One hard click when trying to start and no start

[MistyTazzvon]

i have been trouble shooting this for about a week now and it is time to ask the experts (that is anyone who has any ideas). I have a 1988 OMC 3.0 Cobra inline 4. started it at the docks and it stalled out. No big deal but when i went to start it again all i got was one hard click (sounds like the starter but not positive) I have to completely disconnect the battery for a minute or two before i can try again but each time it has been the same result. Here are the things i have done:

1. bench test starter - it's fine
2. bench test battery - it's fine
3. replaced ignition (key ignition)
4. replaced slave solenoid
5. cleaned negative battery connection (both ends)
6. cleaned all stater and solenoid connections
7. engine is not locked up (turned the main pulley with make shift strap wrench)

Would love some ideas on what to test next and how to test it. Thank you all.

 

[hemi rt]

how does the battery actually load test?

 

[MistyTazzvon]

not positive. the auto store could not load test it being out of the vehicle so not sure how i would actually load test.

 

[bruceb58]

Buy one of these. Nice to have around and I use mine a lot.

http://www.harborfreight.com/100-amp...ter-61747.html

When you rotated the engine with the strap wrench, you didn't do it around the harmonic balancer right?

 

[MistyTazzvon]

I did it around the main pulley which i guess is fitted to the harmonic balancer but not sure. Is the another way to turn the manually without removing the engine?

Will that tool do a load test even if i cannot start the engine?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Pull the plugs and try it.

 

[bruceb58]

I did it around the main pulley which i guess is fitted to the harmonic balancer but not sure.

The pulley mounts to the part of the harmonic balancer that is fixed to the crank. You did it right.

 

[Horigan]

Have you tried applying 12V directly to the starter solenoid? That would isolate it to the battery and starter verses the rest of the system.

Rich

 

[MistyTazzvon]

not really sure how to do that. Any suggestions on how to apply 12V directly to the solenoid?

 

[MistyTazzvon]

So just found out that when i try to start the engine and it clicks it kills all my grounds including the ground cable connector. After click i out a test light on the positive battery cable and touched numerous ground points around the engine including the connector a?ached to the negative battery post and nothing but did light when touchoumg the actual negative battery terminal. Negative grounds slowly come back to working. This has me baffled. Any ideas?

 

[ondarvr]

Typical of a poor connection somehwere.

 

[GA_Boater]

You have a light between the positive battery cable and negative battery post, but no light between the positive battery cable and negative battery cable - Right?

Clean the post and inside of the cable and tighten it. In fact, clean post posts and cables. Then try the same test.

 

[MistyTazzvon]

Entire problem solved. So the slave solenoid grounds throught the plate on the rear of it which evidently turned to a bad ground somewhere along the line. I made a greond wire running from the bolt holding the slave solenoid to the plate and ran it straight to the battery terminal. Started right up.

Thank you for all the help. I am sure i will post more soon.

 

[harleyman1975]

Think maybe you ought to clean and make proper repair instead of makeshift "patch"?