Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

[abrx7]

Hi All. I cant believe I am actually posting this question and think I already know what the problem is but I just wanted some reassurance. I have a 2006 Crownline with a 350 MAG. I was lazy and left my 2 batteries in the boat over the winter (I live in Connecticut). I went ahead and put a good solid charge on each of the batteries using the charger on the boat. When I start the boat on battery 1 it turns over fine and does start, I just hear this tapping as its turning over. Its not the clicking you hear when your turning over an engine with a very low battery. Sounds sort of similar but more feint and fewer tapping. I also get the same noise when i switch to battery 2. When switch to "all" the clicking noise goes away. Right there I was thinking "the batteries have no more cranking amps left in them". So off I went to the part store to have them tested. They are 7 years old according to their sticker but I have only had them in the boat for 3 years. They are Optima blue tops with a rated 750 CCA. One was tested and gave me a reading of 735 and the other gave me a reading of 765. Both batteries also show 13.5 volts. Leaving the part store I was some what relieved that i didn't have to spend $500 in new batteries but I was also stumped as to what the problem could still be. Before re-installing them I was thinking maybe the terminals and ends are oxidized. I cleaned them very well (they weren't that dirty to begin with), hooked everything back up and had the same results. The batteries are showing 13 volts but on the panel at the helm, I'm showing 10. Why i have no idea....

So here it is, batteries test good, terminals are all cleaned off, boat starts fine on all. Should I replace the batteries with them being that old? I know usually 3-4 years is their life expectancy.

 

[littlebookworm]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

It sounds like your starter relay is bad. Follow the positive battery lead from the battery. That will bring you to the relay. It may be near the starter or near the front of the engine. When you find it, you can jump the relay (bypass it) with a piece of thick wire. If your starter spins, replace the relay and you'll be OK. Sometimes, it will start working if you tap it with a hammer (lightly) or the back of a screwdriver. Even if it then works, i would replace it because it's on the way out and you don't want to be stuck on the water. It's an easy eplacement. Hy

 

[Bondo]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

The batteries are showing 13 volts but on the panel at the helm, I'm showing 10. Why i have no idea....

Ayuh,.... Battery cables have 2 ends, did ya clean Both ends, of Both cables,..??

I think you've still got corroded wirin' ends, Somewhere...

Possibly the often forgotten Grounds...

 

[abrx7]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

Ayuh,.... Battery cables have 2 ends, did ya clean Both ends, of Both cables,..??

I think you've still got corroded wirin' ends, Somewhere...

Possibly the often forgotten Grounds...

I have not checked both ends. On the battery side, the grounds were the ones that did have the oxidation on them. I was hoping that that's where the issue was. I will check the other side tonight. Actually I'll bring my multi-meter home and see what voltage I have right at the starter. I hope its just a corroded wire end.

And I know what you mean about those forgotten grounds. Most people don't realize how important a good ground is. I used to work in car audio and that was one thing many people over looked.

littlebookworm - I will check that relay tonight as well. usually relays either work or don't work. Anything is possible at this point though. It is definitely a shortage of voltage though I do know that.

 

[Don S]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

If the engine is not running, how are you getting 13.5V on your battery? Are you checking it while a charger is turned on?
I wouldn't expect a battery to be over 12.7 or 12.8V after being off the charger for a while.

 

[abrx7]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

When I brought it to the part store to have it tested that what I was getting for voltage. Even I would know not to test the voltage with the charger hooked up...

 

[Don S]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

Even I would know not to test the voltage with the charger hooked up...

I have no way of knowing that, which is why I asked.

Might try with a different meter. I can't see 13.5 happening.

Then have a look at the troubleshooting chart below.

View attachment Troubleshooting a mercruiser Starting system rev2.pdf

 

[abrx7]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

Thank you for the diagram. I will trouble shoot with that once I work on it again tomorrow. Something I learned today while working on it. The batteries are showing 12.6 volts. I have good grounds and power everywhere. When I test voltage at the helm I do get 12.6 volts but heres the thing, as soon as I turn the ignition switch on, it drops to 9.8 slowly climbing up to 10.4ish. Now for the fun part... what is drinking all that voltage. I can hear the fuel pump prime and it does in fact stop. The voltage actually drops lower when that finishes its cycle. Any idea what could be the culprat. I made sure no accessories are on. Maybe I should seperate the engine from the ignition switch to see if the voltage drops that way it will tell me if its something on the engine or something remote.

Here is my engine information
Serial 0W349583
Transom 0W437734
Drive 0W279038

If i start the boat immediatly after turning the key on it sounds very strong and acts as if nothing is wrong. If i wait for the pump to finish priming (which I normally do) it still sounds semi strong but has the click. Sometimes even a grind at the end. I definitely want to keep the bad starting to a minimum because i don't want to be replacing my starter.

 

[Don S]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

Could be a bad battery. Have them load tested, only way to know for sure.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

have you removed the battery cable from the block (neg) and the starter(pos) and cleaned them.
What about the battery switch connections?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

You said you had the batteries load tested and that they were down very slightly from their rated capacity so you know those are OK. However, when you hit the starter and voltage drops that low you have just a couple of things that can cause that.
1) Bad/corroded cables. You checked and cleaned one end but you haven't said you cleaned the other end.
2) The starter solenoid or relay would not pull that much current either but the starter itself can. Bearings that are getting tight, bad brushes, or shorted windings can all affect starter operation and cause it to draw gobs of current. The fact that you have two good batteries and it takes both of them to spin the engine points to the starter. But again, don't pop for the starter until you've proven it is bad.

One way to eliminate a battery issue is to swap one of the batteries with the one from your truck or car. If it now starts the engine fine, you need a battery. If not, it is not a battery issue.

 

[abrx7]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

You said you had the batteries load tested and that they were down very slightly from their rated capacity so you know those are OK. However, when you hit the starter and voltage drops that low you have just a couple of things that can cause that.
.

This is before I even start it. When I put my multi-meter on the ignition switch, i get 12.6 volts. As soon as I turn the ignition to on (before starting), it drops to 9.5ish. I am almost positive the starter is fine as its not even initiated when the voltage drops. Of course it drops lower as soon as i engage it but that's going to happen regardless. I need to figure out what is stripping those 3 volts when I turn the key on. Whatever it is is drawing a heavy load.

 

[abrx7]

Re: Clicking while starting. Possible bad batteries

Found the problem. There is a 90 amp fuse assembly on the starter solenoid that was pretty well damaged.