OnTheBenchAgain
Cadet
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2010
- Messages
- 8
Hello all,
I am in the process of upgrading to a new boat but must fix the old boat first(technically I am downsizing by a foot but jumping 20 years newer). In the process I am trading in my 1976 Winner with twin 1976 351w engines in recent years I have done and had done a great deal of work to the boat and to the engines, but did not get out at all last year because every time I showed up at the marina the boat had yet another problem. I did fire both engines up a couple of times last year off the water using a hose and then winterized them again. When the broker, that I am trading the boat to, asked if she would fire up I was confident when I answered yes. For the port engine I was correct but for the starboard engine not so much. So below I will try to explain the issue and give all the detail asked for in Bt Doctur post. Please help as I am supposed to trade the boat by the 27th and need to fire both engines to do it. I feel as if I am missing something in my troubleshooting.
1. Engine year - 1976, make - Ford (Marine?), type (351w)
2. Type and model of outdrive ? No outdrive just V-drive to the props
3. EXACTLY what it's doing wrong ?
Yesterday when I tried to fire the engines I was able to get the port engine to fire off of one of four batteries (voltage test of main battery 1 and 2 yesterday read in high 11?s 11.86v for one and 11.98v for the other) but neither were able to fire the port engine after winter storage. Checked voltage on backup battery 1 and found the both it and backup battery 2 voltage read in high 12?s) fired port engine without incident on backup battery 1 ran it for 10 min to let alternator refresh battery and moved on to testing starboard engine. Using same battery the starter made a noticeable but not overly loud Curchunk (likely the piston extending I thought but then made no further noise) hooked up to both main batteries got the Curchunk then a bit of clicking, noted that both + lead on the battery and battery itself got very hot on attempted starts, needed additional tools and light so I called it a day and left one of the main batteries overnight on 2Amp charger.
Today I called the mechanic and had him do the breaker bar test and found that engine rotated just fine he also checked the port engine just to make sure I hadn?t mixed up my port and starboard (he is a very nice guy)
I was able to make it back to the boat this evening with the wife (Yes I am a lucky man) and she and I continued to troubleshoot after I spent a couple hours reading on the internet and in this forum possible causes. I tested the main battery that I had left to charge last night and found that it now tests at 12.87v, I tested the backup battery that fired the port engine yesterday and it still tested in the high 12?s i think it was 12.57v but didn't write it down, I disconnected both leads and tested ohms between the leads and my tester read clean no continuity, I cleaned all terminals as I assumed that heat means resistance some of the terminals were corroded but it didn?t seem bad enough to cause this kind of heat, I traced all the wires and cleaned off the terminals on the back of the battery switch as well as the starter, found that another connection existed on this battery switch going to nowhere (might have gone to a hot water heater that the last owner removed) removed it from the battery switch so just the engine was on that switch, tested ground battery lead to engine and got good connectivity 000 on my tester, checked + battery lead to starter and got good connectivity 001 to 000 bouncing on my tester, tapped on starter case to ensure that starter wasn?t seized, reconnected all leads to battery, tried to turn over engine; engine would wind (very slowly) but it sounded like the starter was not getting enough juice. Tested with known good battery from yesterday and all I get is clicks, thought that i may have tosted this battery yesterday so went on to test with second backup battery also testing in high 12?s and nothing but clicks; I am left with the question of if it is the starter, the solenoid, the batteries or something else I am missing?
4.My plan ? my plan is tomorrow to first see if it is the battery by driving my car over and try to give the boat a jump start of sorts; If this doesn't work then take batteries to get tested at local auto parts store and at the same time (no need to make two trips to the auto parts store take the starter and solenoid off (they are one piece) and have them tested at the auto parts store.
What am I missing? ? I feel like I am missing something basic and I can?t put my finger on what it is. Probably something gleaned from weekends spent under the hood of the family cars with my shade tree mechanic father, but even in talking to him he can?t seem to remember anything about the old ?simple? engines that I am missing.
Please let me know your thoughts I am a man of my word and this engine either will turn over or I will go to the guy and let him know it won?t, possibly destroying the dream of the new (easier if there is such a thing?) boat.
