Starting Issue

[Marko56]

I'm having problems starting the engine.  It starts about 10% of the time, the other 90% I have to jump the solinoid.  I thought it was the cable adjustment, preventing the dentin ball from seating properly.  I disconnected the shift cable at the tranny and moved the shift lever on the tranny by hand, still won't start.  I tested the nurual safety switch, it is fine.  The only way I can reliably start the engine is to jump the connection on the solinoid.  Could the ignition switch on the dash be bad?  Any ideas?  Thanks

[RonT]

yes it could, but the way to diagnosis this is to trace the start circuit back from the starter to the ign switch (yellow wire w/ red trace stripe)

[Marko56]

What am I looking for?  If the wire was cut I don't thint it would work at all.

[Marko56]

I replaced the ignition switch.  Things are better, but I'm still having some problems.  Since replacing the ignition switch the boat starts about 50% of the time just by turning the key.  The other times I have to jump the solinoid.  Any suggestions on where to look next?     

[Joel]

Did you check all your grounds & electrical connections.   When something works intermittenly its often caused by a corroded ground - and it doesnt take much corrosion to do it.

Joel

[Marko56]

Good idea Joel.  There is no ground on the ignition switch.  I believe there is one on the starter.  Are there any other grounds in the ignition circuit? 

[RonT]

Starter is grounded to the bellhousing/block, measure voltage at the battery terminals, (12vdc+) then at the starter solenoid when the key is in the start position and the starter is not cranking (should be 12vdc+) if voltage is the same as the battery you have a starter problem, if zero or less than 11vdc you have an open or loss in the start circuit. Poor grounds in general can cause wacky problems no doubt, always start with battery connections & the ground cable at the eng. block and the positive battery connection at the starter, everything else follow.

[Marko56]

Voltage at the battery is 12vdc.  Next I tested it at the solenoid with the key in the "on" position, and the voltage was 0.  (I conducted the test with the key in the "on" position, not cranked over to the "start" position. Was this a mistake?  It seems like I should have had someone hold it in the start position.  Also, I tested across the two red battery leads, one goes from the battery to the solenoid and the other goes from the solenoid to the starter.  Was this correct?)

I then cleaned the battery posts, the ground connection to the block, and the purple ignition wire connection to the key switch.  No change, sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesn't.  I am not sure what the purple ignition wire from the key connects to, so I couldn't clean that end.  Where does it go?

Any other suggestions on where to look?   

[backfoot100]

Marko,
Yes, you would need to have the switch in the "start" position to verify the voltage is there or not at the solenoid.

Testing across two red battery connections won't get you anything either. You need to go from a ground to each of the battery connections to verify that you aren't losing voltage between each connection.

I don't recall where the violet wire goes right off the top of my head. I can look tonight and get back to you though.

[RonT]

Starter is grounded to the bellhousing/block, measure voltage at the battery terminals, (12vdc+) then at the starter solenoid when the key is in the start position and the starter is not cranking (should be 12vdc+) if voltage is the same as the battery you have a starter problem, if zero or less than 11vdc you have an open or loss in the start circuit. Poor grounds in general can cause wacky problems no doubt, always start with battery connections & the ground cable at the eng. block and the positive battery connection at the starter, everything else follow.

Ignition switch on the older boats will have either a red or orange wire to the "B" or Battery terminal, Purple to the "I" or ignition terminal and a yellow w/red stripe at the "S" or Start terminal.

You need to concentrate on the Yellow w/ red stripe wire, the purple is the ignition circuit (ign. coil, elect. choke etc)

[Tbare]

I had the same issue this past weekend. I removed all the positive connections from the battery though the starter solenoid and to the starter. I carefully wire brushed all the connections to a polished state including the negative on the battery. Reconnected all fittings and snugged all the connections. Be careful not to over tighten the starter solenoid posts. This causes Issues when engaging the switch if over tightened. Make sure the Negative connection on the battery tight and the battery has a full 12volts.

Worked fine for me after I did this.

Hope it helps