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Hot start not happening


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I have a 2001 LXi that recently didn't crank over after stopping to change skiers. After about 10 minutes, it finally cranked over. Cold starts seem to be ok, but after the engine is heated up and we turn the boat off, it doesn't crank to start the engine. we thought it might be a battery, but sounds more like a starter issue? Thanks for the help.

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Just a little more detail. Is the engine turning over or are you just getting a "click" when you turn the key?

Turning over but not firing: Vapor lock.

Get only a "click" when the key is turned: Smack the starter with a hammer a couple of times. If it starts then the brushes in the starter are going bad.

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Just a little more detail. Is the engine turning over or are you just getting a "click" when you turn the key?

Turning over but not firing: Vapor lock.

Get only a "click" when the key is turned: Smack the starter with a hammer a couple of times. If it starts then the brushes in the starter are going bad.

There are two solonoids that will need to be checked as well. they are easy to jump and or just listen to them as you try to start the motor. if they click or move they are good.

Take your battery to be load tested before ripping out your starter, if you have mutlple batteries you probably only use one for start.

Had a problem like this with a previous boat, turned out that the battery was the culprit, it had gone very dead and when charged only took a top charge and would not hold the charge very long or well.

REW

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Just a little more detail. Is the engine turning over or are you just getting a "click" when you turn the key?

Turning over but not firing: Vapor lock.

Get only a "click" when the key is turned: Smack the starter with a hammer a couple of times. If it starts then the brushes in the starter are going bad.

There is no clicking. The motor starts to turn and then doesn't. Almost like the battery being dead, but then after we wait 10-15 min, it starts up as usual. Thanks for the quick response.

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Years ago I had a 94 MC 205 with the 350 Chevy w/ throttle body injection. I had a hot start issue where after we'd been running at idle speeds on a hot day (engine isn't pumping a lot of water, probably the hottest it ever gets), we'd stop the boat, then go to start it 5 or 10 min later. The starter would click, engine would turn slowly, a time or two, then nothing. Open engine cover, wait 20 min. engine would start right up.

New battery never fixed it. Alternator checked out fine. I checked with my local MC dealer, Indmar & Skidim.com. In the end, Skidim had a fuel line insulation kit designed to resolve vapor lock problems.

Not sure why it made the engine turn over slowly.

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My sisters boat is real sensitive to being "precisely" in neuatral. Just a little bump on the shifter and then it will crank. Could your issues be safety lanyard related?

Let us know how it goes,

Steve B.

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There is no clicking. The motor starts to turn and then doesn't. Almost like the battery being dead, but then after we wait 10-15 min, it starts up as usual. Thanks for the quick response.

Does the starter quit spinning altogether or is there a "whirring" sound like the starter is still turning? If the starter spins without the engine the culprit is likely the starter bendix. In cars they can get gunked up but in a marine application it may be sheared due to corrosion/poor lubrication.

If the starter isn't spinning my guess is the battery.

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My VLX had the exact same issue, and it was the starter. Simply take the starter and battery to your local autoparts store and they will test them both for free.

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