Starter current

[J1mbo]

I have a 2006 250 HPDI that is hard to start first time in the morning. It will crank hard and stall 5 or 6 times then it will run fine all day. My first step will be to check starter current draw. I can't find the spec for this in the service manual. Can someone help.

 

[99yam40]

Re: Starter current

If you mean it will turn over slowly and stop turning several times before it fires up, then 1st thing to check is battery, voltages, and all battery cables and connections

 

[J1mbo]

Re: Starter current

If you mean it will turn over slowly and stop turning several times before it fires up, then 1st thing to check is battery, voltages, and all battery cables and connections

I guess I should have expected this. Yes you are correct and that was the first thing I checked. The battery is brand new 1000 cca tested good fully charged and all conections are clean and good. My next step is starter current and that is what I need the specs on.

 

[99yam40]

Re: Starter current

Never seen a spec on that, sorry.

Check voltage at starter or at least at the start relay to see if it is dropping too far while under load.
Low voltage at starter motor will cause amps to go high also,could be a bad cable or cable end causing too much resistance

 

[stylesabu]

Re: Starter current

Im guessing but amp draw on yhay size motor would be 175 amps give or take 25 dependind on condition and age of starter. now how are you going to measure amp draw I know how to do it on a car in service garage with a vat. but a boat seems a little harder to do that on. so as 99yam40 said lets look for voltage drop, voltage will drop at a poor conection, you can't always tell by looking. i have seen cables that look fine, that showed voltage drop, and once i cut cable open i found cause, corosion. you could try a good set of jumper cables and buy pass switches and relays. this will tell you if your starter is the problem or not. and if starter test ok then you still have to fine the problem. a voltmeter can get you your answers

 

[J1mbo]

Re: Starter current

I am familiar with testing for voltage drop and I am familiar with using a vat. With a volt meter you can tell if the starter is bad most of the time. With and amp meter and a volt meter ( essentially a VAT ) and a known spec you tell quite a bit more and save a lot of time. My guess would be around 75 amps also. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[99yam40]

Re: Starter current

Like I said never seen a spec on starter amp draw, but maybe you can find someone else with a large motor and measure what theirs pulls normally.

But if the voltage drops too low it is a problem also, as you said. apparently you have some electrical back ground and the tools to measure the proper things.

If you did not catch it he said around 175 not 75, but I have no idea what it should pull.
If it is turning slowly and stalling then it will be pulling a lot more than it should. Just need to find out why

 

[yamatech43]

Re: Starter current

Another thing, the KISS rule comes into this....I have NEVER, EVER seen a Yamaha starter on a larger size engine go bad in less than ten years and that is with saltwater corrosion just covering it up....but hey, I'm sure it happens to somebody, somewhere. Hope it ain't you, cause man they are proud of em.

 

[J1mbo]

Re: Starter current

Another thing, the KISS rule comes into this....I have NEVER, EVER seen a Yamaha starter on a larger size engine go bad in less than ten years and that is with saltwater corrosion just covering it up....but hey, I'm sure it happens to somebody, somewhere. Hope it ain't you, cause man they are proud of em.

This is exactly what I was hoping to hear and partly why I wanted to know the current draw. If the starter is not bad then something else is making the slow cranking. It is only slow cranking for the first start of the day. I would also suspect that it is related to the stalling issue. I actually am thinking it is fuel related but I don't want to make any assumptions till I start checking. Thank you all for the replies.

 

[stylesabu]

Re: Starter current

sounds like high resistance in cables, did both start at sane time? you can test cables with ohm meter, while cranking, if resistance jumps check ends , and don't forget they can corrode under insulation where you cant see

 

[jawbreaker23]

Re: Starter current

sounds like high resistance in cables, did both start at sane time? you can test cables with ohm meter, while cranking, if resistance jumps check ends , and don't forget they can corrode under insulation where you cant see

i have a similar problem. i have a 225 four stroke, starter does not want to engage and spin motor. i removed starter bench tested starter the starter spins out fine. reinatalled started performed power checks to starter without a wiring diag. i figured out i have a power drop before it reaches the starter.
i have power on a brown wire at the ign switch with the switch in start position. on the front of the engine there is a brown wire connected to a relay with a bullit splice it reads continuity from the ign switch. i did a voltage test at the bullit splice i have less than 5vdc in the start position. on my matching 225 i have a good 12vdc at the same location. i think the wire wire runs through the nuetral safety switch before it reaches the bullit splice where i am seeing the voltage drop, suspect the nutural safety switch. i am waiting for a helper to work the switch before doing more power checks.
any other suggestions before i resume troubleshooting