Help, click...click..click but no start
 

I have a Baja 342 with twin 502s. When I hit the key sometimes it just clicks. This happens on both engines. I thought maybe it was the solenoid on the starter but when I opened the hatch the clicking seems to be coming from the electrical block on top of the motor where the circuit breaker is. If I hold the key to start and move the shift leaver back and forth it will keep clicking and eventually start. I am guessing this is just like cycling the key over and over just breaking and reenergizing the circuit with the neutral safety switches rather than turning the key. It happens on both motors. The batteries are brand new and over 13 volts. The clicking seems to be coming from the block where all the wiring on the top of the motor is screwed into the terminals. Anyone know what I should be looking to fix.

Right now I can jiggle the shifters and get the motors running but would hate to let it go and not get them started out on the water somewhere. It also seems to be worse when the motors are cold but also happens sometimes when they are warm and being restarted.

Thanks

It's probably the starter slave solenoid
( item 5 in this picture)

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show_...AND+COMPONENTS

I've had those go bad before.

You may want to check the input voltage ( the small
wires at the bottom) to see if the voltage is near
battery voltage first though.

Thanks for the reply. Would they be bad on both motors? Any way to jumper them out when it is clicking to see if that is the problem?

Bad grounds

grounds on the motor, batteries, solenoids all of the above?

yup .... rework "ALL" the battery connections ... ....After you rework the cables try it ...However The Solonoids are easy to replace ... If they the show wear (corrosion) ... replace em too ...like 20.00 each ...m

My friend has the same problem with the 350mag in his Malibu ski boat every spring when he brings it out for the first time. Our thinking was a condensation buildup inside the solenoid. Usually after the first few startups for the season, it goes away. However if it sits for a couple weeks without use, it has been known to return.

Had the same thing happen on our Sunsation with 7.4's this spring and at the time there was huge condensation under the hatch (long story). Since things dried out...no problems.

Its a 99 model so I am going to clean up the grounds and swap both solenoids. The moister angle would make sence sinse it isn't as bad when the motors are warm.


Found them online at a place called www.jmsonline.net for $12 each. But shipping was $12 so the total would have been $36. Called the NAPA down from my house and they had them for $23 each so I am going to get them today.

My boat did the exact same thing, I just put a new starter in, and its good to go.

Solenoids, jump across the two bigger studs on top of the solenoid to bypass it. This is the slave solenoids not the ones on the starters. They are cheap around 20 bucks each.

I am hoping it isn't the starters on both motors. With twin big blocks in my boat you need to be the size of a small monkey to get down in there to change the starters

Another thing to check would be the neutral safety switch. I speak from experience. :) One of my engines would click and it sounded like it was coming from the solinoid, it turned out to be a broken wire/connector at the connection point to my transmission. I'm assuming that you have a Bravo boat, so I'm not sure as to where the connection would be made. Just a suggestion.

Craig

To test the solenoid without using the ignition key... Take a jumper wire and connect it to the the "powered" (use a test light) post on the slave solenoid and touch the other end of the jumper wire to the small post with the white wire with red stripe on the slave solenoid. If it clicks but doesn't crank it's bad. If it doesn't click check the small ground wire on the other small post to be sure it has a good ground.

If it clicks and doesn't start, take a screw driver and touch the two large posts together, this will bypass the solenoid and the engine should crank over. If it doesn't crank you have a bad starter, bad connection at the starter or bad solenoid on the starter itself.