Help with starting issue…

jsimon77

Recruit
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
1
Looking for a little help with a reoccurring starting issue I’m having. ’97 Volvo 5.7.

Frist…both batteries have been check and have full power, alternator checked and working properly.

Symptoms:

- When I go to start the boat and turn the key absolutely nothing happens. Almost like it has a totally dead battery. If I keep turning the key four, five, 10 times all the sudden the connection will be made and the engine turns right over.
- Sometimes, although most likely it’s just dead, I will get a clicking sound. When that happens it will either click for a second or two and then turn over or just continue clicking. To me this sounds similar to when you have a battery that is not fully charged. However as stated above the battery is fully charged and powered properly.

I’ve had the mechanic out twice to look at it and of course both times they came it started right up. Oddly when the boat has been sitting for a while… One week, two weeks without being started it seems to fire right up. But when it sits for 12 to 24 hours that’s when it seems to do the thing where it’s just acting dead as a door nail.

My gut is telling me the starter is bad, getting stuck, not making the right connects. And then after turning the 10 times it somehow connects and fires. I’ve also read it can be the solenoid relay.

Any guidance would be great. I was thinking the next time it does this to tap on the starter motor to see if that gets it to fire up. Obviously if that works it’s probably a bad starter.

Today the boat have been sitting for a week… It started up fine… Drove it for about 20 minutes shut it off and then about an hour later gave me problems starting. Here’s an example video. This is not one where there’s just nothing happening but you will see it having issues. Both batteries are fully charged

VIDEO - https://www.dropbox.com/s/bl1f8nrrdfa0td4/Video Sep 25, 1 21 58 PM.mov?dl=0

Thanks!
 

Horigan

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 12, 2016
Messages
705
I would first clean all the electrical connections in the starter circuit ensuring that each metal interface is shiny (battery terminals, starter terminal, negative connection to engine block, etc). I've had similar symptoms once and cleaning the connections addressed it.
 
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