Starter acting very weak

[bucmac79]

I have a 92 tracker nitro with a johnson 115. Its been sitting for a few months. We had our first warm weekend of the year and I charged the battery in my boat and tried to start it. The starter first just spun free without engaging. I then engaged it myself and it would barely turn the motor over. But when i took the sparkplugs out it would turn over. I don't have a multi-meter at my house but I plan on getting one tomorrow. Anyone have any other suggestions to test this starter? Or should I check other parts?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Starter acting very weak

The quickest way to check is to get a set of car jumper cables and directly jump it from the battery to the starter. Make sure the battery is charged. Are you sure the battery is good?

If the starter works when jumped directly, then check every connection between the battery and starter for corrosion, including the ground connection.

 

[JB]

Re: Starter acting very weak

If the starter works when jumped directly, then check every connection between the battery and starter for corrosion, including the ground connection.

This is classic symptoms of slight corrosion in the high current circuit. Disconnect, clean and reattach all connections from the battery. The worst offender is where the ground cable from the battery bolts to the engine block.

Both ends of all big wires. Clean looking and tight just isn't good enough.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter acting very weak

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad

 

[bucmac79]

Re: Starter acting very weak

Thanks very much for the info. I love this forum. Always helps me with the little problems a boat owner encounters.