2005 500 EFIs.
One motor turns over immediately when I hit key. Other motor when i hit key it seems to wait 10 seconds or more before it cranks.
Isn't there some starter relay or something possibly?
Issue seems familiar but all my searching has found nothing.

Ideas?
Thanks in advance- Q

Do you have any noise at all in the 10 sends you are waiting? Sounds more like a key/computer issue than a starter relay.

Yes, its located on the rear left bracket next to the 10 pin connector and 50A breaker. #6 on this drawing.

While we're on the subject, I always wondered why Merc has a relay to power a relay. Most cars only used the relay/solenoid on the starter.
Anyone?

it is because they dont know what you are putting the engine in. they dont want 50 ft or more of wire to power the starter relay. doing this ensures that plenty of power activates the solenoid.

Makes perfect sense, thanks.

I can tell you that even on a 20ft boot, using the yellow/red from key switch directly to solenoid on starter doesn’t work well.

What happens is the current draw from key switch to starter solenoid is enough that the power thru pirple ignition wire is reduced and won’t let engine fire while cranking. As soon as you let off key from cranking , ignition get’s enough voltage. If you turn key quick enough, it will start. If you don’t you scratch your head what’s going on.

Was another boat I fixed that came back from a local marina. They replaced the starter and remote solenoid in an attempt to fix it. Lol.

A relay for ignition on that boat would have fixed it to, but …….

exactly, most dont like to do the math but even on the 20 ft boat you could easily have a 15 ft harness so that is 30 feet up and back just for the starter. add to that some of these cheap aftermarket harnesses that I have seen with 12 awg and 16 awg instead of like the mercury harness with 10 and 14 awg plus a cheap ign switch and suddenly you have 5 amps at the rear trying to feed things

It makes no noise when turning the key. And it is usually only on the first startup of the day. Then fires right up Hmmmm

Jim, Thanks for the schematic. That helps to show where it is atleast.