93 johnson 30 starter question

[ugafan83]

Well I have been working on the boat getting it ready and noticed the motor was turning over really slow and then would spin fast and crank ever so often. I thought it was the battery so took it and charged it and it did the same thing. So I was trying it the other day and the starter spun but didn't start the motor so I turned the key again and a click from the solenoid is all I get. I took the battery and had it tested and they said it was fine. I checked the voltage at the solenoid and it was 12.6 and then checked on the starter post and it was 12.5 with the key turned and yet the starter doesn't do anything. I did notice that there is a bare cable wire that looks like a ground strap maybe coming from the ground bolt on the starter down toward the lower cowling that is broke in half. I am not sure what this is for or is it needed. I think the starter is bad but wanted to make sure before I went through taking it off cause it doesn't look to fun.

Thanks

 

[tblshur]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

ugafan83 you can try a GOOD set of jumper cables straight from battery to starter, be careful knowing sparks and gas or battery fumes are flamable. sounds like starter brushes to me. good luck:joyous:

 

[oldboat1]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

If you are sure that broken wire is a ground, I would connect a ground wire to it from the negative pole on the battery, then see if the starter functions correctly. It's possible the powerhead (and therefore the starter) isn't sufficiently grounded.

need a fully charged battery with sufficient cranking amps. Not a bad idea to take it to an automotive shop to have it tested if in doubt. If it comes to starter repair (10-11 yr old starter), I just opt to bring it in for testing and rebuild, as appropriate. Some guys prefer to work on them. But make sure all the wiring is fresh and connections perfectly clean (and correct) before doing anything with either the starter of the battery.

 

[ugafan83]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

I took a set of jumper cables from the battery straight to the starter and got absolutely nothing. no spark or anything. I took the battery to the auto parts store and they hooked a little tester to it in the parking lot and tested it and said it was good but I am not sure it was a load test or not. I am not sure what the cable that is broke is. It is a bare metal cable that comes from the ground post on the starter to the bottom of the lower cowling. It is broke in half. Is it possible that even though I get 12.5v at the starter that the ground is keeping it from doing anything or that the battery looks fine but isn't

 

[oldboat1]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

could be right on either or both counts. I would try working on the ground connection first -- ground has to be somewhere on the powerhead, often away from the starter -- somewhere on a mounting bracket probably typical. That broken wire could be a ground on your model, but can test the ground to the head/starter without using the wire. If you run with an auxiliary battery as well as a starter bat., might be time to demote the starting battery to the auxiliary -- unfortunately, should do a load test first to see if it's done as a starter. And if you've done all the other stuff, I would pull the starter and take it in for bench testing. If it needs a rebuild, make sure for safety that the shop does a marine rebuild (arrested sparking).

 

[racerone]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

There is no ground cable on the starter itself------There may be a ground cable to the starter bracket that goes to the battery!----Pictures required as that will really help here.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

not sure where you are hooking up the pos and neg jumper wires -- should be a single post on the starter (positive post). There could be a negative hookup (that broken wire) somewhere on the starter bracket. But you should be at least be getting sparking in hooking up jumper cables (your post #4) if there is any charge to the battery, and if you are connecting the pos. clamp to the pos post on the starter, and the neg clamp somwhere else on the head. The starter is grounded to the head via the bracket. So that no-sparking part is a mystery to me -- pictures helpful, as Racerone says.

 

[ugafan83]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Sorry yes I meant the ground that is on the starter bracket. The more I think about it I am gonna try a different battery tonight. I did use a jumper cable straight from the battery to the starter and got nothing. I will also get a picture of the ground wire I am talking about tonight

 

[Fed]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Test with your voltmeter, right at the starter post (not the lug or nut) and right on the starter motor frame (not the block or any ground connections).
You may have to scrape a little paint off the starter frame.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Go for basics. Check for continuity between the starter bracket and the negative post on the battery.

 

[ugafan83]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Ok so I tried a different battery and same thing. My question now is can a ground cause the starter to do nothing even thought the meter shows 12.5 at the starter

 

[oldboat1]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

well, a bad ground or no ground would be an issue if starting through the key switch system. If hooking up directly between the battery and starter via jumper cables, you should see some sparking if nothing else (bypassing the boat's system). I'm not real fond of that, by the way, but folks do it to see if they get any movement out of the starter. ( conclude the starter is bad if going direct doesn't work.) I still would test for continuity between the starter bracket and the negative pole of the battery -- need to be sure you have a ground for the key switch system to work.

 

[Fed]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Ok so I tried a different battery and same thing. My question now is can a ground cause the starter to do nothing even thought the meter shows 12.5 at the starter

Exactly where did you put your meter probes?

 

[ugafan83]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Ok so sorry I didn't get back last night I had an accident with a mandolin cutting potatoes and cut the very tip of my finger off.
I had the volt meter at the positive post on the starter. I also checked the volt at the solenoid. I also jumped the solenoid with a screw driver and it clicked but that was it.
Here is a picture of the ground strap. I will also check the negative continuity tonight hopefully.

 

[Fed]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Exactly where did you put your meter probes?

There are two probes on a voltmeter.

Test with your voltmeter, right at the starter post (not the lug or nut) and right on the starter motor frame (not the block or any ground connections).
You may have to scrape a little paint off the starter frame.

 

[ugafan83]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

I tested the continuity and the negative was good and the positive..I took the starter off today and had it tested and it was toasted..ordered a new one today.

 

[ugafan83]

Re: 93 johnson 30 starter question

Well got my new starter in and installed yesterday and boat fires up so much faster now.