Boat won’t start

[dolfan1710]

I went out today and everything was going great until I stopped. When I stopped the starter turned over tthen started clicking. Waited a couple mins and tried again and the boat started. Went in to get my tube and it turned over a few times and went to clicks again so I called it a day. All other accessories work as I was able to bring up the trim and trailer. How do I prove it’s the starter?

 

[alldodge]

Probably not the starter, my first guess is corroded cables. Remove the battery cables on both ends including where it attaches to the block and the starter. Clean them up real good to nice shinny metal.

If the click is coming from down by the starter then the cable cleaning should fix it.

If its a light click, then its probably the slave solenoid which is close by the 50 amp breaker.

 

[dolfan1710]

To be clear it’s not one click. It sounds like the starter clicking as it turns over. Hey

 

[alldodge]

To be clear it’s not one click. It sounds like the starter clicking as it turns over. Hey

OK, that sounds like the starter solenoid, and corroded cable connections

 

[dolfan1710]

Just started right up on muffs. Argh!!

 

[dolfan1710]

Ok started twice on muffs no sign of previous failure. Battery is from 2014 alternator seems to be doing its job as the battery charge gauge looks good when the boat is running. Theory, starter motor fails when the engine heats up? Dumb theory? I say this because my boat stays very cool while idling with muffs and the motor cover off. So cool I thought my sender was gone. On the water today the boat reached 150/160 and that’s when it didn’t start. Let me add the starter is 30 years old. As far as I can tell it’s never been replaced.

 

[alldodge]

A click, click, click ....... click is a bad connection. My 23 yr old starter still works fine.
How do your cable connections look?

Look under the insulation jacket to see if its corroded

 

[dolfan1710]

Thanks! They look like the could be cleaned. I wouldn’t have wussed out of the lake so fast but I was with 5 kids and 2 women. Wasn’t taking any chances.

 

[Rick Stephens]

Thanks! They look like the could be cleaned. I wouldn’t have wussed out of the lake so fast but I was with 5 kids and 2 women. Wasn’t taking any chances.

The kids wouldn't be too bad..... but two women! Only two things I'm afeared of, a woman, or a group of women.

 

[Bondo]

They look like the could be cleaned.

Ayuh,.... Clean 'em to shiny clean metal, then I slather abit of grease on 'em to keep 'em that way,....

'n don't forget the Grounds,.....

 

[dolfan1710]

OK just took a look and bare with me but I think the slave solenoid is bypassed on my boat. I see a positive cable that comes off the battery and connects directly to the starter solenoid (connected to the starter). Is that what this means? Then a red cable comes off starter and goes into a harness but never comes out. There is an orange cable that seems to connect to the block. I think the red cable was snipped and taped. I'm starting to suspect the battery which is the easiest possible thing :=).

Reason being:

Boat starts every time on muffs in the driveway so what's different.
On the water I use a blower and other accessories, in the driveway I'm always starting the boat with the engine cover off so I never use the blower. I also never put the trim and down in the driveway either. My guess is the blower and accessories are robbing the weakening battery of just enough power to not be sending a full charge to the starter.

Let me test the battery and see. Then I'll shine up the connections and see what happens.

 

[Bt Doctur]

the battery cable goes to the large post on the starter, the orange wire is the feed from the alt to charge the battery, the Red wire is your main engine system power and goes to the 50A circuit breaker then thru to the dash. The Yellow/red wire on the onboard side of the starter goes to your slave relay, the small yellow/red comes from the start position of the key switch.
When cleaning the battery cable connection remember the neg cable too.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I also never put the trim and down in the driveway either

Hopefully your not runing it with full trailer up , wreaks havoc on the U joints

 

[dolfan1710]

Battery came up bad, this was year 5 for it. Hopefully my issues are resolved now. Thanks a lot guys!