Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

[jason1]

I havent started my boat for some months and after charging the battery over night tried starting it up and all I got was a clicking noise from the motor.
Its a Johnson 48 2 stroke I think an 1980 or so. The clicking sound is a single click when I turn the key and nothing happens. The battery is fully charged and has been tested but thats as far as I got so far.
Can anyone recomend a guide to an elimination of fault process or shed any light at all.
cheers Jason

 

[JB]

Re: Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

Hi, Jason.

You have classic symptoms of a corroded connection in the starter circuit.

Take both battery cables off (at both ends), scrub the connections shiny and reconnect.

The worst offender is where the battery ground cable bolts to the engine block. Bolting tinned copper to steel and aluminum alloy is and invitation to get hidden corrosion. It takes only a small fraction of one ohm of resistance to prevent the starter from getting enough current to even turn.

Good luck, and let us know the outcome.

 

[jason1]

Re: Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

Hi JB,

Thanks for the advice Im heading out to the shed now to clean those connections.
I will be in touch with a result soon. If it isnt those connections Im guessing after a little more reading that it may be the starter solenoid. Its not the starter because I did a direct connection to the starter and it threw out is arm and spun the fly wheel. Anyway I'll try cleaning the connections and be in touch.

Jason

 

[jason1]

Re: Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

JB,

No luck. I cleaned the connections to no avail, same result, just the clicking sound but at least the connections are all in check now. I placed my finger on the starter solenoid and turned the key and I could feel the solenoid engage with the sound of the click. So whats your opinion at this point, is the solenoid shotty or should I be looking at something else?

Jason

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

jump 12 volts directly to the starter, positive post. see if it will engage.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

Could be the cables themselves. Clean connections or not that will give you issues. Try over riding them with booster cables.

 

[jason1]

Re: Johnson 48 trouble starting need advice

Hi Tashasdaddy and Kenmyfam,

After cleaning the connections I then jumped the starter and it did engage so it appears its not that as for the cables they seem ok. So Im still lost at this point. I think I need to try a new solenoid, not sure. Any thoughts?

Jason