Hello, I’m trying to see if I am trouble shooting correctly any ideas are welcome. 1998 4.3 v6 mercruiser with alpha one gen 2 drive
i have an intermittent no start where I turn the key and instead of cranking I hear a single click and nothing. Usually I can get it to start by just turning the key off and then on again.
When I try to troubleshoot it seems like it starts working consistently until this week. Now it seems to not start more often than it starts.
When I had it in the no start I checked voltage at the key and it is getting battery voltage at each terminal when voltage is expected. I then went to the engine and when the key is turned to start the single click seems to be coming from a part I think is the “slave solenoid”. I saw a video on YouTube and the guy used a scewdriver to jump the two big terminals on this solenoid and his engine started.
I tried this and sure enough it starts. I repeated this and everytime I get the click no start, the screwdriver trick starts it.
I took all the terminals apart and cleaned everything with no change. None of the terminals looked bad but I cleaned anyway.
i checked with a voltmeter and one of the big terminals has full battery voltage. The little black wire has a clean continuity tone with ground. The little yellow wire seems to be the one that is from the switch. I disconnected it and then with a voltmeter turned the key to start and the small yellow wire gets battery voltage that is 0.1 volt lower than battery. Battery showed 12.9 yellow wire shows 12.8 with key held in start position.
have I diagnosed a bad slave solenoid? Anything else to check before I order another one? I’d like to be sure before throwing parts at it
thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions
i have an intermittent no start where I turn the key and instead of cranking I hear a single click and nothing. Usually I can get it to start by just turning the key off and then on again.
When I try to troubleshoot it seems like it starts working consistently until this week. Now it seems to not start more often than it starts.
When I had it in the no start I checked voltage at the key and it is getting battery voltage at each terminal when voltage is expected. I then went to the engine and when the key is turned to start the single click seems to be coming from a part I think is the “slave solenoid”. I saw a video on YouTube and the guy used a scewdriver to jump the two big terminals on this solenoid and his engine started.
I tried this and sure enough it starts. I repeated this and everytime I get the click no start, the screwdriver trick starts it.
I took all the terminals apart and cleaned everything with no change. None of the terminals looked bad but I cleaned anyway.
i checked with a voltmeter and one of the big terminals has full battery voltage. The little black wire has a clean continuity tone with ground. The little yellow wire seems to be the one that is from the switch. I disconnected it and then with a voltmeter turned the key to start and the small yellow wire gets battery voltage that is 0.1 volt lower than battery. Battery showed 12.9 yellow wire shows 12.8 with key held in start position.
have I diagnosed a bad slave solenoid? Anything else to check before I order another one? I’d like to be sure before throwing parts at it
thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions
