trouble starting

[joysticks]

You prolly answered this a lot of times but didn't find it in forums. I recently changed my bellows, worked on the shift shaft, put outdrive back on (previous threads of mine). Tried to start it and got a high whirring sound at first. Now I get a large click when turning the key, not the clicking. Battery is charged. What do you think this can be and how do I fix it. thanx

 

[Bt Doctur]

a soft click like a slave solenoid or more of a loud crunch

 

[joysticks]

I think it's more of a large click,( I've had the soft clicking previous years), but its not a crunch. I usually buy a new starter every year because I am in the northeast and they get moist in the winter. I would like to try to avoid that if possible. Besides its not the same clicking. Its turn key, click, turn, click. Not turn key, click click click. if that makes any sense.

 

[joysticks]

I think it's more of a large click,( I've had the soft clicking previous years), but its not a crunch. I usually buy a new starter every year because I am in the northeast and they get moist in the winter. I would like to try to avoid that if possible. Besides its not the same clicking. Its turn key, click, turn, click. Not turn key, click click click. if that makes any sense. Maybe the previous clicking was from a bad battery.

 

[acdc96]

Check your battery again. The battery on my mercrusier I use to start it is 8 years old and sometimes when it's low after cranking the motor to get it started it will stop and clunk and sorta just do nothing after that clunk. what engine and drive do you have in your boat?

 

[salty3rd]

If you are sure the battery is good check all your electrical connections are clean and tight, don't forget the grounds..good luck

 

[joysticks]

I did clean connections, actually not the grounds, I dont know where the main ground is. I have a mercruiser 3.0 with an alpha 1 gen 2. acdc96 - I dont think its a clunk but that is what is going on, a large click and nothing until I turn key again. The battery was charged and still holds a charge. Does anyone think I should try to jump it with my car?Actually there is no water in the engine because it has not been put in the water yet. Dont want to put it in the water until I make sure it starts and goes into gear. Last year I put it in the water after haphazardly putting the drive on and it was stuck in reverse. I have to ask a neighbor to put it in for me so I kinda want to avoid the embarrassment if possible.

 

[joysticks]

ok I was just out there, I could call it a clunk, from the area of the starter, slave solenoid.

 

[joysticks]

I just jumped the slave solenoid and the starter didnt do anything, so I guess I am in need of a new starter, right?

 

[NHGuy]

So try the key, just bump it a little to see if it wants to crank. If it clunks and won't turn see if there's water in the combustion chambers, remove the spark plugs and see if it spins then.

 

[joysticks]

ugh, ok do you mean water in the engine?

 

[Maclin]

I would pull all the spark plugs now and see if any water comes out.

 

[joysticks]

the spark plugs are rusty :blue: well thank you guys. this has been a crazy day. I think I'll deal with this tomorrow, feel free to let me know what I need to do now

 

[joysticks]

the water must have got in there when the bellows came loose at the end of last season :blue: I was hoping the bellows came apart over the winter

 

[Maclin]

Were they rusty on the outside, or the electrode ends? Were all of them rusty?

Water will not get into the cylinders from a bad exhaust or driveshaft bellows. Water can get into the cylinder from riser gasket failure or exhaust manifold cracks as exhausted cooling water creeps into a cylinder with an open exhaust valve, this happens when the engine has been running then shut down. It can also enter thru the top of the carb (rainwater) then into a cylinder if the engine is not covered well. It can get backwash up the exhaust during a sudden shutdown at speed if flappers are bad. If the plugs were rusty on the electrode ends but no water came out then the water must have worked it's way past the rings into the crankcase. During the time the water was in the cylinder it could have corroded the cylinder walls at the rings setting up a ridge that the starter may have problems overcoming. All of this is speculation until you show pics of the plugs.

 

[joysticks]

No Title

ok they seem to have rust in the middle part and except for the last one that is dry, they are not showing rust farther in.When I try to start w/o the plugs, I get the same clunk then another sound-like ahh. When I first checked the oil it seemed to have a tiny bit of milky stuff at the bottom end, but when I pulled the dipstick out the second time, it seemed very clean. When my phone charges up I should have pics I took outside

 

[joysticks]

now I remember that one of the was out and I plugged it back in yesterday-prolly the dry one. I did not see any water come out of the cylinders when I tried to start it w/o plugs. Before I was hoping I wouldnt have to pull the starter, now I'm hoping it is the starter.We are going to have a lot of rain tomorrow night, so hoping I can get something done before that. and yeah thats my arm and yeah I am a girl

 

[joysticks]

yeah they were rusty on the outside. Last year when the bellows first failed, I got water into the boat above where the dipstick goes in( was on vacation). I also had water in the engine, figured it got in from there. I changed the oil twice before putting it back in water and it was running, only in reverse. I also had replaced the starter as I do every year.

 

[joysticks]

No Title

phone is not working,so tried to get pic in the light,

 

[Fishermark]

Bottom line is you need to see if the engine is locked up first. With the plugs out see if you can turn the engine by hand. Use the front pulley to see if you can turn the engine. You can even use a screwdriver or something similar between the bolts holding the circulating pump pulley. If you can turn the engine, then good. If not... then bad.

Then use the troubleshooting chart from Don S in the stickies at the top of the page to help diagnose your starter issue.