Hurricane and long time since starting

[rosamond14]

I have a 1999 5.7L Mercruiser. Thanks to Hurricane Ivan in September I have not lived in my house and have only started my boat once since the storm. This really sucks when you consider the boat is in the lift at my house I bought on the water 8 months before Ivan. Luckily the boat survived with only minor cosmetic damage - or so I thought.<br /><br />I have had the boat started once since the storm but it hasn't been started in 6 months. The last time I started it I had to have a charger on the batteries to get it cranked. I've been trying to start it over the last few weeks to no avail. Here's the sequence of events.<br />- Starter motor just clicked<br />- Installed new batteries and tapped on starter motor and solenoid.<br />- Would turn over one stroke and stop.<br />- Removed belt and spark plugs and put starter/charger on batteries. Engine turns over but very sluggish, not nearly enough to start if the spark plugs had been in.<br />- Sometimes the starter & solenoid need to be tapped to get them to work.<br />- Some electrical components work - horn, some lights - but other don't - bilge, engine room lights.<br /><br />I know next to nothing about marine electronics. I really need to get back on the water to have some sense of normalcy and the wait for a marine repair is 2-3 months. Any suggestions for a novice?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Hurricane and long time since starting

To start with it sounds like the starter got wet and needs to be repaired, not a easy job inless you are double jointed and use to standing on your head, that being said with moderate mechanical skill and patience, with the help of a manual you could probably change the starter and it sounds like the place to start--Bob

 

[jlinder]

Re: Hurricane and long time since starting

I would also check the wiring. You might have some corrosion.