Slow to no cranking at times

Laneman25

Seaman
Joined
Oct 24, 2023
Messages
71
5.0 GL Cranks slow at times, sometimes it's fine. All cables in engine area clean and tight. Battery at 12.8, 14 volts while running. Ignition switch? Starter? Solenoid? How do I narrow it down?
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
49,566
pull the plugs, does water shoot out the plug holes?

did you clean all the battery cable connections with 150 grit sand paper?
 

Laneman25

Seaman
Joined
Oct 24, 2023
Messages
71
I cleaned the pos terminal cause it had some green powder starting. Neg looked good on outside but I didn't clean it.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,537
While cranking, measure voltage drop in the negative cable followed by the positive cable.

Measure the voltage of the battery to see what it drops to while cranking. The voltage should be lower than between 9.6V and 10.0V.
 

Donald0039

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 11, 2022
Messages
402
Could be bad solenoid. Or even bad starter. Load test the battery with a carbon pile load tester set to 1/2 CCA for 15 seconds. Read voltage at the end of 15 seconds.
 
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