I am in the process of upgrading to a new boat but must fix the old boat first(technically I am downsizing by a foot but jumping 20 years newer). In the process I am trading in my 1976 Winner with twin 1976 351w engines in recent years I have done and had done a great deal of work to the boat and to the engines, but did not get out at all last year because every time I showed up at the marina the boat had yet another problem. I did fire both engines up a couple of times last year off the water using a hose and then winterized them again. When the broker, that I am trading the boat to, asked if she would fire up I was confident when I answered yes. For the port engine I was correct but for the starboard engine not so much. So below I will try to explain the issue and give all the detail asked for in Bt Doctur post. Please help as I am supposed to trade the boat by the 27th and need to fire both engines to do it. I feel as if I am missing something in my troubleshooting.
1. Engine year - 1976, make - Ford (Marine?), type (351w)
2. Type and model of outdrive ? No outdrive just V-drive to the props
3. EXACTLY what it's doing wrong ?
Yesterday when I tried to fire the engines I was able to get the port engine to fire off of one of four batteries (voltage test of main battery 1 and 2 yesterday read in high 11?s 11.86v for one and 11.98v for the other) but neither were able to fire the port engine after winter storage. Checked voltage on backup battery 1 and found the both it and backup battery 2 voltage read in high 12?s) fired port engine without incident on backup battery 1 ran it for 10 min to let alternator refresh battery and moved on to testing starboard engine. Using same battery the starter made a noticeable but not overly loud Curchunk (likely the piston extending I thought but then made no further noise) hooked up to both main batteries got the Curchunk then a bit of clicking, noted that both + lead on the battery and battery itself got very hot on attempted starts, needed additional tools and light so I called it a day and left one of the main batteries overnight on 2Amp charger.
Today I called the mechanic and had him do the breaker bar test and found that engine rotated just fine he also checked the port engine just to make sure I hadn?t mixed up my port and starboard (he is a very nice guy)
I was able to make it back to the boat this evening with the wife (Yes I am a lucky man) and she and I continued to troubleshoot after I spent a couple hours reading on the internet and in this forum possible causes. I tested the main battery that I had left to charge last night and found that it now tests at 12.87v, I tested the backup battery that fired the port engine yesterday and it still tested in the high 12?s i think it was 12.57v but didn't write it down, I disconnected both leads and tested ohms between the leads and my tester read clean no continuity, I cleaned all terminals as I assumed that heat means resistance some of the terminals were corroded but it didn?t seem bad enough to cause this kind of heat, I traced all the wires and cleaned off the terminals on the back of the battery switch as well as the starter, found that another connection existed on this battery switch going to nowhere (might have gone to a hot water heater that the last owner removed) removed it from the battery switch so just the engine was on that switch, tested ground battery lead to engine and got good connectivity 000 on my tester, checked + battery lead to starter and got good connectivity 001 to 000 bouncing on my tester, tapped on starter case to ensure that starter wasn?t seized, reconnected all leads to battery, tried to turn over engine; engine would wind (very slowly) but it sounded like the starter was not getting enough juice. Tested with known good battery from yesterday and all I get is clicks, thought that i may have tosted this battery yesterday so went on to test with second backup battery also testing in high 12?s and nothing but clicks; I am left with the question of if it is the starter, the solenoid, the batteries or something else I am missing?
4.My plan ? my plan is tomorrow to first see if it is the battery by driving my car over and try to give the boat a jump start of sorts; If this doesn't work then take batteries to get tested at local auto parts store and at the same time (no need to make two trips to the auto parts store take the starter and solenoid off (they are one piece) and have them tested at the auto parts store.
What am I missing? ? I feel like I am missing something basic and I can?t put my finger on what it is. Probably something gleaned from weekends spent under the hood of the family cars with my shade tree mechanic father, but even in talking to him he can?t seem to remember anything about the old ?simple? engines that I am missing.
Please let me know your thoughts I am a man of my word and this engine either will turn over or I will go to the guy and let him know it won?t, possibly destroying the dream of the new (easier if there is such a thing?) boat.
