Boat starting problem...help please
 

I somehow ended up with my boat I sold last year back in my possession, a 19 foot runabout with a 5.0 liter and a Alpha. I dont want it and I put it up for sale right out of storage.

So yesterday I decide to start it and make sure all is well as I have people intersted in buying.

Turn the key......click.

Change starter, as I have an extra and this has happened before......

Turn key....click.

Change solenoid by the breaker button....

Turn key....click.

Pull the whole ground cable off, and sand both ends and clean it up..

CLICK....

And yes the battery is full and ready....already checked.


Then the nice township asshat comes along and gives me a ticket for having two boats on the property.... :mad:

Anyone have any idea of where to look next. I just need this POS to start...and its sold.

There are often two solenoids, one on the starter and one before. As long as the batt is really good and the starter motor itself is new then its connections or solenoids.

I would check your fuses and pull each one out and check for corrosion, sand down all of them and put them back. Also look for a loose wire or connection under the dash, sometimes one wire will kill the whole boat. Also, pull the electical wire harness that connects to the engines, clean the ends and put it back in.

You might want to clean your terminals on the battery.
The second solenoid is called a slave if you put your hand on it you can feel it clicking then you know its bad.

It is probably something verry simple like a bad connection, nothing broken.

I would put a wrench on the balancer bolt and make sure the engine will rotate. Hopefully this is not a problem but a it's a simple check. I saw an alternator froze up once that would not let an engine spin.
Jerry.

Do you have a neutral safety? Is it engaged?
Reggie Fountain says in his video, that jiggling the shifter
is the first thing to try.

Do you have a kill switch with lanyard?

Battery switch in correct position?

Just a few things that have tripped me up in the past.

Good Luck

Are you sure the battery is good? I can't tell ya' how many times a battery "tested" good but just wasn't putting out the amps. I had to exchange one last week that was less than one year old; shop tested it, shop charged it, shop tested it again...just wasn't working. My dad push started his truck for a week because "the battery tested good" but he didn't have time to change the starter/check solenoid. Changed all the parts, still wouldn't start, before he finally changed the battery...

Thanks for the great ideas guys, I am making a list to take with me Monday when I go to try again.

I am certian the battery is fine, I threw it in my pickup and it started my truck without a problem.

As for the second slave solenoid, I hear it click, thats where the click comes from. Thats why I replaced it to start with. The new replacement does the same thing. So I know power is getting that far, it just doesnt seem to go any further.

I will post back after I try the suggestions you guys gave. Thanks again.

Jumper across the big posts on the slave solenoid with a screwdriver see if it turns over. Clicking is a bad sign regardless of a "new" solenoid.

Alright, I got a chance to look it over. The clicking is still coming from the slave solenoid as it was prior to my replacing it.

Big bolt to big bolt does not cause it to roll over. I have check the main electrical connection and cleaned the pickups. Still nothing.

Motor turns by hand, and there is no lanyard or battery switch to worry about. I jiggled the shifter and even tried it in neutral and some gas. Nothing.

I am at my wits end here. Boat ran great when put away last year, no issues at all. Started right up, now just a click at the slave solenoid.

Anyone have any clue? Buy ya a beer if you can figure it out. Hell, I will buy you a cooler full!

Assuming the control circuit is ok (solenoids, switch, wiring, etc.), my best guess would be that the main engine grounds are loose or corroded. Don't just check the negative cables on the battery, but follow them back all the way to the engine. If they look good, take a jumper cable from the battery (+ and -) attach the negative (-) to the starter bracket and then take the positive (+) and touch either end of the red cable going from the starter lug to the solenoid - whatever is easier. If the motor turns over, starter and mechanicals are ok, you have an electrical fault with the grounding or the solenoids.

If motor still will not turn over, I would pull the starter out and have it tested (you said the motor turns over- right?). If starter is ok, it may not be meshing with the flywheel properly and may need shims.

99% of the time you will find the answer with this troubleshooting method. Just make sure there are no gas fumes round as you may get a few sparks when you touch the (+) end of the cable to the starter lug.

Let us know.

-L

Take an ohm meter, and check the continuity of the heavy cable from the battery to the solenoid, and the one from the solenoid to the starter. Or at least take a test light, and check at each attachment point to make sure voltage is making it to the starter. Also, make sure the solenoid on the starter is being energized.

Thanks Jeff, I actually pulled the ground cable off the engine and cleaned up both ends really well and put it back on to no avail.

The starter is brand new, first thing I replaced in hopes of it being the problem.

I will do the test tonight, and post back up.

Thanks again!

Brand new doesn't mean it's any good. I've had bad new parts before.

