Electric Starter Diagnosis

[SkipMoss]

Using Electric Starter Circuit Diagnosis from Iboat forum and with your help using a voltmeter have gone through all the steps successfully until the last one(Jumper Wire between no 2 on solonoid to negative ground) Positive to battery and negative to solonoid or the negative on the ignition switch produced no reading. The wire is new and the connections are clean. Any further check to pinpoint this problem.<br />Thanks, <br />Skip

 

[JB]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

Tell us what engine you are working on and what your symptoms are, Skip.

 

[SkipMoss]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

65 hspr Evinrude 1972. No Spark and no current going to start engine.<br /> Thanks <br /> Skip

 

[JB]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

Hmmmm. That sounds like a neutral start switch or the ignition switch, Skip. Also possibly in the harness, but you seem to have eliminated that.<br /><br />What happens if you jump the battery positive directly to the stud on the starter motor? This would bypass both suspects.

 

[SkipMoss]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

Jumped the battery positive directly to the stud on the starter motor, and nothing happened at all, not even a click. Left the negative on the battery, and didn't jump that. Is there a progression to check through the negative grounds.<br /> Thanks,<br /> Skip

 

[JB]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

You may have an "open" ground, Skip. Try jumping the battery + to the big stud on the starter motor again, but this time jump the battery - to the engine block as well. If that gets the starter motor to wind up you have an open ground.<br /><br />Start at the connection where the ground cable from the battery is bolted to the engine block, then the connection at the battery, and finally the ground cable itself. Do not take good mechanical connection as good electrical connection. Take them off and clean them thoroughly.<br /><br />When you check the ground cable, check for corrosion under any break in the insulation and adjacent to the end connectors.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[JB]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

You may have an "open" ground, Skip. Try jumping the battery + to the big stud on the starter motor again, but this time jump the battery - to the engine block as well. If that gets the starter motor to wind up you have an open ground.<br /><br />Start at the connection where the ground cable from the battery is bolted to the engine block, then the connection at the battery, and finally the ground cable itself. Do not take good mechanical connection as good electrical connection. Take them off and clean them thoroughly.<br /><br />When you check the ground cable, check for corrosion under any break in the insulation and adjacent to the end connectors.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[SkipMoss]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

Cleaned connections and the starter turned over. Came back the next day and the only thing that happened was the solonoid clicked. Battery charged. Can the voltmeter be used to check through the connections on the negative side, as this seems to be where the problem is.<br /> Thanks<br /> Skip

 

[OBJ]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

Skip, take a jumper wire and jump 12volts to the solenoid white wire post. If the solenoid just clicks and the starter doesen't spin, jump the large posts on the solenoid. If the starter spins, most likely the solenoid contacts have burned to the point of poor or do contact. Replace the solenoid.

 

[SkipMoss]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

Does the cable from the positive on the battery to the solonoid have to be disconnected before the jumper wire is used or doesn't make any difference.<br /><br /> Thanks, <br /> Skip

 

[OBJ]

Re: Electric Starter Diagnosis

No Skip, leave it connected to the solenoid. What your trying to do is test the solenoid itself. So the battery needs to be connected.