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chriscraftcat

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"My left side engine, Crusader

"My left side engine, Crusader 220-305, had always the problem starting before. I had to pump the gas several times before it would fire. Yesterday, the starter gave up on me. I thought it was battery but when replaced I got the same clicking sound from the solenoid. I jumpered the sol. and heard some winding but no gear engagement. Is it the solenoid, starter switch or the starter brushes? Your comments are always greatly appreciated."
 
"Could be a solenoid, could be

"Could be a solenoid, could be a bad battery cable or connection. If the starter runs while jumping the solenoid but not when engaging the switch, you're either not jumping it correctly or the Bendix is not engaging. This could be a solenoid or a stuck Bendix."
 
Check the negative cable conne

Check the negative cable connection to the engine.

Rick's answer represents the best response based on your inputs. Maybe you could tell us how you "jumpered the solenoid" and which one? ( something like: I jumpered the two big posts on the solenoid on top of the starter motor.)
 
"Rick & Makomark,
I jumpe

"Rick & Makomark,
I jumpered the starter once directly from the battery pos terminal and once using the two starter terminals bypassing the solenoid. Again, I don't know if the brushes are wore or the solenoid is bad. My next step is to take off the solenoid and test it. Also, if I need to remove the starter the second bolt is not accessible. It is under the circuit breaker bracket and I don't know if it can be reached by the socket wrench or do I have to remove the cb bracket in order to get to it."
 
"Makomark,
Sorry for not read

"Makomark,
Sorry for not reading your message thoroughly. I will check the negative cable connection to the engine. It is probably totally corroded and it might be a main problem that caused also an engine cutout in one of our outings,"
 
"Are you talking about the two

"Are you talking about the two LARGE studs in the solenoid above the starter motor? If yes, the starter motor should spin (growl or whine) but the bendix won't engage and the engine will not rotate.

The rapid clicking sound is an excellent problem indicator: usually a bad connection (the crusty, green type) or a low battery."
 
"Sounds like (to me) j

"Sounds like (to me) jumping the two sol terminals or powering the starter with a jumper cable , the whering sound (heard some winding), is the starter <u>motor</u> running, but the solenoid has NOT engaged the starter drive into the flywheel.

Turning the key to the crank position & getting (1) solid click, sounds like (to me), the solenoid is engaging the starter drive into the flywheel, but no electrical connection to make the starter motor run.


Turning the key to the crank position & getting the ratcheting / buzzing / multi clicking noise sounds like weak battery / poor connection.

have someone hold the key in the crank position, then jump power to the motor part of the starter, & see if she cranks then, to confirm.
(EXPECT SPARKS TO FLY)

Fred 156-M"
 
"Hey Guys,
It's not solen

"Hey Guys,
It's not solenoid or starter. It is the Starter Motor Relay that's clicking. A single click every time the ignition key is turned on. It definitely comes from the relay as I can feel it and hear in direct contact. There is a circuit breaker mounted on the bracket above the relay but the reset button seems frozen since it cannot be pushed down. I will replace the breaker, but can the relay be repaired or do I need to buy it also.
Thanks"
 
Replacing the relay is the onl

Replacing the relay is the only viable option.

I hope you mean the relay 'clicks' when the key is turned to START.
 
"Gene:
USE YOUR TEST LIGHT to

"Gene:
USE YOUR TEST LIGHT to check a few things before you start replacing random electrical components.

Does the froze breaker have power on both terminials???
If so, its NOT the problem. MINE APPEARS FROZE TOO, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS UNTIL IT TRIPS.

Does the "Starter Motor Relay that's clicking" conduct power as it is suppose to when it clicks???
If so its NOT the problem.

Keep plugging at it until your sure of a faulty component. Your problem is easy, the hard ones are the intermittent failures.

Fred 156-M"
 
those relays come in two versi

those relays come in two versions: one has a dedicated ground lug on the coil and the other uses the mounting ears as the ground. If the ground lead is 'dirty' the relay will not engage wwhen the key is turned to START.
 
"I tell you guys, until you op

"I tell you guys, until you open the Pendora box you don't know what's waiting for you. We finally decided to remove the circuit breaker, starter switch and the starter motor. What a pain that was! Well, when we took the starter rear end we were shocked to find the amount of corrosion in it. I don't know how that starter ever cranked but it did until it died. We ordered all new components, supposedly for marine application, but i doubt it. What can i spray the parts with to protect it?"
 
