Intermittent starting issues on 2004 DF 50

"I have a 4004 DF 50 on a Lund

"I have a 4004 DF 50 on a Lund Alaskan 18 (also 2004). There is a starting issue with the engine I can't quite put my finger on before I go spending $ to replace things. Here are the Symptoms. Please note that engine will start right up and run just fine. It's the starting/turning over that is squirly.

On a few ocasions when I turn the key to start the engine nothing happens! After several times to start it it will trun over slugishly and then run. Other times is fires right up.

The batery (lead acid) was replaced back on Feb 2006. Electrolite levels are fine and I measured 14 volts on the battery while running indicating the alternater was charging the battery
I measured the voltage on the battery (with engine off) and had 12.8 volts. Also cut 6" off neg and pos cable due to wicking/coroision and crimped on new lugs. The posts are free of corosion.

Just recently when I was trailering the boat I got up to walk to the bow with the engine running and forget to take the kill switch lanyard off and when I got to the end of the lanyard it killed the engine. I put the engine in neutral and went to start it. This time I could hear the starter spinning but it was not engaugine the fly wheel. So I tried again and the same thing happened. The 3rd and 4th time the engine turned over slugishly. The 5th time it started right up! I stoped it and started it several times once I got to the dock and it started up just fine.

So could it be that the battery is old, or the starter (sticking bendix) or the ignition/key switch, maybe neutral throttle switch?"

"It could be a bad battery swi

"It could be a bad battery switch if you have one, or a bad spot further along the main battery wires. It sounds like a corrosion issue. If you can get it to act up, take a voltage reading at the positive starter moror post and see if your getting the same as at the battery post. If not there is resistence between the 2. If it is the same it could be the starter."

sounds like battery connection

sounds like battery connections

"Rollie Rose,

Thanks for th

"Rollie Rose,

Thanks for the reply. I do not have a battery switch. I checked the voltage of the battery and had 12.38 volts and also had the same at the starter while my wife cranked the engine over for me. I have bought a Suzuki service manual and they have a few tests listed for starting issues that I will perform.

On my last post I failed to mention that when I took the boat out of storage and went to start it the battery calbes were very warm to the touch after about 2-3 attempts to start the engine. The engine didn't start right away. It cranked just fine but took about 3 times before it started and ran. I'm thinking the battery cables need to be changed. I had to cut back about 6" off the Neg and Pos due to corrosion and the wire starands still looked poor but better! There is also about 3' of extra cable that I am thinking could be cut off to lessen AMP draw while starting. What do you think?

Thanks again."

If the wires are getting very

If the wires are getting very warm I would say they are to small and you need a bigger diameter wire. I just re-wired my entire boat this winter..most of what I changed out was original and still in decent shape (for 17 years old) I increased the size of the main wires from the batteries to the main switch and the main pos & neg running forward to the bus bars up front. My old battery to switch were either #6 and are now #4 or were # 4 and are now #2...the ones going forward were 2 sets of double # 8's and are now 2 sets of double #6. (all marine grade tin copper) I found a wire/cable wholesaler that would sell to me if I bought enough to make it worth his time. I took a rough inventory of what I would need plus a bit and got a great deal compared to retail prices.

"Rollie Rose

Well I droped

"Rollie Rose

Well I droped $60 on a new battery on sale at West Marine and shortened up both battery cables and the engine has never started so strong in the 3 years I have owned it! Thanks for your suggestions. Am glad I found this site, there is a lot of good info I can use for myself plus work."

Wish everyone here had problem

Wish everyone here had problems that ended up being that cheap to fix! Happy boating.

"My DF 90 does the same thing,

"My DF 90 does the same thing, I have to spin the spindle on the starter a little bit. There's a bad spot on the inside of the starter somewhere."

"I may have a bad spot as well

"I may have a bad spot as well! Have heard the starter spin up but not engauge the fly wheel, maybe once or twice in a few years."