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Replaced starter, solenoid, cables and still wont start. Even fried jumper cables-just clicks

E

erock10h

New member
I have an '89 bayliner with a OMC 5.0 cobra engine that I am close to trashing. So, when I turn the key my engine only clicks at the solenoid. I replaced the solenoid, the starter, the cables leading to the solenoid and to the starter, spark plugs, and even manually made sure the engine was not seized up. My battery is dead so I use my vehicle battery and still to no avail. All I am hearing is clicking. Then after 3 attempts, I notice my jumper cables are smoking. So I tried my wife's vehicle with different jumper cables, still smoking jumper cables and clicking at the solenoid. I have no idea. Can anyone one help me please!!!!
 
erock10h said:
............ So, when I turn the key my engine only clicks at the solenoid. I replaced the solenoid, the starter, the cables leading to the solenoid and to the starter, spark plugs, and even manually made sure the engine was not seized up.

My battery is dead so I use my vehicle battery and still to no avail. All I am hearing is clicking. Then after 3 attempts, I notice my jumper cables are smoking.
Click to expand...
You have replaced the starter motor with new, replaced the slave solenoid with new, replaced the battery cables, you have verified that the engine is NOT seized, you're still getting the "click" only, and your jumper cables are smoking when you attempt to turn the engine over. Correct?


This would suggest one or more of the following to me:

you are jumping to a completely dead battery whose plates are consuming an extreme amount of current.
your jumper cables are from China, and are too light for the task.
the solenoids are conducting current, yet no starter motor action.
the starter motor armature is not functioning.
the engine is seized up or hydro-locked.... although you say that it's not.



Remove all spark plugs, look for any indications of water, and try again.
Still no good, verify that the starter motor is OK, or try a different starter motor.
Replace the Dead Battery..... you'll need a new anyway.


.
 
Wen I pulled the plugs out I did not notice any water. I sprayed Wd-40 before putting in new plugs as well.
I will try to start it with a new battery this week. And, will take the starter back to get it checked.
 
smoking cables means one of 3 things:
1. engine or drive seized
2. bad starter
3. wrong wiring causing a short circuit
 
Double check your grounds. Possible that the cable is bad in the insulation. Clean the grounding point on the engine and check the connector itself. You should also put a known good battery in, dead battery bein jumped can suck up a lot of amps and not go through starting circuit, this can lead to the cables overheating. Rick is 100% right along with a few others, leave the plugs out while testing! Requires fewer amps to turn over with out plugs in place. Good luck and remember process of elimination in your trouble shooting, just throwing parts at it can be expensive and still not find the problem
 
I forgot to add something important! Be careful of jumpstarting anything with a computer, if using a car or truck read owners manual. You can do serious damage[$] to the computer or other electrical systems by jump starting using a running vehicle. Jump starting while running can cause voltage spikes in system, most controls use a 5 volt reference signal to operate,much like the newer fuel injected marine engines. I use a jumper pack when ever possible to jump start anything. ASE certified auto mechanic for 20 yrs, have seen some very costly repairs to the vehicle used to jump start another vehicle. worked in a marine shop for 2 plus years before economy took a dump, I also have a few merc certifications.
 
Thanks for all the quick reply's. I am going to take the first step in trouble shooting this week by taking the plugs out and getting a new battery. What's the best advice if the engine is seized? I already manually turned it with a 15/16 socket and a breaker bar about 20 times. Again, thanks for all the help
 
erock10h said:
I already manually turned it with a 15/16 socket and a breaker bar about 20 times.
Click to expand...
Turning the crankshaft via the front bolt is very risky. The torque value for this bolt is 60 ft lb only. If you were to exceed this by very much, you could end up snapping that bolt off, in which case you'll be pulling the engine out and having a machinist extract the bolt fragment.

Since you are able to turn it over, I think it's safe to say that it is not seized up.

.
 
When I first got my boat it was doing the same thing, it was the starter its self was rusted up solid Try a diff starter
 
Now that the weather finally cleared up, I replaced all the battery, starter, solenoid cables and got a new battery. Thanks to everyone's advice the engine finally cranks! It is however bitter sweet. Now it won't turn over. Sometimes it won't even turn off (I have to disconnect the battery to kill it). I did notice that there is no fuel in the carberator. I don't know how to prime it but I took the line off (coming off the filter to the pump) and tried to crank it and no fuel came out. Has to be the filter, right?
 
erock10h said:
Sometimes it won't even turn off (I have to disconnect the battery to kill it).
Click to expand...

as I said before, the wiring on this engine is not done correctly, and probably not safely

get a manual and use the wiring schematic to rectify this before worrying about fuel - a battery blowing up can blind and deafen people, in a bilge with fuel, it can kill
 
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