A better pan would be finding

A better pan would be finding out where the water came from that caused that mess and eliminating it.

Jeff
 
I ran into this problem with m

I ran into this problem with my 350. The bottom of the bell housing is in the lowest part of the bilge. The plate that is on the front of it would allow water to enetr and the flywheel would pick it up. Then when it reached the starter nose some of it would stop there and drain through. I sealed the pan with silicon and that took care of it. And yes it ould be nice to not have the water in the bilge but I have never owned a boat yet that did not have a little bit in it.
 
"Jeff & Paul,
An excellen

"Jeff & Paul,
An excellent point! I am not familiar with this section of the boat and cannot envision it properly. Is the bell housing on my Chriscraft behind the gas tank? What pan are you talking about. Any picture or a sketch? Sorry, for being so uninformed.
Much obliged!
Gene"
 
"Gene; you have twins, I can&

"Gene; you have twins, I can't imagine that you would carry enough bilge water to reach the bellhousings."
 
"Neither do I! Is it possible

"Neither do I! Is it possible that because of dried out engine compartment cover gaskets, the rain water can sip in? I do notice a lot of corrosion on both engines."
 
"Yes.

Mine is an "open&

"Yes.

Mine is an "open" style. She was launched and was a demonstrater her first summer. The hard top was put on after we contracted for her. The engine box has a 'service door' in it. the rain water that accumulated over that summer was sufficient to ruin the starter after it sat all winter long.

Two areas to check - the rain water's drip path (any drip edges above the engine, especially the starte and carb are bad) and the engine room ventilation. We had very large surface rust areas the first year we used shrink wrap. The wrap went over the vents for the engine rooms - lesson learned."
 
"ditto; also, the starter is

"ditto; also, the starter is right under the right hand end cover of the HE. Any seal leak will drip RW on the starter, a very bad thing. Also, the stuffing box can spray a mist of salt water all around. Starters are poorly painted."
 
"My right side engine starts a

"My right side engine starts and runs great, every time, after I overhauled the carb. But I wonder if I should replace the starter in it also, just to prevent later surprises."
 
"Gene,
the bell housing is th

"Gene,
the bell housing is the part that bolts onto the back of your engine and shields the fly wheel, then the revers gear bolts to it. I am in the process of doing a rebuild on Miss Nancy and as luck would have it I am just about ready to bolt these parts on. So I will take some photos and post them for you. though it sounds like this might not be your issue after all. Have a good weekend."
 
"I'd check the inside of t

"I'd check the inside of that starboard starter Gene. If the brushes are clean, put the cover back on. If its full of the rust crud, a good starter/alternator shop should be able to refurb it much cheaper than a new one.

If it that engine has seen a lot of starts, it wouldn't be a bad idea to change the main solenoid as the disk inside will erode over many cycles."
 
"Mak,
The refurb shop wants $

"Mak,
The refurb shop wants $95, the new OE starter from local marine shop is $165 with solenoid. Logico! No?
We bought this 1988 Chriscraft Catalina 29 about 8 mo. ago. It sat idling in the Stewart Marina, FL for years probably, and it was "maintained" by the marina monkeys, but generally neglected. The boat and engines are very good, but many problems are the result of lack of skilled mechanics and screw ups such as wrong wiring, short cuts, engine paint all over wires and other components, and most of all condensation and poor ventilation of engine compartment. Perhaps, some day I will have it running smoothly but until that time I will have to rely on your generous help.
Thanks all of you guys
Gene"
 
"Gene, here are the photos I s

"Gene, here are the photos I said I would send. Hope it helps.
252380.jpg
bell houseing and pan"">
252381.jpg
where the pan goes"">If you look at the photo of the engine with the bell houseing on you will see where it fits to cover the fly wheel."
 
"Paul, thanks for the pictures

"Paul, thanks for the pictures. I declare I should know what bell housing is as I have worked on some automotive engines before. However, my boat has two crusader engines and there is no space for the pan.
By the way, the new starter was installed today and with all wiring connected we were able to fire the engine and run it for a few minutes. It was a pleasure to hear it start on the first crank and run . Thanks guys ever so much!
Now, if I can only get the way to prevent marine growth and barnacles on the bottom, boating would be much greater fun.
Talk to you soon.
Gene"
 
"Best cure I have found other

"Best cure I have found other then a good bottom paint is to run her as oftain as I can. Aw gee if I have to.
rofl.gif
"
 
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