Chevy 350 engine wont start.

[JT!]

Just got my new boat and I got a great deal because of course... it doesn't start.

It has a Chevy 350 motor, which was installed in 2012 second hand.

It wouldn't start because it had been sitting at the dock all year and the bilge pump had run every time it rained, until the batteries died.
there was a lot of corrosion on the terminals.

I pulled the batteries, brought them home and gave them (all 3) a thorough charge.


I returned today, put them back in, wired 2 in parallel with the battery selector switch.
All posts were sanded clean down to the metal, and the connectors surfaces were cleaned and sanded as well.

When I attempt to start it, it seems very weak.
I checked, and a few accessories were ON, so I turned them off and tried again.
It coughed a few times, but just didn't have enough oomph to start up.


One thing I noticed, the fuel pump buzzes with a crackling sound, and I am wondering if its faulty or if that's normal.

Also when I turn the key to the ON position, there is a red light that lights up on a VolvoPenta gauge which seems to show a diagram of the leg.
I could not find a switch to lower the leg, so I just moved on to other things.

the kicker motor wouldn't even turn over, it's battery (3rd one) may have a dead cell because it only reads 10.5V even after a 12-hour charge.
If I can get the kicker running, I will use it to jump the main engine tomorrow.

This is my first boat that is not an outboard. I noticed a tag on the dash that says to "run the blower for 2 minutes before trying to start the engine"
I tried that but there wasn't enough power left to turn it over again.

questions: the dual main batteries after a thorough charge show 12.8V ... according to my state of charge chart that I keep handy, that should be a full charge... is it possible a battery could hold a full charge but be totally useless under load?

Using the battery switch, one of the batteries definitely was stronger than the other, even though both are similarly cleaned and scrubbed at the terminals.

My plan is to return tomorrow with the cranking battery from my other boat and try to get the kicker running, then have it charge the main batt's while leaving it running.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

I wonder if your battery charger is cooking your batteries or something. yes a battery can have 12.8V and be useless under load.
This is the OMC forum, so don't know anything about the Volvo light that was on, but it sounds like you could use one of these things in your life.

 

[bruceb58]

questions: the dual main batteries after a thorough charge show 12.8V ... according to my state of charge chart that I keep handy, that should be a full charge... is it possible a battery could hold a full charge but be totally useless under load?

Absolutely. That's why you need to load test a battery to see if it's any good.

 

[JT!]

I guess I will buy 2 new batteries this afternoon and try again. no clue on the history of the 2 main batts other than the date of manufacture being sept2008
and that they have sit at least 6-8 months dead.

there was a light gurgling sound while charging them which I assumed to be a desulfaction action.

the previous owners had tried to fire it up for me using a generator and a charger... needless to say it was too weak to accomplish anything ...

 

[JT!]

I started the post here because everything is going to revolve around the Chevy motor, which I think belongs in the OMC section.

First step is to start it. Then I will ask questions about waterpumps and power steering pumps....

 

[sam60]

^ Good advice on the batteries. ^

If the new to you unit is the one in your avatar, it looks cool! Post some pics when you get a chance please.

 

[JT!]

I managed to start it.

Bought a new battery and it gave a wuh wuh wuh vroom.

Then I pulled the throttle back and it stalled.

Tried again wuh wuh wuh vroom then stalled again.

Tried again and not enough power to start.

Tried the kicker and it started on the old battery.
Connected jumper to new battery on main but it was too weak to start.

My ammeter says 0.8 amps on jumper cable which are old.

Then it got dark. I will try again with newer jumper cables tomorrow.

 

[JT!]

No Title

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

A starter on a V8 will draw well over 100 amps when cranking. Did you measure .8A with the key off? Something drawing a bit of current. Not that unusual to have parasitic draw on an old boat.
If it was cranking and reading .8, then your ammeter is no good or wasn't being used correctly. (maybe was on AC instead of DC?)

I still don't get your logic with the OMC thing. Volvo used lots of Chevy engines - the guys in the VP forum will likely know more abut your setup, but I'll try to help any way I can.

 

[JT!]

I thought chevy made the motors for omc

the ammeter was on the jumper cable, which shows not enough juice being transferred from the running engine and battery to supplement to main's batteries to start it.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... What's this "Kicker motor",..??

