SLow Cranking

[PUskier]

I have a 94 fuel injected 454 Merc. When the boat is cold, its cranks and starts just fine (maybe a little slow). After the boat has warmed up, it cranks very very slowly. To the point that it will crank once, then pause for 1-2 seconds, and then turn over and fire up. It has been doing this consistently since I bought the boat a year ago. Once it finally turns over, it fires right up. It has always started and never left me stranded, but it makes me nervous every time it pauses. It always pauses after a partial crank.

I have read a couple similar topics on here. I have replaced the battery at the beginning of this season and it made no change. It is a 1000 CA marine dual purpose battery. The connections look fine and are tight at both the battery and the starter. I am leaning towards a bad starter or bad solenoid. Any thoughts? How can I test either to be sure? Can I jump a spare batter directly to the starter to test, and by pass all other connections?

Any help from the crew would be great. Thanks

[Aquadisiac]

It sounds like a bad starter.

I just replaced mine after having the same symtoms (starts fine cold, slow crank after running the boat for a while, and checked the battery)

Hopefully we will get to take the boat out this coming weekend and make sure the problem is fixed.

[footnlongline]

I have a 94 fuel injected 454 Merc. When the boat is cold, its cranks and starts just fine (maybe a little slow). After the boat has warmed up, it cranks very very slowly. To the point that it will crank once, then pause for 1-2 seconds, and then turn over and fire up. It has been doing this consistently since I bought the boat a year ago. Once it finally turns over, it fires right up. It has always started and never left me stranded, but it makes me nervous every time it pauses. It always pauses after a partial crank.

I have read a couple similar topics on here. I have replaced the battery at the beginning of this season and it made no change. It is a 1000 CA marine dual purpose battery. The connections look fine and are tight at both the battery and the starter. I am leaning towards a bad starter or bad solenoid. Any thoughts? How can I test either to be sure? Can I jump a spare batter directly to the starter to test, and by pass all other connections?

Any help from the crew would be great. Thanks

I think your solenoid connections are getting warn or burnt causing high current draw in order to get the starter to engage. The actual parts to fix it are less than 5 bucks if you can find a supplier

[PUskier]

Aquadisiac - let me know how it turned out and if the starter was the problem.

I think your solenoid connections are getting warn or burnt causing high current draw in order to get the starter to engage. The actual parts to fix it are less than 5 bucks if you can find a supplier

Can you clarify this for me? Is "selenoid" inside the starter and a complete starter repalcement would also fix this, or are you talking about the slave selenoid? I believe this engine has a slave selenoid, but I am not 100% sure.

[footnlongline]

Aquadisiac - let me know how it turned out and if the starter was the problem.

Can you clarify this for me? Is "selenoid" inside the starter and a complete starter repalcement would also fix this, or are you talking about the slave selenoid? I believe this engine has a slave selenoid, but I am not 100% sure.

it's on the side of your starter. the actual solenoid maybe working, but the contact ring and seats maybe worn thus not allowing full current to the starter motor.

[PUskier]

Thanks. That is what I thought you meant. I just wanted to be sure.

it's on the side of your starter. the actual solenoid maybe working, but the contact ring and seats maybe worn thus not allowing full current to the starter motor.

[Stuart]

I also had a slow cranking starter and had it tested at the local parts store. Ended up having to get a new starter. It turns over great now. I didn't realize it but it was obviously slowly going bad over the last year. The new starter cranks faster than ever. Hope you get it resolved.

[Aquadisiac]

I have a 94 fuel injected 454 Merc. When the boat is cold, its cranks and starts just fine (maybe a little slow). After the boat has warmed up, it cranks very very slowly. To the point that it will crank once, then pause for 1-2 seconds, and then turn over and fire up. It has been doing this consistently since I bought the boat a year ago. Once it finally turns over, it fires right up. It has always started and never left me stranded, but it makes me nervous every time it pauses. It always pauses after a partial crank.

I have read a couple similar topics on here. I have replaced the battery at the beginning of this season and it made no change. It is a 1000 CA marine dual purpose battery. The connections look fine and are tight at both the battery and the starter. I am leaning towards a bad starter or bad solenoid. Any thoughts? How can I test either to be sure? Can I jump a spare batter directly to the starter to test, and by pass all other connections?

