Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

BajabossJD

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 10, 2011
Messages
138
Hey guys,

I took the boat out a week ago Sunday. I had it docked behind the house (Brackish water...tide).. Dead battery yesterday, so left it on the charger. Today I tried to start it and the starter was clicking at a rapid pace. Wont turn over. My manifolds are a little rough (was going to change them this week)...

I have thru hull exhaust with flappers and plates to stop reverse flow..

If I bent a valve..wouldnt I have heard it? Do I pull the plugs and inspect? Is the motor toasted if there's water in the cylinders? :(

Joe
 

Vegas Naturist

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Sep 15, 2011
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81
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

If it's clicking rapidly...clickclickclick... your battery is toast. One good hard click but no crank may indicate other issues. Starters draw a lot of amps. If the battery is weak, it can't hold the solenoid in, and you get that rapid clicking you indicated. This is because there are two coils in the solenoid. One pulls it in and the other holds it in. Battery pulls it in, but beacuse it's weak, can't hold it in and it releases. When it releases, voltage "recovers" slightly, so it pulls it in again, etc...

Before you panic about a blown engine, take the battery to your local auto parts store and have it tested. Might even still be under warranty!

My $0.02
John
 

tpenfield

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Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Are we hearing the starter or the solenoid doing the clicking?
 

BajabossJD

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 10, 2011
Messages
138
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Thanks for the fast responses guy's. I pulled the plugs and gave her a crank. It turned over half way. No water shot out. Plugs were dry. Fast Click from starter.

Battery toast after 4 months? I do have it parralled with a deep cycle (4 year old one) Is that killing it? Yes, has a 18 month warranty on it.

I have some major rusting going on around the gasket of my risers. They are OSCO manifolds.. I am wonder if the joker before me reused gaskets. I will take the riser off and take a look.

Joe
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 5, 2006
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30,454
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Did you happem to take DonS's advice and try turning the engine by hand?

What is the voltage of the battery before and after your test?

Has your starter ever been submerged in water, even once?
 

BajabossJD

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 10, 2011
Messages
138
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Did you happem to take DonS's advice and try turning the engine by hand?

What is the voltage of the battery before and after your test?

Has your starter ever been submerged in water, even once?

Voltage is showing 10.9 on the gauge. Starter is 1 month old. Never submerged in water.

Thanks,

Joe
 

Bondo

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70,470
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Voltage is showing 10.9 on the gauge. Starter is 1 month old. Never submerged in water.

Thanks,

Joe

Ayuh,... Either the battery is junk, or more likely you've got corroded wiring ends...

Pull 'em, sand, clean to shiny metal, 'n reinstall, ALL of the battery cable ends,...
Both ends of Both cables, at a minimum...

Ya might wanta do the solenoid wirin' ends too...
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
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Mar 5, 2006
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30,454
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

What was it before you started your test? If it started at 12.6V, your battery is not holding a charge. Don't trust the gauge. Use a meter.
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Loose wingnuts on the battery, battery cables with loose corroded terminal ends at the crimps, dead cells in a battery, water in only one cylinder, bad starter, bad slave solenoid, you name it. This is another of those "we can't hear or see it" posts where we can only guess at what it could be.

Get your DVM and hook the positive lead to the large terminal on the starter where the battery cable attaches. Then hook the negative test lead to a good clean ground. You should see battery voltage. What is it? Now, while watching the meter, crank the engine and see what the voltage drops to, what is it.

Reply with both voltage readings.
 

BajabossJD

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 10, 2011
Messages
138
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

I will update you guys this afternoon! Thanks for your help!

How do I keep the terminals clean? I clean them, but they turn to crap after a week.
 

Bondo

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Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

I will update you guys this afternoon! Thanks for your help!

How do I keep the terminals clean? I clean them, but they turn to crap after a week.

Ayuh,... Slather 'em with a coatin' of Grease....
 

Vegas Naturist

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Sep 15, 2011
Messages
81
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

Battery toast after 4 months?

Probably not, that's the good news.

I do have it parralled with a deep cycle (4 year old one) Is that killing it?

Very well could be if it's going south. The batteries will try to "equalize" if you're not using a battery isolator, with the bad one acting as a load on the good one.

Like was requested earlier, get some voltage readings and we can go from there.

John
 

mark1905

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 25, 2008
Messages
535
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

It's a dead battery.. dead battery.. dead battery..

Paralleling two different batteries together without some kind of solenoid switch to isolate them will kill them easily within a few months.

Very simple answer to this problem: You, sir.. have a dead battery.. not a bad engine.
 

mark1905

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 25, 2008
Messages
535
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

A week? Post a picture of your battery cable ends, it's beginning to sound like you need new cables. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=468676


I'll parrot that as well: I would suggest replacing both your starter and ground cable. It pays to be hyper careful and meticulous about your electrical system in a boat. With the added moisture, things can turn nasty quick and cause issues like this. Clean, tight, new connections and cables are the way to go.
 

Jmunk

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
257
Re: Starter just clicks?? Hydrolocked?

I keep an aerosol can around of white lithium grease. I spray on my terminals at the start of each season and it keeps them looking new.
 
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