start wont engage? why not?

[peacekeeper6]

i cleaned all the connectionsd and got a new relay switch. but it still wont start up from the key. i tried troubleshooting it down and have some up with theres voltage at the ignitiona nd voltage at the 12V post. but the brand new relay wont engage. why not? i cleaned all grounds also. any help is appreciated.

 

[steelespike]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

Be sure to check all grounds.<br />There should be a neutral safety switch which may be out of adjustment or broken.Switch may be located at the controls or on the motor linkage somewhere.

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

its not that, when i got the boat the previous owner bypassed that it loosk like.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

With key in the start position (as far right as you can turn it) what voltage are you reading on the small wire on the starter solinoid? Try hooking a jumper cable from the positive lead on the battery to the starter lug. Will that crank the motor?

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

if i take the starter wire off and touch it to the 12v side of the relay it will crank. let me get a voltage at small wire

 

[eurolarva]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

The choke circuit should start at the C on your ignition switch. Not sure on the color on a force but it is yellow wire on a chrysler. It will got to the terminal block and then go to the interlock switch then to the starter solinoid. My guess is that either your ignition switch is the problem but more likely what ever way the interlock switch is jury rigged is the problem. If you run a jumper wire from the red battery lead to the small terminal on the solinid it should fire the starter.

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

well, i am getting 12V at the small red/yellow wire which is the start wire from my igniton. problem is the relay again i think. maybe i pick up another bad one. ealier today i wasnt registering any voltage at the dash but that corrected it self. from what i gather it should work. 12 at the 12 volt post. 12 at the activation post. no reistance in the ground wire. any other suggestions? in theory it should be good.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

Edited because of brain fart<br /><br /><br />Verify that the ground on the solinoid is grounded with an ohmeter. Should be a short from the body of the solinoid to the negative battery terminal. <br /><br />The solinoid can be tested on a work bench with a battery charger that can produce at least 10 amps. I would disconnect the solinoid and first test the ohms from the small wire lead to the ground. It will probably be less then an ohm. Probably around .8 ohms. When testing the solinoid on a work bench test it lying sideways with the plunger about 1 inch away from being all the way in the hole. When you touch the positive lead of the battery tester to the small positive lead on the solinoid is should draw the plunger deep into the hole.

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

you cant see the plunger at all with this relay. i had symptoms before it stopped completely. the symptom was taht the boat woudl take about 3 seconds to start turning over. so you would push key to start and hold for 3 seconds then it would start to turn over. does it matter what posts the 12V and the starter wire are on? does it matter for ground and iginition wire?

 

[eurolarva]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

I just found the part on the merc site. Never seen one like that before. I dont see a ground wire only three studs for wires. It should not matter which side battery power is connected and starter power is connected. When solinoid is energized it will create a short between battery power lead and starter power lead. I am not sure what will happen if you reverse ground and positive on the small wire. My guess is that by reversing polarity that the solinoid will not work.<br /><br />Sorry about the plunger comment. I keep getting this confused with the choke solinoid. Have you measured the resistance between the small wire hookup and the ground on the solinoid? Should read about an ohm or 2

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

there is 0 resistance between the 4th post on the soloind and ground. the originial one i had, had 4 posts. 1989 L drive 125. since i am reading 12 volts at the trigger post and 12 volts at the 12volt post it should work. cause there is no reisistance in the ground wire. i am very stumped at the moment can u send me the link u are looking at?

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

Dough Russel shows one with a 4 post, which looks alot like mine. i went to the autoparts store and bought a ford relay which shouldnt be any different, they are all 12 volt relays.

 

[eurolarva]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

Item 5 on this LINK

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

yea thats the same one, it has 4 posts. i dont understand it. i really dont unless this is another faulty soleniod

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: start wont engage? why not?

all fixed, the new relay had the ground in the opposite position. . . polarity matters for future refernces.