Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

[halcrimm]

Well, back again. Finally had some time to try and work on engine and have been unable to get it started. Used the troubleshooting procedure from the stickies, (Troubleshooting your engines starting system - http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=167035) and was unable to determine a problem. I have a fully charged battery. I pull the throttle shifter out and forward to the neutral position then turn the key to the start position. All I get is a single click. I worked through the procedure mentioned above and worked through the slave solenoid issues then moved on to the portion for a bad starter. I touch terminal B and did NOT get a light. Does this mean that I do not have a bad starter? Is there anything else I can do to check and see if the starter is the issue.

Would love any help you guys can offer.
Thanks
Hal

 

[86 century]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

It means you are not getting power to that point.

Do you have power at a and c with the key in start position.

If yes the solenoid is bad
If no then the problem could be the key switch or battery cable.

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Good Morning 86 Century, when you ask about points A and C, do you mean on the starter solenoid or in the slave solenoid?
Hal

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

What year?
Do you have the service manual?

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Have a look thru this:
Service Manual#13 for your engine. The link below will take you to the wiring diagrams for the engine.
http://boatinfo.no/lib/mercruiser/manuals/mercruiser13.html#/250

Your starter needs 12v on the following colored wires to crank the engine:
on the yellow/red wire which gets power thru slave solenoid which gets energized from the ignition switch. It will only have power on the yellow/red while the key is in "start position" not "run position",

and the large red wire from the battery which will have power there all the time running or not.

Use a small wire to jump power from the large red wire and the small yellow/red terminal, being carefull not to let any exposed wires touch any other terminals or ground anywhere... see if that cranks the engine.

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

it is a 1992 and I do have the service manual. thanks for any suggestions.
Hal

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Well, back again. Finally had some time to try and work on engine and have been unable to get it started. Used the troubleshooting procedure from the stickies, (Troubleshooting your engines starting system - http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=167035) and was unable to determine a problem. I have a fully charged battery. I pull the throttle shifter out and forward to the neutral position then turn the key to the start position. All I get is a single click. I worked through the procedure mentioned above and worked through the slave solenoid issues then moved on to the portion for a bad starter. I touch terminal B and did NOT get a light. Does this mean that I do not have a bad starter? Is there anything else I can do to check and see if the starter is the issue.

Would love any help you guys can offer.
Thanks
Hal

Terminal B on the starter should be yellow/red coming from the slave "A" terminal if I am looking at the diagram correctly. It will only have 12v on it when the key is turned to start the engine.

Think of this like a series of switches in your house. The ignition switch is first, then power runs thru the neutral safety switch at your remote shifter, then runs down to the slave solenoid, then to the starter solenoid then the starter.

All of the switches have to be on for the light to work. One of yours is off.

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Eric, I am understanding what your saying. as far as jumpering from the red wire on the starter to the Yel/Red, is it the yel/red terminal on the starter or the slave solenoid.
Hal

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

The slave will have 2 yellow/red wires, one from the ignition switch and one down to the starter. Both will only receive 12v while the key is in start. If you jump the red from the starter with the yellow/red on the starter, and it cranks the starter is good, and not getting power on the yellow/red.



When terminal C on your slave gets 12v, A and B terminals on the slave touch together internally and become connected.

When terminal B on your starter gets 12v, A and C terminals on the starter touch together internally and become connected.

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Alright Eric, going out to the boat. Will let you know what happens (hopefully good things ) in a while.
Hal

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

okay, this is what happened. made a jumper with 10 gauge wire and clips. Connected one lead to post with red lead and touched and held other clip to Yel/Red terminal. And........ Nothing happened but a little spark from Yel/Red terminal when touching and disconnecting from terminal.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Sounds like the starter solenoid is not working. Or the starter has issues.
Is the ground from the battery to the engine clean and tight and well as the two large terminals on the starter solenoid?

When you did that jumper, you should have power on the starter going From A to C, check C for power while the jumper is on.


While the jumper is on you can try and tap the side of the starter it may kick in, but would need a replacement or rebuild.

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Okay, so I connected jumper to terminal A and C on starter and I do have 12 volts on terminal C. With jumpers attached I tap on the starter and I get a single click. When I disconnect jumper from terminal C I hear one more click, almost like it is releasing. Releasing from what I do not know.
Hal

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

With power directly at terminal C on the starter and the starter is not working, then that is your answer. Basically you removed all the switches and have power directly on the starter itself and it is still not working.

http://www.dbelectrical.com/p-2285-new-mercruiser-omc-starter-30-long-short-mount-sdr0272.aspx

The only other thing would be that the engine is locked up itself and the starter can't turn it.

Try turning the engine by hand with a socket and 1/2" drive ratchet off the front pulley center bolt, and see if the engine will turn over. It if won't, then there is something else going on here.

Could be the engine or drive frozen if it won't turn

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Eric, again I appreciate all of your help. I have tried to turn the engine by hand but was unable to get a 1/2" drive socket on the front pulley. The space between the motor mount and the pulley is to tight to get one in there. I asked about this on a different thread and was told that this engine is not able to be turned over that way.

I did get the old starter motor out today and placed an order for a new one from the link you provided. Hopefully in 3-4 days the outcome will be better. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Hal

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Finally got the new starter. As soon as the tornado watch was over I went outside to install. crossed my fingers and turned the key and the engine tries to start. Battery died almost immediately though. Battery is on charger but it looks like new battery soon. will try trying and updating.

Thanks Eric for the link to get a new starter.
Hal

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

Got the battery all charged and tried again to start. Engine turns over fine ( I think ) but will not start. Bought and replaced spark plugs but made no difference. I am going to order a new plug wire kit. Any suggestions of things I should try. I did put about 3 gallons of fuel in the tank ( it was empty before I started trying to crank ). I didn't want to put to much fuel in the tank in the event it never started. Should I put more fuel in before trying again? Should the spark plug wires have 0 ohms across them. Made since to me that they should but I thought I would ask.
Hal

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

If its been awhile since this thing has been run, have you primed the carb? Just a tblspoon or two should do it until the lines fill back up.

 

[halcrimm]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

hi KTBARRENTINE, it has been 4-5 years since this engine has run. I am not sure how to prim the carberator. I will look in service manual unless you have a way for me to do it.

 

[ktbarrentine]

Re: Still cannot start engine Mercruiser 3.0L Alpha I Gen 2 SN#OD714746

You simply take off the flash arrestor and carefully pour in a small amount of gas into the venturis. This takes place of what would normally be in the carb bowl and what would be squirted into the venturis with the accelerator pump. Sounds like your carb is bone dry. Of course, a great deal of cranking would eventually fill the bowl, and the acc pump would then work... but most people just use the manual squirt method to avoid running the starter so much. Good luck!! Oh, and be careful with the gas!