9:55 AM

my 2001 LSV had a stereo switch o the dash so the key didn't have to be on.

(greatdane) · (greatdane) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 05-31-2006, 10:04 AM

my 2000 BU VLX has a stereo switch on the dash so the key is not needed to run the stereo.

(chopper515) · (chopper515) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 05-31-2006, 10:05 AM

My 98 VLX also has a separate switch for the stereo. My hour meter runs if the key is turned to the right (gauges on, engine off), but not if you turn it to the left. Use a volt meter to fiqure out which ignition terminal goes hot when the key turns left and wire your stereo to that terminal. First check to make sure your hour meter doesn't run at this position.

(cbrown) · (cbrown) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 05-31-2006, 11:06 AM

Just spoke to my dealer, the hour meter registers when the key is on or anythime the ecm is on. To listen to the stereo you your boat turn the key to acc. just like a car you turn it back. When the key is turned forward and guages etc function that is when the hour meter goes up.

(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 05-31-2006, 11:15 AM

I have an 04 VLX. The 04 Malibu's hour meter is integrated into the ECU, it reads on the LCD inside the Speedo unit. This LCD is switchable between Depth/Time/LakeTemp/AirTemp/Hours/etc. On the 04 Malibu's the only way to activate the stereo w/out burning hours is by setting the ignition sw to ACC. (there is no "Stereo" switch)

My Malibu does not rack hours while turned to ACC. When I turn to ACC the dash dies, no LCD. If the LCD lights up, then it tells you they screwed up and wired the ECU power wire to the ACC terminal on the ignition switch. When the LCD is on, it's counting hours. Personally, I'd pull the switch out, find the wire and move it to the 'ON' terminal. Malibu wired my V-Drive oil pressure switch to the ACC terminal. I didn't like it the oil pressure light coming on while I was just sitting there, so I moved it to the ON terminal.

If you want to fix it yourself, pull the little rubber water gromet off the front side of the ignition switch, there is a nut under it, remove the nut and the switch can be retracted back. Then use a volt meter to find the ACC terminal, then begin pulling wires off of it until the LCD dies. Move that wire to the ON terminal.

(Message edited by yosquire on May 31, 2006)