Need help . Starter won't disengage.

[ironhead46]

Hi ,
I have just bought this 2000 wellcraft 186ss. It has a volvo penta 4.3GL PEFS motor . I took it on our family vacation. It started just fine then. But When i took it out on the water. for anytime. Then parked it for like a half hour .Then go to start it . It would start some times and other times it wouldnt. But I would have to be towed in for the day. The next day it would start again . But i couldnt shut it off anytime . Or it wouldnt start. But then one of those days. The starter wouldn't disengage . So i put it on trailer . But ive checked all relays that I could find. They are all good. Then took starter off and checked to see if it was working properly. Then put it back in . It started then disengaged . Then engaged again. But to shut it off I have to chock it out to shut it off. The key doesn't shut it off. the kill switch doesn't shut it off. What to check to eliminate things. Please help.

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Hello . No one with any help. Or advice.

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Was the starter bendix and shaft rusty? That would hold in engaged. Was that the original starter or a replacement starter?

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Was the starter bendix and shaft rusty? That would hold in engaged. Was that the original starter or a replacement starter?

I really didnt look that close to the shaftor bendix . I do think it was a little rusty. ON the starter i think its the original. Its painted the same color as everything. Lol . But Sometimes it will disengage for a few but go back engage . The shaft being rusty wouldnt do that would it.I had a test light on the switch wire on the starter . When my girlfriend started it & the starter disengaged the power shut off on the switch wire then when it engaged it was back on . Doesn't that mean something is powering it back on when the wire goes to have no power to it then it does when it engages back in . Something got to be turning it back on right. I don't have a manual.So i have no wiring diagram i can look at. Is there any dioades in the wiring . Thanks for the reply don. I need to get this figured out . Thanks ahead of time on any advice.

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Disconnect the yellow/red striped wire that is attached to the starter solenoid on terminal B from the picture below.

Once you have the wire off, hook the wire to a test light or meter to see when it's on.
Now turn the key to start, run, off and see if it works like it should.
If you let the key off the start position, the test light should go out. If it does go out EVERY time, then you have a starter or starter solenoid problem
Sorry, no diodes, that's for fuel pumps.

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Don,
I did the test light test . The ignition switch worked every time. So Iam guessing Its the starter or solenoid. A guy at carquest was trying to sell me a automotive solenoid . He said the part number crossed over from the Volvo book. Which i did see that they could get the volvo solenoid. So will it work or just order the Volvo one don? Thanks for all your advice.

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

I have no clue what he crossed to, so I won't comment. It must be MARINE rated. marine starters are spark protected so they won't cause an explosion if you should get a leak and gas fumes in your bilge.
You could probably save a lot of money having the starter repaired at your local starter/alternator shop. Be like brand new for less.

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Thanks don,
I will try to find a repair shop around my area. I will post back if it was the starter or solenoid. Thanks Don.

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Don,
I just heard back from the starter tester. He said it was fine . But He wants to test my battery. He said a low battery can cause it to. So im going to take it to him. Can a low battery keep it engaged in .But anyways. Just going to test stuff & eliminate. If its not the battery . Do i just check the ground & and the wires. Just need to have some more stuff thrown out there. Thanks for all your advice ahead of time. don.

Matt

 

[Don S]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

I can't imagine how an engine would crank over and keep turning if the battery was to low to disconnect the starter.

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Don,
I got the battery charged. The starter is good. The switch is fine the last test i did. I got new relays for the fuel & the starter. I did notice that the flywheel is pretty rusty. is there any way to try to get it off there. Could that make it stick engaged if the flywheel it self is rusty. Please help . I am going bonkers on this. Its really making me mad. Please anyone chime in . Thanks for the advice ahead of time.

Matt

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Don,
Anyone else has this problem. I got the starter problem fixed. I tested everything . I finally started testing the wires individually on the motor side from the plug that connects to the boat wiring. What i found was between the fuel pump & starter relay. There was a diode . Pluse there is one that goes from the fuel pump to the alt. But I replaced the one inbetween the two relays & it starts , runs great , and shuts off. So people make sure u know if you have diodes or not in your wiring. So thank you don for all your advise. Now the real test is on the water tomorrow. for the next problem.lol . Got to love boats.

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

But I replaced the one inbetween the two relays & it starts , runs great , and shuts off. So people make sure u know if you have diodes or not in your wiring.

Interesting... a bad diode could allow voltage to feed backwards in the circuit. I am doing a complete rewire on an old boat and was thinking that a diode between the Alternator and each starter would allow me to switch batteries without having to worry about spiking the alternator. Where did you get your diode and what amperage?

 

[ironhead46]

Re: Need help . Starter won't disengage.

Netdoc,
I got mine from radio shack . I believe max amperage was 1.5. But I can check tomorrow. Well im going out on the river tomorrow . So wish me luck.lol . I have a relay for the starter & fuel pump . The power wire goes to both. then their is a second from the fuel pump that goes to the alt to keep the power on for the fuel pump. Then the diode shuts the power off to the starter relay the way i take it. . Heck I just was checking all wires & the one between the relays was having all kinds of power go threw it. So i changed it & it fixed it so far.