Mercruiser I/O alpha one New battery, new starter and now it is DEAD, doesn't crank

[keston925]

Darn this boat!

Was having problems starting, mechanic said the starter was shot, so we took it in and had a new starter put in, just before that we replaced the battery.

NOW we haven't used it in a few weeks and it is DEAD, as in - no power what so ever. Doesn't even crank or do anything when we turn the key. The wires look fine, switched the batteries out - still nothing.

Any idea's?

 

[Bt Doctur]

re[lacing a starter should have nothing to do with a dead battery.Does anything work? lights horn, etc?

 

[keston925]

re[lacing a starter should have nothing to do with a dead battery.Does anything work? lights horn, etc?

No, nothing works on it. No horn, no lights, no trim - nothing

 

[thumpar]

Time to get a meter out and start checking. Start at the battery and work your way from there.

 

[Bt Doctur]

check the battery cables and their connections both on the starter and the engine block.at the starter there should be a battery cable, a red wire, and an orange wire.
Red wire supplies power to the wiring system, from there thru the 90A fuse link(if equipped) then thru the 50A circuit breaker, then to the dash.
to check the main connection locate the slave solenoid and jump the 2 large posts. motor should spin.

 

[keston925]

OK, I cleaned the battery cables and pulled apart the wiring boot connector (thoroughly cleaned them) and magically NOW the gauges work, the horn now works as well as the trim... BUT when I try to turn the engine on the engine "clicks" but still does not crank.

 

[bruceb58]

Did you clean the cables down at the starter and at the engine block?

 

[keston925]

Did you clean the cables down at the starter and at the engine block?

We did clean the cable connections at the starter but not at the engine block. I am not sure where they are on the engine block. To be honest with you I am not sure where the ground wire is as well. (Would that be close to the battery?)

One of the wires at the starter is a little loose so I just bought a decent crimper to fix the connection to be tighter.

 

[bruceb58]

One of the wires at the starter is a little loose so I just bought a decent crimper to fix the connection to be tighter.

Which wire was that? That would worry me.

Just follow the negative cable off the battery. It will go to the block.

 

[keston925]

Which wire was that? That would worry me.

Just follow the negative cable off the battery. It will go to the block.

It is the thick black ground wire from the battery to the starter.

 

[Bt Doctur]

from the post marked - a large wire goes to the engine block. remove it from the block and wire brush it clean.