1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

[kwoolard]

Batteries are charged 100%...as soon as I hit the ignition switch the starter hesitates then starts to turn the motor over. However, it seems the starter turns over very sluggish, as if the batteries are weak. The engine will usually fire right up on the second try, it just worries me. I feel like the engine would fire right up as soon as the key is turned, if the starter would just turn it over fast enough. Could this be time for a starter rebuild? I know the batteries are good....they are brand new. Where should I start? Would a failing slave or starter solenoid show these characteristics?

 

[Zackman]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

Sounds more like a cable / connection problem. Have you performed a starter voltage drop test? Have you had a load test performed on the batteries?

 

[kwoolard]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

I took the batteries to AutoZone and they performed the load test on them....that's why I believe the batteries are not the culprit. It may be a connection problem, I haven't investigated as of yet. To perform the voltage drop test on the starter, do I just need to hook the multimeter to the positive side of the starter solenoid and check the voltage to ground while cranking?

 

[Zackman]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

Per the Mercruiser Manual

To test the positive cable / connection:

- connect voltmeter positive lead to positive battery post.
- connect voltmeter negative lead to stater solenoid's positive connection.

** be sure to remove one voltmeter lead before cranking stops so you don't damage voltmeter **

- Crank engine... voltage should not exceed 0.5 volts. Greater than 0.5 volts suggest high resistance in positive cable / connections.
.

To test the negative cable / connection:

- voltmeter negative lead to negative terminal on battery.
- connect voltmeter positive lead to starter ensuring good contact with metal.

- Crank engine... voltage should not exceed 0.5 volts. Greater than 0.5 volts suggest high resistance in negative cable / connection.

In both cases connect to the battery terminal and not the cable at the battery, since you are testing the cable and connections.

 

[Don S]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

Like Zack mentioned and you didn't reply to, have you checked the battery cables for tightness? Also make sure the crimped ends on the cables aren't all corroded and barely there. I've see that so many times it's unreal. People just can't believe the cables can go bad.
Don't forget, there are positive and negative cables, and they all have to be good, clean , and tight.

 

[kwoolard]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

Thanks Zack/Don. I replied stating that it may be a connection problem that I haven't investigated as of yet (battery cables included). However, I have checked the battery cables and they were cleaned and tightened, that was the first thing I checked, but didn't investigate any further. I was referring to maybe a bad connection down the line.....slave/starter solenoid, ignition switch etc. that may be causing the problem. I will check those connections tonight or tomorrow and I will go through the voltage drop test to check for high resistance. Thanks again.

 

[kwoolard]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

I checked my voltage drops and everything turned out within spec. I have noticed that my problem was only apparent after running the boat for a while on the water, stopping for a while, and then trying to restart. I also noticed while running that my volt meter was reading 12volts or below, indicating that I wasn't charging the battery. I checked my alternator output at the battery while running and wasn't getting any increase in voltage....actually could watch the multimeter reading drop about 0.01 volts every 30 seconds or so. I couldn't reach or see the alternator wire connections to check the output at the alternator so I removed it. When I removed it, the orange wire (charging wire I assume) pulled right out of its crimp connection. I noticed that there were some black burn marks on the end of the wire and around the corresponding alternator terminal. The alternator checked out ok when I had it tested this morning, so I believe that I was draining the battery while running since it couldn't charge, and when I attempted to restart after shutting down, I didn't have enough voltage on the battery to turn the starter over fast enough.

I am going to replace the connections on the alternator tonight, hopefully that will fix my sluggish starter problem. Does anybody disagree with using liquid electrical tape on all the alternator terminals? Do you guys agree that this would be the culprit to my problem since the starter and the alternator checked out ok?

 

[riverjet502]

Re: 1999 5.7L Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II - Sluggish Starter

You may want to pull the back cover off your starter and take a peek at its innards. What you have described sounds like your stater may have collected some moisture over time. This will deffinately cause a starter to spin weak.
If so it is time to pull it and rebuild it.



Shot with DSC-P10 at 2007-07-09