Re: '84 FORCE 85hp. dead. help?
Well your starter seems OK then. If you tried with the battery out of the boat and the key in the off position the motor will not start.
Have you tried fitting the battery back into the boat and starting as you would normally? There is a circuit breaker that may have tripped. Have you checked it? Not sure where it is but it will be on the motor somewhere. It will have 3 red wires coming from it. One wire goes to the battery side of the Solenoid, the other to the rectifier and the remaining wire to the third from bottom connection on the terminal block on the engine. Photo of your motor below has where I think it could be.
You may have two problems at the moment. One the starting system and the other something with the motor that is preventing it from running.
Two new tests for the starting system. Not trying to get the motor started at this point. The first checks the main wires from the battery to the starter and the second tests the solenoid.
TEST 1
Testing the main cables from the battery. Ignition switched off.
Find the solenoid and refer to “TEST 1" photo below.
(I have attached a photo of the solenoid in my boat in case it is some help).
Your solenoid my have a different configuration to this drawing. The heavy terminals will be the positive in and out. The smaller ones will be earth(black or green) and positive from the switch ( yellow) possibly.
First test is to bridge the terminals on the solenoid from “A” to “B” with a screw driver or insulated piece of metal. Precautions as mentioned in the last post eg moving parts and sparks. Again only short burst as there is no fuse.
If this works it means the main cables from the starter to the battery are OK. Move on to “TEST 2”.
If not you will need to check for corrosion, frayed wires or loose connections. The earth wire where it connects to the block of the engine is worth checking.
You can check the earth cable by running a jumper cable from the Negative terminal of the battery and touching it to the Engine block or any good earthing spot on the engine and run the test again. If it does work you need to fix the earth cable.
There are two positive cables. One from the starter to the solenoid (terminal “B”) and one from the solenoid (terminal “A”) to the battery. You could test the short positive cable by touching the positive jumper cable to terminal “B” on the solenoid. Again if it works the short cable is OK and the problem is with the main positive cable between the battery and the solenoid.
TEST1
TEST 2
Testing the solenoid. Refer “Test 2” photo. You need to have preformed “test 1” first to make sure the main cables are OK.
This test supplies power to the switching circuit of the solenoid to make it work.
Bridge the terminals on the solenoid from “A” to “C” with a screw driver or insulated piece of metal. Precautions as mentioned in the last post eg moving parts and sparks. Again only short burst as there is no fuse.
If this works it means the solenoid is OK.
If it doesn’t the problem could be the earth switch wire at terminal “D” or the solenoid. Run a temporary wire from terminal “D” to ground and test again. If it now works fit a new earth wire as the old one is faulty. If is still doesn’t work after replacing the wire your solenoid is faulty.
TEST2
Photo of my solenoid so you can see the wires
Your motor.
If that is not the circuit breaker hopefully some else will help.
Photo of where your solenoid is. I suspect the B terminal on your solenoid is closest to you in this photo. ( the whole senenoid is upside down to the diagrams.
If the solenoid is OK there is a fault in the ignition circuit supplying power to the switching side of the solenoid. The fault could be corroded wires, connectors, ignition switch or neutral switch.
I will stop here as this post is getting a bit long. Post your results and we will take it from there.
Good Luck.
