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Starter or Neutral Safety switch

jsimon

New member
"1989 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer w/

"1989 Sea Ray 340 Sundancer w/ twin Mercruiser 7.4 gasoline inboards. 440 hours maintained well, sitting in covered slip on the Ohio River more than usual this year, today I went to winterize and when I turned the STBD ignition key, the low pressure alarm squealed and gauges fluttered so I knew I had current to the switch, but nothing from the starter. I tried the emergency start, nothing different, tried a couple of times, then reversed the batteries (don't ask me why) and still nothing. I swapped out the ignition switch with the macerator switch (same) switch, still nothing from the starter. I checked the transmission selectors, and they were both in neutral, but after a couple more tries on the key, suddenly the engine fired easily. I feel like I should check the neutral safety switch, but not sure where it is located. Is this a mercruiser part, a transmission linkage issue or does anyone feel like I may have a starter issue? Any help is appreciated. Something tells me the starter is the problem, but I've heard they click or hum or something when they are bad or froze up, I didn't get any sensation when I felt the starter as my son hit the starter switch, and that's why I wonder about the neutral selector switch. Another post had someone wondering about grounds on intermittent no starts when the key has current, and I did have the inboard shaft seals replaced last fall, could that have disturbed the ground? Ran great and restarted fine, I just don't like the idea of it going out next year when I'm on the river instead of at the dock. I feel like I got lucky this time.
PS: I got both engines started and winterized and she's in storage, so this will become a spring project.

Thanks,
Jim"
 
"Jiggle the shift lever when t

"Jiggle the shift lever when this happens and that usually gets it to start. The shift cable may be binding or the pawl may be out of adjustment at the throttle. What kind of drives? If they're Walter or Hurth V drives, look for a pair of white wires next to the shift lever. Bypass them if you want to check."
 
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