Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

[Homeseller]

I bought a used 1985 Alumaweld 18 Ft Boat. I spent two mounths tearing it down to a hull and painting, re-wiring the dash, on and on.<br /><br />Turned out really cool by the way <br /><br />I went out for my first drive yesterday. That 200 HP with a jet pump kicked some butt!<br /><br />After about two miles I shut it off and ran the kicker motor. Went to re-start the 200HP and it sounded like dead batterys. Then after a few trys the starter did nothing. Dead, notta. <br /><br />I had to come back to launch by kicker motor. The batterys were low but the kicker re-charged them. Still turn the key on the 200 Merc. and nothing. Dead.<br /><br />I then found that I screwed up and place one of the ground wires from one battery to the ground side of the other battery. I know I AM A MORON! <br /><br />What did I screw up? Does anyone live close to Sacramento California who wants to make a few bucks?<br /><br />The motor is a 200HP Merc. serial number OB105553 model 1200726. Have not been able to find out what year that is. I would have better luck trying to hunt down my long lost Dad for child support then finding info about what year a outboard motor is. some kind of big secret Merc has.<br /><br />Thanks for any help. I do get power to the thingy next to the Starter on one side when the key is on.

 

[dilligafda]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Well I can help with the year, it's a 1986. I'm not too sure about the electrical thing though. What was the major issue? You were able to start the 200 once, what happened with the ground cable again? I'm a bit confused.

 

[Homeseller]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

The motor ran great. I shut it off and then went to restart it about thirty minutes later. Something took the charge out of the batterys and the motor just burbed when I turned the key the first five os so times. Then when I turned the key. The motor did nothing. Everything else works fine.<br /><br />After charging the batterys by running the kicker motor (I have a battery tester) . I turned the key to the 200HP and nothing. I have turned the screw on top of the fly wheel and the motor is free. when I turn the key to start on the 200HP. There is not even a click.<br /><br />Electronics is my weak point. I can fix about any thing else.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Have you tried jumping directly to the starter from the battery and bypassing the selonoid?

 

[Homeseller]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Oh and the ground cable (sorry).<br /><br />when I could not start the 200HP. I noticed that I had hooked the ground cable from one battery ground terminal to the second batterys ground side terminal and then grounded the second battery ground cable to the boat itself.<br /><br />I do not know if that would hurt something. But with my luck I am sure if it did. It will cost me big time.

 

[Homeseller]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Have you tried jumping directly to the starter from the battery and bypassing the selonoid? <br /><br />_____________________________________<br /><br />Yes. I just tryed it and it sparked and engadged the starter.<br /><br />Is that the problem?

 

[KCLOST]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

At the solenoid, you can jump from one lead to another, One is a black wire with a read sleave near the connection and the other is a Yellow wire with a black sleave (approx. 3/8" diameter wires). Use a heavy guage piece of wire (insulated) and see if it cranks when jumping from one lead to the other. You will see some sparks when you touch the leads so don't be scared. The solenoid is just left of the starter. If it cranks, you might just have a fuse blown (there are a couple in-line fuses on that same side of the motor with red wires going to them).<br /><br />Hooking up battery ground cables wrong could mess up some fuses. So if it won't turn over, it's probably not a catastrophy. <br /><br />It sounds minor, so calm down. If your not getting any thing (noise) when cranking, it could be a simple fuse problem. Make sure your batteries are connected properly and charged. Also turn the key on before testing.<br />Let us know what you find out.

 

[gss036]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Make sure you are in nuetral (I have made that mistake)then check the wiring harness plug on the lower starboard side of the block. Good luck

 

[Homeseller]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

wiring harness plug is good. There seems to only be one fuse and it is good also. <br /><br />I have order a new started cylanoid (spelling?) and it should be in monday.<br /><br />Hope that is all to it.

 

[KCLOST]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

There's another fuse in there somewhere.<br /><br />It's an inline fuse on the starboard side. There are two of them... One's up high above the switchboxes, the other in front of them (I think). I had one go on me, and I got nothing like you are, no power to anything (even guages).

 

[Homeseller]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Found the second fuse and it was good.<br /><br />I never would have seen it if you would not have told me it was there.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

Sounds like the selonoid to me. Do you have 12 Volts to it when you turn the key to start?

 

[TampaTom]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

You need to get a multi meter and check for 12 volts at the starter, then selenoid, and keep working back. Its common pratice to have two batteries connected through the neg battery terminal and positive terminals leading to a off,1,both,2 switch. If you disconected the negative cable between the two batteries, you may have cut your power. Look at West Marine advisor, search this forum, and yahoo for marine battery setup.

 

[Homeseller]

Re: Won't start. Notta! Nothing, 200HP Merc.

GOT IT!<br /><br />It was the selenoid. Now motor starts just fine.<br /><br />Thanks everyone!