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95 Merc. 4.3 LX starter problem

J

JBMChaparral

New member
I have a 1995 Chaparral with the 4.3 LX Merc. I had hydrolock for the first time ever and so I took out the spark plugs, turned the crank by hand and then with the starter. It worked fine blowing out all the water. I replaced the spark plugs with brand new one and tried to start it, but this time when I turned the key, nothing happened. I have power to everything else. I checked the neutral position and most things I could think of. I read about this happening to someone else and they talked about the slave solenoid. Where would I find the slave solenoid? Is it on top of the starter motor? Sorry for asking what may seem a stupid question, but I am stumped!
 
It will have four wires on it. Larger red on top post, Larger Yellow/red stripe on larger post, small yellow/red stripe on smaller post and a black ground on smaller post. If you connect the two larger posts together with a wrench or a screw driver it will engage the starter. After you replaced the starter and attached the wires, do you have power at the helm with the key on?....This does not include the tilt/trim.
 
Thanks again! Yes, there is power at the helm. See what happened was that after I cleared all the water out of the cylinders by cranking by hand with socket on the crank shaft pulley, I used the starter to finish up removing any moisture left in the cylinders. The starter worked fine. I only cranked for short periods at a time. After replacing the plugs, I put a trickle charge on the battery over night, with out removing the cables!! The next morning I tried starting it and that is when my problems began. So, would I hurt the slave solenoid or anything else by trickle charging(less than 2 amps) over night?
 
That is great information, thanks. I have an update. I took Chris's advice and used a screwdriver to jump the solenoid and the start worked! Now however, with the key in running position and the choke set, the engine will not start. The ignition switch will not engage the starter motor. My boat has a kill switch next to the throttle. I made sure it was in the run position and clicked back and forth a few times. Any thoughts on where to go from here would be greatly appreciated??
 
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what solenoid did you jump? starter or slave. jumping the solenoids will prove a good battery cable connection but not a power connection to the boat. boat power comes from the starter lug thru a
fuse in a square plastic block, then to the 50A main circuit breaker, then up to the dash. use a test light to check for 12v along those. 12v should be present at the red wire at the ign switch.
 
As the Dr. said ck for 12 vdc at the key switch red wire. If it is there ck for 12 vdc on the yellow/red stripe wire on the key switch when the key is turned to the start position...turning the switch to start sends 12 vdc along the yellow/red stripe wire thru the neutral safety switch in the shifter to the slave solenoid to turn it on. If it is at the key switch ck for it at the slave solenoid small terminal w/the key switch in the start position. If it is at the slave then the slave solenoid is worn out since you jumped the slave earlier and got the starter to crank. If the yellow/red stripe wire on the key switch does not have 12 vdc w/key in start position replace the key switch.
 
I tested the ignition key switch and 12v goes to the yellow/red wire small terminal when key is turned to start position, however when I turn the key clear to start position there is nothing at the yellow/red wire at the slave solenoid. Could there be a problem with the neutral safety switch and how do I check it with out tearing the control lever apart? Thank you, by the way for all your advice so far!
 
Look under the dash where the wire harness runs towards the shifter. Unwrap the harness near the shifter under the dash and find both yellow/red wires. Use a blue quick wire clip to connect them together...it just cuts the insulation to make contact. If the slave now gets 12 vdc on the small terminal w/yellow/red wire attached then there is a problem w/the switch and/or wires up to the point that you used the quick clip. You can run a short jumper off the hot side of the slave's large terminal to the small terminal w/yellow/red wire attached to test the slave. That will tell you if the slave is actually working. Doing that test bypasses the key switch and NS switch.
 
Here is something that may help:

The Starting Circuit

  1. When the key is turned to Start, the “S” terminal of the key switch is energized and power flows via a yel/red wire to the neutral lockout switch in the throttle quadrant.


  1. If the shifter is not in neutral, no power will flow to the starter circuit. So if all else seems normal, and the starter will not crank, and there is no solenoid click, check the neutral lockout switch.


  1. From the neutral switch power flows aft via a yel/red wire to pin #7 of the 10 pin plug, then to the slave solenoid. When the slave solenoid closes, +12 volt conducts from a large red/pur wire (from the 50 amp breaker) to the starter solenoid S terminal via a yel/red wire. This closes the starter solenoid contacts and sends high current +12 volts from the B terminal to the starter windings.


  1. If there is no audible click when the key is turned to Start, the slave solenoid may be bad, or power is not getting to it’s yel/red wire terminal. The key switch could be bad also. Try jumpering the B terminal to the S terminal at the switch. If the engine now cranks, the key switch is bad.


  1. If the slave solenoid clicks OK, but the starter won’t turn; check with a voltmeter to see if +12 volts is getting to the S terminal on the starter solenoid. If so, the starter or starter solenoid is at fault, otherwise it’s the slave solenoid.


  1. Before the engine starts the voltmeter should indicate about 11 or 12 volts with the key switch ON. While the starter is cranking this may drop to 8 or 9 volts. If it drops lower, suspect bad battery wiring or a weak battery.


