90 hp rude won't run--drains battery

wish2fish

Cadet
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
8
:confused: My '84 90 hp Rude ran fine for about 2 min., then engine died, and drained fully charged battery. I let it sit a min. then heard a click on the motor. It started again, only to run for a min. before shutting down again.I'm thinking alternators shot, but could it be something easier. The motor wouldn't start a third time. No charge left in the battery. thanks for your input!
 

OBJ

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
10,161
Re: 90 hp rude won't run--drains battery

Welcome aboard wish2fish!<br /><br />Couple questions....is this a new engine to you? If not, give us little history....run good up till now...etc. Does it have Trim and Tilt?<br /><br />Take a look at a couple things...take a flashlight and take a peek under the flywheel and see if there is any goo like stuff laying under there. Take a look at the wires coming from the rectifier...if you have TNT, the regulator/rectifier will be mounted on top just behind the flywheel. If you don't have TNT, the rectifier will be a little can mounted on a triangular base on the starboard side of the engine. Look at the wires and see if they have been hot or the insulation has melted off. Also, check all the wiring on the engine harness for the same thing. If the rectifier failed, you should see something.<br /><br />Ya' see...your engine is self sustaining once it's started. That means you don't need the battery to keep it running. The stator and rectifier just keeps the battery charged....unless the rectifier fails and the battery starts to discharge through the stator. Can cook things pretty quick. <br /><br />How old is the battery and are you sure it carried a full charge?
 

wish2fish

Cadet
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
8
Re: 90 hp rude won't run--drains battery

OBJ--thanks for the reply. <br /><br />I've has this motor for 17-18 years . Treated me real good, so far. I checked under the flywheel as well as all the wiring on the entire motor. Everything looked real good. Also the battery did have a good, full charge. Yes, it does have TNT.<br />One thing I failed to mention is, after the motor shut down,and would't restart for the third time, I felt the positive terminal on the battery, and it was extremely hot, which lead me to believe the alternator failed and the motor sucked all the juice rapidly from the battery. That's about all I know. Any other info, Ill be happy to disclose for your input. You guys are great!
 

OBJ

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 27, 2002
Messages
10,161
Re: 90 hp rude won't run--drains battery

If the alternater sucked up that much juice in such a short time, the stator would be a gooey mass under the flywheel. I think I would be checking the starter and solenoid.<br /><br />Have you checked all the connections from the battery to the starter? All clean and tight? Any other accessories connected to the battery.....they all good?<br /><br />Did the solenoid still "click" when you went to start? You could disconnect the battery connection to the starter and just apply twelve volts to the small connection on the solenoid to see if it still clicks. If it don't, it's either bad or stuck closed.
 

Solittle

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
7,518
Re: 90 hp rude won't run--drains battery

To add to OBJ - - I suggest that you disconnect all wires/cables to the battery, starter & solinoid - use sand paper to clean thoroughly and check the cables as best you can (cables can look great on the outside & have little more than green goo on the inside). Lube all with a diaelectric & reconnect all tightly.
 
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