Good luck!

agreed, but I did bench test it with power and it worked. So I am leaning towards it working. Like I said, right now the power isnt even reaching it to try to spin it.

Verry simple test, try putting a remote starter switch on the starter and pushing the button to see if it works? This should only take a couple of minutes.

If it turns over it will tell you your starter is good and your battery connections are good to the starter. If this works start going backwards to the slave solenoid (again).

Ok, I jumpered the starter and it spins, I checked the continueity of the wires from the battery to the starter, from the starter to the solenoid, thru the solenoid, thru the breaker switch. There is a wire running off the solenoid to the alternator I believe. Didnt check that because of the pain in the ass factor, but I would still think the starter would turn. I have continuety thru from the key as well.

Anyone else have any other ideas? I'm thinking match and gasoline.

If the slave solenoid is still clicking I would be looking in that area. Sounds like you are getting closer.
Did you ever check the plug in the wire harness? You might want to pull it out and make sure there is no corrosion.

Just think of the satisfaction you will have after you find this problem:evilb:

Sounds to me like you have the two small wires on the starter solenoid switched around...the yellow with red goes to the inside and the purlple one goes on the outside...or just the yellow red on the inside if there is only one.....that would make the main solenoid not work.

Might think about the ignition switch itself as well. Definitely is electrical which means it will be a smple fix once found. Back up, take a deep breath, and let go of any complicated thoughts....As mentioned above, sounds like you're slowly zeroing in, good luck.

Ya know, I thought this too. My colors arent the same, I have a yellow with red, and two reds only going to the starter. But on the starter I removed, only two terminals were being used, on large and one small. The starter solenoid had two large and two small terminals on it. Just like the one I removed one the old starter. But only one of each size post was utilized. Might be time for a digital camera and some hanging upside down in the bilge............

Boy, I hope you don't have the same "starter" problem I have right now, my motor or drive is stuck:mad:

I feel for ya bro, I laughed my ass off when you said you were thinking Match and Gas! Good sense of humor - don't lose it. I'm no mechanic - it sure sounded like the starter?
Oh well, best of luck!

if you have a multimeter this will be your best friend right now. take the ground on the meter and connect to a clean ground like the carb stud then take the other end and go to the slave soleniod and check for 12 volts at the big lugs without cranking the engine. you should have one with 12 volts. after that test check the other one that did not have 12 volts when you crank it you should see 12 volts if not then check the smaller wires on the soleniod for 12 volts when cranking. one wire terminal is ground and the other is 12 volts from the ignition switch crank position. if you have 12 volts there when you crank the soleniod is bad. if all three terminals seem to have 12 volt when you crank it you can move on to the starter. now place the meter positive wire on the yellow and red wire and crank it over you should see 12volts. if all is good to that point i would guess you either have a bad ground cable or positive wire to the starter motor. has the starter or boat ever had alot of water in it. alot of times if this happens the wire terminals do what we call wick with corrosion and reduce the amperage flow to the starter. i have seen batteries have good voltage but no amperage and also bad battery selector switches go bad.

Lowfunds, I will print this out and try them all out tomorrow. Thank you very much for the input!

And yes, the blige did get alot of water at one point last season when I didnt notice the waves lapping into the vents when people were on the sundeck. Pumped it out right away, but I see your point.

Alright, once again I am at a standoff with this POS. I have now tested as mentioned above. I have also replaced the Pos+ and Neg- wires with brand new ones. I even went so far as to get a second new solenoid to test with, just to verify. And I have tested both of these that they do in fact transfer power as intended with the key. Here are photos of the wiring on the solenoid switch and the back of the starter just for fun. If you see something that is wrong let me know, but as far as I can tell it is right, and this isnt my first go round with working on motors. I am seriously pissed off at this thing right now....it has gotta be something stupid.

Ideas again people?

http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/1.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/2.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/3.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/4.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/5.jpg

couple more


http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/6.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/7.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/8.jpg
http://www.michiganspeed.com/dreamer1q/sellboat/9.jpg

Remember too this boat ran fine when winterized. And its not locked up, just no power is getting to the starter to even TRY to turn the motor over.

your problem is you have the yellow and red wire on the wrong terminal on the starter. it needs to be on the one closest's to the engine block. the terminal it's on now is a 12 volt supply of a electric fuel pump on other model boats. swap it over and see what happens. if you say you have another starter look at the solenoid on that one it have a letter s on the inner terminal. this is deffinetly your problem i can guarrantee it.

Good god do I feel like a complete idiot right now. Thank you everyone, and remember, even the experianced can make stupid mistakes :)