Starting trouble

[chadellt85]

My boat has been moored up at the lake the last two months while I was down at school. I used the boat often in april/may, but not very often the last month or so. It has been raining quite a bit, and the bilge area would fill up to the bottom of the motor. I tried to get out there to pump it as often as possible, but it did fill up twice. I went out to use it one day after it had sat for about ten days, and had a dead battery. I had left the ipod connector(wired modulator that connects to battery) turned on. I had the battery checked out and charged at the local shop. I thought the problem was fixed.....

Well it wasn't. I went to reinstall the battery......and it still wouldn't start. The fuel pump would click on, but not a single peep from the starter. It didn't even sound like a motor does with a weak battery.

I'm thinking that the starter is shot from sitting in water for a few days. This would make sense to me. anybody have any advise on what I should check before I order a new starter?? The connections are all tight, But i'm going to recheck them tonight. Anybody have any ideas besides the starter?? maybe the solenoid or relay?

Oh, and I usually ride behind malibus, but this boat is a 95' bluewater with a chev 4.3 lx

Thanks for the help.

Chad

Edited June 19, 2006 by chadellt85

[aneal000]

Well, do you have a digital multi meter? If not, go to radio shack and drop $20 and buy one - you'll find uses for it the rest of your life. Check the voltage of the battery when you are cranking (or trying to crank) the motor. That simple test will tell you if it's the battery or the starter. Normal operation with a fully chargerd battery you should see voltage drop to 10-11.5 volts while starting (cranking). If the battery is bad it will drop to a much lower state - possibly low single digits.

Just a thought though, have you checked other things like the neutral safety switch? Or Starter solenoid? Or key switch? You will need a meter to check all these and any one could cause the problem you described. But it could still be the starter. I'd check for voltage at the starter when turning the key - if you have 12 volts at the main starter lead, but it's not cranking then you probably have a bad starter.

[chadellt85]

Thanks for the help. I will get a multi-meter.

the thing that is so wierd to me is that there is no sound coming from the starter at all. I hope it is a solenoid.

Chad

[aneal000]

Thanks for the help. I will get a multi-meter.

the thing that is so wierd to me is that there is no sound coming from the starter at all. I hope it is a solenoid.

Chad

The starter won't make a sound if it's not getting any power. Checking it with a meter will tell you this.

If you turn on the ign and let the fuel pump cycle then try and turn the key to start do you hear anything click? Click once when you turn the key, click again when you let off the key? If yes this is the solenoid - if no then you might just need a new solenoid.

[jgouveia3]

my guess is the starter is frozen, if it sits low in the bilge. pull it (its usually just 2 bolts), and see if you can spin it. pull it apart, clean it. should only take you an hour. my old MC used to hate living in the salt environment and the starter always froze. i got really good at doing quick rebuilds.

[Gordo]

my guess is the starter is frozen, if it sits low in the bilge. pull it (its usually just 2 bolts), and see if you can spin it. pull it apart, clean it. should only take you an hour. my old MC used to hate living in the salt environment and the starter always froze. i got really good at doing quick rebuilds.

This guy probably nailed it. The water most likely rose high enough to get inside the starter and its frozen. Another way to diagnose your problem (and I would do this first - its easy and quick) is to get a good, hot battery, and a set of regular jumper cables. Ground the battery to a good spot on the block and take the positive end of the jumper cable and touch it directly to the starter motor (where the hot wire is already connected). If that turns the starter/engine, then you have an electrical problem upstream (no pun intended) of the starter (ignition or wiring). If it does not turn over, you got a frozen starter!!!! BTW, be prepared for a good sized arc when you touch the positive lead to the starter!!!!

[aneal000]

Another way to diagnose your problem (and I would do this first - its easy and quick) is to get a good, hot battery, and a set of regular jumper cables. Ground the battery to a good spot on the block and take the positive end of the jumper cable and touch it directly to the starter motor (where the hot wire is already connected). If that turns the starter/engine, then you have an electrical problem upstream (no pun intended) of the starter (ignition or wiring). If it does not turn over, you got a frozen starter!!!! BTW, be prepared for a good sized arc when you touch the positive lead to the starter!!!!

While that will work, it's not a real safe thing to do. Especially around a (1995) carb motor - ie fuel! A meter is much easier, cheaper, and safer than the above "test procedure." I'd hate to see you burn your boat down. Not to mention it's not safe to short a battery across a shorted starter coil, you potentially run the risk of blowing up a battery, which again is not fun - been there done that.

[chadellt85]

thanks for all the help. I talked to my marine mechanic, and he showed me how to test to see if the solonoid is shot. From what I understand the solonoid is fine, so it must be the starter. I'm going to try and take apart the starter and see if it is frozen. I will let you know. thanks again. Chad