Got her out of the garage...nothing.

[bds85466]

1972 125hp Johnson

Thought I had the battery charged, turned the key and the starter motor engaged for a split second then stopped. The second time I turned the key, nothing. So I went and bought a new battery from checker, hooked it up, nothing but a click. So right now I'm charging the new battery to make sure it's fully charged. Any ideas?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Check all the connections for clean and tight.Check the neutral safety switch
(usually in the control box).Check the main plug connector at the motor if any.

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

check ALL of the battery cable connections on the motor including the solenoid. they get dirty over time.

 

[redfury]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Check all connections as said. A few months of sitting can cause corrosion. Make sure you are getting a good connection when you turn the key ( at the switch ).

Beyond that, you can always try to jump the starter solenoid, but I'd advise against it and check all the connections first. Might even be a good idea to go through all of them and clean them up...especially the grounds.

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

sorry, typing at the same time

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

yeah I tried to check everything I could. It's dark now. I'd continue, but my roommate left me and I can't push it back into the lit garage by myself. I didn't see anything that glared out at me as dirty, corroded, or mouse bitten. However, the guy that sold me this boat left the wires in a rat nest. I let the battery charge that whole time and now nothing happens when I turn the key. Did I fry something? The lights on the boat work. I guess my major bewilderment is why it partially worked for a split second, and now nothing. It sucks because I had someone lined up to look at it tomorrow. I'm nobody's electrician...would it be worth taking it to a marine mechanic? everyone gasp.

how frustrating.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

I also checked the temp of the starter by hand after a few tries and it wasn't warm to the touch.

I'm sorry, this thread should be moved to a different section probably.

 

[JB]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Get out your meter, bds. Go to the Engine FAQs and do the starter circuit troubleshooting in "Outboard won't start".

Many corroded connections are tight and look good. It only takes a few thousandths of one ohm to prevent the starter getting enough current to start.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

ughh. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[watermellonI]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

laniard at the kill switch?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

should be an inline 20 amp fuse in a red case. this provides power to the controller and the starting circuit.

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

It's tough for me to imagine something "breaking" since the last time we started the boat (When we fogged it for winterizing). So a shotty connection does seem more plausible.

I'm still a bit wet when it comes to boat electronics. When you say the cable from the solenoid to the starter, I'm thinking you're referencing a relatively short cable. I was always under the assumption that the starter and solenoid were part of the same mechanism (?). On my motor a large bunch of wires junctions with the main terminal wires. It's a shame but they're tape wrapped so tightly that it's tough to inspect them without taking everything apart or possibly ripping some connections. And I think one large wire comes out to the motor which goes into a junction connector and splits.

Any jumping, I'd definitely like to use jumper cables (or something thick) right? I've seen people melt screwdrives on those things.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Also, if anyone could maybe give me a picture pointing out the different terminals of a starter/solenoid that would be really nice.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

If you could post a pic of the side of the motor with the starter we can probably tell you what wires are what.
I doubt anything broke,just a bad connection or the fuse is blown..

I could get some pics of my V-6 later today but i'm sure its a lot different..

 

[4.0l sahara]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Is it engaging the flywheel and then not turning. If that is what is happening then it could be seized.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

All of the following is assuming that you can turn the flywheel by hand, that the engine is not locked up.

I've read all of the above 15 posts/replies. I see no mention of you actually removing, cleaning, then reconnecting and tightening all of the related cables pertaining to the starter circuit as advised.

This, the above, is the starting point. Many cables can be tight but dirty due to corrosion etc. They must be removed (all of them), cleaned... and what they connect to cleaned also, then reconnected and tighten securely with either a wrench or pliers.... not ones fingers if wing nuts exist.

This includes the cables at the actual battery terminals, the cable from the battery leading to the starter solenoid, the other battery cable leading to a grounding area on the powerhead, the short cable leading from the starter solenoid to the electric starter, the small black ground wire leading from the starter solenoid to the grounding area at the powerhead, etc.

To test the starter, run known good cables directly from the fully charged battery to the starter.... the red positive cable directly to the starter terminal nut, the black negative cable to any bolt that is retaining the starter. If that cranks the engine, then obviously the starter is okay.

There are two large terminals on the starter solenoid, one on top, one on the bottom. If after cleaning the cables etc as above, you turn the key to start and all you hear is a click.... temporarily connect a cable from the large bottom terminal to the large top terminal to jump the solenoid. If this causes the electric starter to engage, replace the solenoid.

If however, for some reason, a lack of communication exists in this posting somwhere and no click really exists, I would suspect a blown power fuse which would be located in one of the smaller RED wires leading from the starter solenoid. Check it.

EDIT: (04/17/08) 09:42 PM...... In reading further down, it's obvious that a lack of communication does exist (click/no click). Disregard any of what I've had to say.

 

[wavrider]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

You may also want to check your neutral safety switch if you have one, also the position of your remote control gear shift.

Neutral safety switches have been known to go bad or become lose and cause the same problem you are experiencing.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Wow. Thank you all for the info. It will take me awhile before I can digest/apply much of it. Reiterating, I've got it to click the very first times I tried to start, since then, nothing. I made sure to check and make sure that I could turn the flyweel by hand. I'm going to get some pictures taken, some connections cleaned (good methods anyone?), grab my meter, some jumper cables and get a bit more self educated on the wiring mess I have. I've never looked into the remote control gear shift wiring either.

Thanks again.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

Ok. I got some info, but may have infact confused myself even more. I'm now trying to locate where the current isn't making it through. I got out my meter and went to work with the "Outboard Won't Start" My solenoid does not click when I turn the key to start. Here's where I got a bit confused.

I tried two things, the first, I connected the negative on my meter to the battery ground. The second I connected the negative on my meter to a ground on the motor (which seems like the more logical).

I'll reference the picture I have included with numbers on the point terminals. In the first trial ( - meter going to battery -), when the boat was in off, I got 12V at point 1, and very low (0V) at 2-4. When I switched the key to run, I got 12V at all 4 points. When I had my roommate turn key to start (crank), all 4 points were 12V again.

The second condition, (- meter going to ground on the head of the motor) when the boat was off, point 1 had 0.4V and the rest had 0V. In run, and when cranking, all other reads were 0V.

I have not had a chance to jumper the starter motor. I unscrewed and cleaned wires/connection screws going to solenoid with a scotchbrite pad.

Can anyone give me a little advice about what was going on here? I'm still a bit confused (though I have a shop manual to help) as to which small solenoid point goes to the safety switch. The recomended voltage measurement procedure was a bit ambiguous to me as well. I can give more info too if that helps.

 

[bds85466]

Re: Got her out of the garage...nothing.

EDIT: (04/17/08) 09:42 PM...... In reading further down, it's obvious that a lack of communication does exist (click/no click). Disregard any of what I've had to say.

It did click once yesterday when trying to start. Can the solenoid get stuck and fail simultaneously?