2001 Mercury 240 EFI V6 Slave / Start Solenoid Issue

[MattZ40]

I'm hoping someone can verify or correct my troubleshooting logic on the problem I'm experiencing. I searched the forums and couldn't find anything similar

Boat starts and runs fine, shut it off and I hear the starter spinning. Just spinning fairly quietly, not turning over the motor. Starter is one year old, I had the boat out 3 times since it was replaced. Hopefully the starter solenoid was replaced as well but I can't tell by looking.

When I turn off the battery, the starter stops spinning. Turn the battery back on and it engages the bendix drive and turns the motor over. Turn it off and back on, and whatever was stuck has unstuck itself, and the engine starts fine using the key except the starter is spinning quietly again when I shut it off.

I'm thinking the problem is the slave solenoid since the bendix drive isn't constantly engaged which I assume would be the case if the starter solenoid was stuck. Maybe centrifugal force engages the bendix gear when I turn on the battery, and the quick on/off battery switching is unsticking the slave solenoid.

The boat is a Seadoo Speedster with the Mercury M2 jet drive. I didn't post in the PWC forum since jetski shops generally won't touch these but will point you to an outboard mechanic.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[sam am I]

Hi Matt,

Sounds like the solenoid is hanging up. You could test this by disconnecting either batt in or batt out while the starter is running to confirm but, shutting off the batt. switch is basically doing the same.

Just replace the solenoid, they do wear out and if it's original, it's time!! I'm betting that's your problem. Sometimes thou however and if your lucky, smacking it (the solenoid) with the plastic handle of a screw driver or something when the motor is shut off and the starter is still spinning, it might rattle its cage enough to allow the return spring to push the plunger off and re-open the contacts.

I've seen a few that over time and arcing, that the plunger and contacts form a wear pattern and they begin to seat into each other and can get hung up together in the on position.

If you're super cheap like me, sometimes you can get away with going in and rotating the contact 180 or replace contacts for a buck and a half. That is, if you can find a supplier for them. Auto electric places have them sometimes......

 

[MattZ40]

Thanks very much for sharing your expertise Sam. I'll fiddle with it after work and try the screwdriver handle test. I have a new solenoid ordered that's supposed to arrive today but it will be good to know in advance (for once) if I'm replacing the right part.

 

[MattZ40]

The solenoid did the trick. However I seem to have created a new problem, maybe. With the key on I hear something ticking, it sounds like the fuel pump. It didn't do that before. It starts and runs fine, but I can hear the ticking even with the engine running.
I was careful with putting all the wires back in the same place. The only possible difference is the solenoid is "upside down". I don't think that matters but I could be wrong. The new solenoid had an "I" stamped next to one primary connection, and an "S" stamped next to the other the primary connection. The original had no markings.

The only other change is that the previous owner had disconnected the run time meter, purple wire was connected, black was disconnected. I reconnected the black to ground, and that's when the ticking started (after replacing the solenoid and checking that it started and ran fine). At first I thought that's the loudest clock I ever heard, no wonder it was disconnected. But after disconnecting it again, the ticking it still there. Very puzzling.

 

[Dukedog]

disconnect tha hour meter "COMPLETELY"... all wires...