Help w/ starting problem please

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
I a bad->good->worse problem with my ignition system this weekend. Hoping someone here can help diagnose it...

I launched my boat on Sat morning, and it wouldn't start. Sounded like a dead battery to me...engine gave maybe one weak crank, then click-click-click. I swapped out my starting battery with my new, fully charged deep cycle trolling motor battery (720 CCA), but got the same exact results. So, I put the batteries back and trolled across a small lake to my brother-in-law's cottage, and tried to start the boat so he could hear the noise - but it started right up. Ran it for a few minutes and all seemed fine, shut it off, and it started right up again. OK....so I take my kids tubing later that day - the boat started up great 10 or so times after shutting it off to change riders, then on the 11th or so start, it wouldn't start at all. Now I don't even get a weak attempt to turn over, or clicking noises...just nothing. Electrical stuff seems fine otherwise (lights, fish finder, trim, gauges, etc) - just nothing when I try to start it.

Friends at the lake were guessing either solenoid or starter. Someone else said that solenoids usually just go - they don't usually die/start working again/and die again(?) I'll throw the starting battery on a charger before I do anything else just as a sanity check - but I don't think it is the battery since it did the same thing on the trolling motor batter and electrical stuff seems fine otherwise.

Any ideas? Thanks a bunch for any suggestions.

Oh, it is a 2001 3.0L Volvo I/O, if that matters.

[Edited to make title more accurate - thanks Don S.]
 
Last edited:

mkast

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Nov 6, 2002
Messages
1,934
Re: Help w/ ignition problem please

Re: Help w/ ignition problem please

Clean both ends of both battery cables. Better yet, replace them with some adequate cables.
 

maxxman04

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
352
Re: Help w/ ignition problem please

Re: Help w/ ignition problem please

loose/broken wire. check wires at battery, all grounds, all wires at solenoid.
 

sidechoke67

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
244
Re: Help w/ starting problem please

Thanks guys.

Don S. - holy smokes! Thanks for putting that guide together! I'll go through the diagnostics.

My virus checker blocked it at first as potential porn (my young kids use this computer, to I've got the adult checker stuff set pretty stiff). Was worth over-ridding it in this case! :) Thanks again!
 
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