very weird electrical problem.... please help!

[redinferno]

ok i have a late 70s bayliner victoria with the flybridge and a 302 ford for a motor. ok so i just got a "new" used engine and i threw it in the boat the exact same motor that i took out. got it running good and drove it over to my slip where i then started messing with the shift cables since the top flybridge shifter doesn't work. then i noticed the solenoid was smoking and the wires were getting hot and it was just clicking. so ok i went and got a new solenoid and put it in and the engine cranked over ran for a second and killed out over and over untill i saw that it melted my battery terminal off and the wires were real hot again. so i was trying to figure out where it could be grounding out or have a bad ground. finnaly i unhooked all the wires from the solenoid except the positive battery cable hooked to one side and then the wire to the starter on the other side and when you hook up the battery it starts sparking and heating up.. how is this possible? there shouldn't be power going through the solenoid? and how would it be causing the wires to heat up? it has a good ground connection and also it has a brand new started on the motor also? should i be checking my wiring harness for possible flaw? but the harness is completely disconnected and when i hook up the batter its sparking and heating up when the started is hooked up to the solenoid.

 

[dubs283]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

it has a good ground connection and also it has a brand new started on the motor.

yep, good ground - it is shorting directly to ground, that is why you have massive heat and sparks

you have something hooked up or mounted incorrectly on the solenoid or the starter - you are basically putting a battery cable between the + and - posts on your battery

 

[Don S]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

What engine/drive manufacturer? Volvo, OMC, Mercruiser?

Smoke and melting usually indicates something going to ground that shouldn't be. aka, a short.

 

[redinferno]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

its a mercruiser and yes thats what i thought it was grounding out on something but where? i unhooked everything from the solenoid except the starter and its grounding out how is that possible?

 

[dubs283]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

i unhooked everything from the solenoid except the starter and its grounding out how is that possible?

this is from post #2

you have something hooked up or mounted incorrectly on the solenoid or the starter - you are basically putting a battery cable between the + and - posts on your battery

 

[redinferno]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

ok so i have the positive from the battery running to the solenoid and the other side of the solenoid running to the starter thats it with a good ground off the block running to the battery.. and its shorting out.. im not seeing what i could have hooked up wrong and where it possible could be shorting out... there is only one spot on the starter to hook onto and same with the solenoid.. is it possible the solenoid is bad? but i take the wire off the starter and it doesn't short out only when the wire is on the starter it will short..

 

[Bondo]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

ok so i have the positive from the battery running to the solenoid and the other side of the solenoid running to the starter thats it with a good ground off the block running to the battery.. and its shorting out.. im not seeing what i could have hooked up wrong and where it possible could be shorting out... there is only one spot on the starter to hook onto and same with the solenoid.. is it possible the solenoid is bad? but i take the wire off the starter and it doesn't short out only when the wire is on the starter it will short..

Ayuh,.... Pictures,... We can see what yer seein',....

untill i saw that it melted my battery terminal off and the wires were real hot again.

That's from corroded wirin' ends/ connections, 'n/ or Bad wire....

Resistance creates Heat... Corrosion equals Resistance...

 

[Don S]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

Do you have the right kind of solenoid?
You should also have 2 wires on the solenoid. The battery cable from battery positive, and the red wire going to the circuit breaker on the same large terminal. The other large terminal should have the yellow wire going to the starter.
Post a picture of your solenoid.

Did this just happen after you put the new engine in?

 

[PA John]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

Take your voltmeter, disconnect battery, disconnect your Starter motor from the other side of the soleniod, and test continuity from your battery side going in to the engine block. If you have continuity, your solenioid is your short.

If not, with the battery still disconnected test the Starter side of the soleniod to the engine ground. You should see a little bit of resistance here. If no resistance your starter motor is your short.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to disconnect your alternator also!

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

Sounds like the starter itself is the issue.

Had a similar issue with my work van. Starter and battery only months old. Starter just clicking, then got stuck engaged even after releasing the key, smoked the battery cables, ground strap and nearly melted the battery. All parts were junk and only a few months old. Still under warranty at least.

Try this...and remove all wires off the starter. Check continuity between the large lug on the starter which connects to the (+) cable to the battery and ground. You should not have continuity there.

edit: ^^^ John beat me to it :facepalm:

but we are both on the same page here.

 

[dubs283]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

Take your voltmeter...and test continuity

use an ohm meter to test continuity, not a volt meter

with everything connected as you have it now with the exception of the battery cable to the (+) terminal of the battery, check for continuity to ground between the (-) battery post and the end of the (+) battery cable

you should see continuity, then beginning disconnecting one at a time, cables and components starting with the (+) battery cable at the solenoid - check for continuity to ground until you find no continuity, this will be the source of your short to ground

 

[redinferno]

Re: very weird electrical problem.... please help!

Thanks guys I will post pictures of what I have and start testing cables thanks for putting me in the right direction I was at a lost for a bit there