Most little outboards don't put out enough amps to charge their own startin' battery, muchless Jump anything,.....

 

[JT!]

the kicker motor is a 9.9 Yamaha highthrust

it sends 6amps (measured) to its battery
I ran jumper cables to transfer that unused 6amps to the other batteries to top them up between attempts to start the main

the jumper cables only allowed 0.8 amps to transfer -- too much loss -- will try with jumper cables that aren't old and rusted

 

[Bondo]

the kicker motor is a 9.9 Yamaha highthrust

it sends 6amps (measured) to its battery
I ran jumper cables to transfer that unused 6amps to the other batteries to top them up between attempts to start the main

the jumper cables only allowed 0.8 amps to transfer -- too much loss -- will try with jumper cables that aren't old and rusted

Ayuh,..... Ya need to put yer new battery on a 10 amp charger overnight or longer,....

Ya also oughta pull the starter, 'n look it over, 'n clean it up,....
Corroded wirin' connections are the #1 cause of yer issues,....
From the battery terminals onward, ya gotta have shiny metal Clean connections,.....

Then grease 'em to keep 'em that way,...

 

[JT!]

I have a feeling the wire running to the starter is burning too many volts leaving the starter with no power

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

I thought chevy made the motors for omc

the ammeter was on the jumper cable, which shows not enough juice being transferred from the running engine and battery to supplement to main's batteries to start it.

Chevy makes most of the engines for OMC (before OMC went out of business), Volvo Penta and Mercruiser as well as other brands.

I don't understand why you would have a jumper cable hooked to a running engine. But if your engine was cranking and you read .8 amps, then yeah - your booster battery is as dead as the one in the boat. Or, my money is on improper use of the ammeter.
Got any mechanic friends good with electrical?

 

[JT!]

theres 2 batteries connected to the main

the kicker has its own battery.

the main needs more power ...

by jumping the kickers battery in parallel to the 2 mains I might have the extra power to start the main

I will deplete the kickers battery in the process, but its running, so I can let it charge when I am done

I was using my ammeter to see how much power I was transferring or contributing to the start attempts on the main.

I was only getting 0.8A crossing the jumper cables instead of the several amps the kicker was producing



im going to cut the clamps off the jumpers and crimp on some lugs.

and redo the lugs at the batteries because the wire ends are exposed and corroded.

possibly swap the jumper cable wire to the starter permanently and take out the old corroded wires (the ends are clean, but it probably runs a few inches up the wire)

 

[Bondo]

theres 2 batteries connected to the main

the kicker has its own battery.

the main needs more power ...

by jumping the kickers battery in parallel to the 2 mains I might have the extra power to start the main

I will deplete the kickers battery in the process, but its running, so I can let it charge when I am done

I was using my ammeter to see how much power I was transferring or contributing to the start attempts on the main.

I was only getting 0.8A crossing the jumper cables instead of the several amps the kicker was producing



im going to cut the clamps off the jumpers and crimp on some lugs.

and redo the lugs at the batteries because the wire ends are exposed and corroded.

possibly swap the jumper cable wire to the starter permanently and take out the old corroded wires (the ends are clean, but it probably runs a few inches up the wire)

Ayuh,.... Ya should be gettin' Full Battery amperage,......

The motor only charges it's battery,......

'n in the Grand scheme of things, that 6 amps is pretty much irrevelant, unless it's for days, 'n days,....

 

[JT!]

rain has kept me from going back for a test.

experience with my golfcart batteries tells me that I need to replace the lugs, if not the whole wire itself between the main and its battery bank, because of the corrosion.

shiny contact points aren't enough if the rot goes up the wire ...

 

[Bondo]

rain has kept me from going back for a test.

experience with my golfcart batteries tells me that I need to replace the lugs, if not the whole wire itself between the main and its battery bank, because of the corrosion.

shiny contact points aren't enough if the rot goes up the wire ...

Ayuh,.... Been there, done that,..... A Load Tester will tell ya the answer,....

'n don't forget the Ground path,......

 

[Scott Danforth]

if its been sitting, pull the starter and go thru it. rust and crud will make the starter sluggish even with new wires and new batteries. you have to have good connections from the battery terminals to the starter armature.

also, you mentioned nothing of your fuel. 6-8 months is a long time, much longer than most fuel stabilizers will work. check out your fuel too.