  1. The solenoids switch the high current needed for the starter, and prevent the need for long runs of heavy wire up to the instrument panel. The slave solenoid is usually found close to the main breaker, sometimes on the same bracket.

Rod
 
I really appreciate every ones help here. I still have no power (12 V) to the small terminal on the slave solenoid terminal (yellow/red wire) with the key in start position or with the jumper. I jumped the key switch and checked for 12V. There is power at the 10 pin connection at the yellow/red wire. There is 12 V going through the Neutral kill switch as well. I traced the yellow/red wire all the back towards the engine (with the jumper on the key switch still attached) as far as I could reach and there was power. I can not see behind the carburetor much at all. The wiring is wrapped very tight and insulated. What is between the key switch small terminal (yellow/red wire) and the slave solenoid besides the neutral kill switch? By the way, I jumped the small terminal (yellow/red) on the slave solenoid to the red large terminal and the motor turned over. It won't start however!
 
What is between the key switch small terminal (yellow/red wire) and the slave solenoid besides the neutral kill switch?
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There is one junction on each side of the NS switch in the wire harness where the wires are bolted together and the 10 pin barrel plug.
 
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Breaking news, at least for me, the engine started from the key! The only problem is that I do not know why? I had a jump on the key switch from red to small yellow/red terminal. I was back on top of the engine with my 12V tester wiggling some wires behind the carburetor when all of a sudden the starter engaged and the motor was trying to start with me laying on top of it! So I pulled the jump and it quit immediately. Next I tried starting it with the key and it took off! The engine started after a few seconds. I let it cool down and started it again! Now it seems to start like nothing was ever wrong. My question is how did it start? I can not see behind the carb, where I was wiggling wires. Does anyone know what I wiggled? I do not trust it until I know what happened. Thank you guys for your advice so far. Any help would make me trust it to take out on the water!
 
I was back on top of the engine with my 12V tester wiggling some wires behind the carburetor when all of a sudden the starter engaged and the motor was trying to start with me laying on top of it!
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You've located the part of the harness w/the wire problem. Open the harness wrapping and check every inch of the yellow/red wire. It has a crack in it somewhere along the line. Pull your forefinger along under the wire w/your thumb nail on top w/light pressure from one end to the other. You may feel a kink or stiff section that won't bend. You can always take a length of jumper wire and two blue quick clips w/you. If it won't turn the starter over install the wire parallel to the yellow/red wire.
 
JBMChaparral said:
That is great information, thanks. I have an update. I took Chris's advice and used a screwdriver to jump the solenoid and the start worked! Now however, with the key in running position and the choke set, the engine will not start. The ignition switch will not engage the starter motor. My boat has a kill switch next to the throttle. I made sure it was in the run position and clicked back and forth a few times. Any thoughts on where to go from here would be greatly appreciated??
Click to expand...

Jumping the small /slave solenoid on top of the engine test, only tells you that the starter solenoid and starter are functioning. It is not a test for the slave solenoid.

You still need to check the slave.
 
Chris: he apparently checked it in post 14
By the way, I jumped the small terminal (yellow/red) on the slave solenoid to the red large terminal and the motor turned over. It won't start however!
Click to expand...
 
Update and major problem! Thank you goes out to all of you for your valuable advice. I got the engine started, and it seems to be a small short on the yellow/red wire behind the carburetor. I took the boat to the water and sure enough it started right up! I let it warm up tied up at the dock. After 15 minutes, everything running fine, oil pressure, water temp and alt., I took it out onto the water. Well to make a long story short, after 25 minutes out boating, I headed back toward the dock, I revved up a little to cruising speed when all of a sudden the motor started missing and power dropped off. Then the motor groaned and smoked and came to a stop. Well, I opened up the engine compartment and saw the deadly milky oil coming out of the PVC on the valve cover! I have not idea why this happened, since I used the boat all summer with no problems. So, now what to do? The motor won't hardly turn over. The level of milky oil on the dip stick is like 2/3 high up on the stick. I pulled all spark plugs and no sign of water, everything looked normal. Would the large amount of milky oil prevent the motor from turning, even by hand? I am expecting the worst!
 
Pull the spark plugs, then crank the engine, if water shoots our the holes post back.

I will keep a eye on this thread waiting for your reply.

We will go from there.
 
The level of milky oil on the dip stick is like 2/3 high up on the stick.
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That increase comes from water intrusion. Too high fluid level in the block will stop the engine from turning over.
I had pulled all the plugs and no water.
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Then the water is getting into the block internally. Pump out the oil/water and change the filter and refill w/fresh oil then pressure test the water jacket.
 
JBMChaparral said:
I had pulled all the plugs and no water. Motor does not want to turn over very easily. The plugs are dry.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,.... Drain or pump out, Whatever's in the oil pan, 'n keep track of How Much of it there is,....

Then Drain the block of water, block off the water passages, 'n add Air pressure,....

You'll "Hear" the Leak, follow the Sound,...
 
Thanks for all the advice! I will get the oil/water mixture out as soon as possible. Not sure how block off the water source, at least not air tight. Are there any tricks to doing that?
 
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