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Starter going Bad

R

rickt

Member
"I just got the boat out.... L

"I just got the boat out.... Last year as well as this year, my starter did not want to "work" That is... when turning the key it just clicked. I checked and cleaned all of the connections. After "bumping the starter a few times it sttarts to work. Should I pull it off and clean/lube something? Is it on it's way out? Should I replace it before I get stranded?

Thanks for the help
Rick"
 
"Rick
First you need to dete

"Rick
First you need to determin wether the problem is in the solenoid or the starter. If its in the solenoid, replace it. If its in the starter,
Pull your starter off, scribe a mark on the outer casings and end caps so you can line it all up when you put it back together, dissasemble and clean, if you are unsure how to do it get yourself a manual.
Check your carbon brushes and replace if they are badly worn, check the clearence between the bushes in the end caps and the armature and make sure that the bushes are not flogged out.
Have a look at the magnets inside the body of the motor and see if there is any signs of cracks or if the armature is rubbing on them, if there is rub marks, replace the bushes in the end caps, if the magnets are cracked replace the starter body.
Clean up the end of the armature where the carbon brushes run, best way I find is to stick the armature in a lathe and spin it while you run a file over the copper segments.
Put it all back together and power it up on the bench a few times to make sure it is OK.
Give it a Go
Cheers
Peter C"
 
"Rick
Trace your "Click&#

"Rick
Trace your "Click" to make sure that the "click" is coming out of the solenoid that is mounted onto the starter motor, or your seperate start solenoid (if fitted).
Get yourself a circute test light, earth it to the engine and put the probe of the test light onto the heavy battery wire that runs to the starter motor, get someone to turn the key to the start position and the circute test light should glow.
If the light doesnt glow you probably have a problem with a remote start solenoid and you will have to find where it is mounted and test it.

If the light does glow, then put the probe of the circute tester onto the wire that runs from the solenoid, into the body of the starter motor.
Then get someone to turn the key again to the start position, when you get that audible click, the test light should glow, if it doesnt its the solenoid, if it does and you still are not getting any spining of the starter then its the starter itself.

Hope that helps.

Regards
Peter C"
 
"[b]"I checked and cleaned

""I checked and cleaned all of the connections."

Did you also Clean All the Ground Wires,..??....."
 
"One way you can check to see

"One way you can check to see if it's the starter or solenoid is to jumper +12 volts from your battery +ve terminal directly to the solenoid connection where the yellow/red wire connects. Use a jumper of about 12 gauge wire and do the battery connection last.
If the starter turns over you know the solenoid and starter are good. If you hear only a click, either the starter or solenoid are shot; but in any case they both need to come off for service or replacement.
If the starter/solenoid check out OK as above, you can then test the slave solenoid by using the same jumper wire to the yellow/red wire connection to it. The slave solenoid shud be up on top near the main circuit breaker.
Again if the starter turns, the slave sol is OK; if not, or if you don't get a click, then likely the slave solenoid is shot. This assumes all your wiring is clean and connections sound.
If all above check OK; then you have a problem somewhere in your wiring back to the helm, or at your key switch.
Rod"
 
Every so often when I try to s

Every so often when I try to start my boat it will just click also. The click comes from a little square 'relay looking' box with wires going into it mounted up near the top of the engine. And no clicking at all will be coming from the starter. Any ideas of what this may be?
 
"Trevor;
That's your slav

"Trevor;
That's your slave solenoid. If it is clicking and nothing else is happening, it means it is shot, or there is something amiss in the switched +12 volts going from it to the starter solenoid; which is a heavyish yellow/red wire.
I would replace the slave solenoid. Not hard to do and not expensive.
You can test it by checking the voltage at the yellow red wire terminal for +12 volts while a helper holds the key in start position. If no +12 volts, she is shot.
The trouble with intermittent starting systems is that one day they may leave you miles from home unable to start at all.
Rod"
 
"Thanks Rod
This problem has

"Thanks Rod
This problem has had me worried for a while now, always nervous about where I shut the boat down. Like I said it only does it every once and a while and I'm always wondering when it will happen again. It mostly does it when I first try to start it when putting it in the water after its been sitting all week. It will click and I can turn the key 10-20 times before it will finally go ahead and start and be fine the rest of the day.
I'll go ahead and replace the slave solenoid."
 
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