Any help from the crew would be great. Thanks

Not sure what kind of starter your boat currently has on it but mine was the high torque mini starter.

I put one of the mini starters on my Camaro (427 Big block) some time ago and it works great! Just a thought.

[PUskier]

The current starter is original, I think. I don't think it is a high torque mini. I would like to look into those. I know that I need a marine grade starter. Are those mini starter's availble in Marine Grade?

Not sure what kind of starter your boat currently has on it but mine was the high torque mini starter.

I put one of the mini starters on my Camaro (427 Big block) some time ago and it works great! Just a thought.

[Aquadisiac]

The current starter is original, I think. I don't think it is a high torque mini. I would like to look into those. I know that I need a marine grade starter. Are those mini starter's availble in Marine Grade?

Yes...

They are all over ebay, pretty reasonable too.

Make sure you search Marine starter and read the auction to see that it's intended for marine. The only other detail is make sure that it fits your year model.

[WakesetterE]

There is a pretty easy way to check this. Take a DC amp clamp and place it on the positive output battery lead and start the engine cold. Read the amount of amps needed to crank the engine. Warm the engine where you typically have issues starting it. Check the amps needed once the engine is warm. You may see a jump from 50 amps cold to start to over 100 hot to start. It should have stayed about the same. Thats not normal and indicates a bad starter or possible a engine issue from the heat soak. If you try to re-crank it hot and the amps don't jump up, look for another issue.

I had an issue like this and it turned out my battery cables were broken down from laying in the bilge for years. It took new cables to fix mine, but the starter was good. Battery was a long ways from the engine. Good luck!

[PUskier]

Thanks for all the good advice. I havent had a chance to get out and test the starter or solenoid yet, bad weather, but plan to this weekend. I have been looking around for a new starter, in case that is what I need. I have found several at DIM and other sources for around $150 - $200. I found this mini starter online.

http://www.db-starter-alternator.com/p-2278-new-starter-mercruiser-50-806964-50-807907-50-807904-sdr0031-6562.aspx

From the model numbers listed, and checked with other sites, this should fit. Any idea why this is so cheap? Is is a get what you pay for deal or could this actually last?

[Steve B.]

I'd give it a try for that price. Although, i forgot to check their warranty. But to me, it looks like a good deal.

Steve B.

[Aquadisiac]

Thanks for all the good advice. I havent had a chance to get out and test the starter or solenoid yet, bad weather, but plan to this weekend. I have been looking around for a new starter, in case that is what I need. I have found several at DIM and other sources for around $150 - $200. I found this mini starter online.

http://www.db-starter-alternator.com/p-2278-new-starter-mercruiser-50-806964-50-807907-50-807904-sdr0031-6562.aspx

From the model numbers listed, and checked with other sites, this should fit. Any idea why this is so cheap? Is is a get what you pay for deal or could this actually last?

Mini high torque starters are common in high performance / high compression engines.

As with anything that sells, it eventually gets made over seas and the price comes way down.

They are used a lot now in the marine industry.

[PUskier]

I had some time over the weekend to do a little poking around. The wiring looks to all be in good conditions, including ends and connections are all tight. One thing that I did notice, the alternator is wired to the starter. I will try to get some pictures tonight, but the main battery post on the starter solenoid has a small square ceramic looking block attached to it, that has both the battery lead and starter lead connected to it. I saw no other wires from the alternator going directly to the battery. Is this common? Is this the correct way for it to be wired? What is the correct way to wire the alternator?

Thanks for the help.

[Aquadisiac]

Yes most Alts that Ive seen have a larger pos lead going to them.

FYI

New starter worked like a champ this weekend no diff hot or cold and less than 100.00 to replace

[PUskier]

Yes most Alts that Ive seen have a larger pos lead going to them.

FYI

New starter worked like a champ this weekend no diff hot or cold and less than 100.00 to replace

It looks like that is the way I am going. We had our boat out over the weekend as well and still very slow when HOT. What type did you get and where did you get it?

[Aquadisiac]

It looks like that is the way I am going. We had our boat out over the weekend as well and still very slow when HOT. What type did you get and where did you get it?

I bought it on ebay

Searched "Mercruiser starter" (or Volvo Penta) you will find many auctions.

Make sure you find one that lists your 454 and year range. Many have free shipping.

Good luck