Wouldn't start- almost had anxiety attack

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

So my boat wouldn't start this weekend for the first time. Turned the key, and aside from a clicking sound, nothing.

Plugs OK
Battery OK
Connections OK
Points, etc. OK

Finally, after an hour of taking stuff apart, we figured out that the starter's solenoid was not popping out that little gear that turns that big gear that starts the engine. I know, that was very technical, but anyway....

We took the starter off, opened it up, cleaned it out and banged a screwdriver against it........Viola!

Thank God.

Anybody else have any stories about not being able to even figure out why their boat has quit?

Leggester · Posted: Apr 19, 2004 9:32 am Post subject:

Nope, but it may be a damp starter, or the bendix going out.

Had a couple outboards that were finicky though... Towed one out to the middle of the lake one day and used to for the Party Platform...

gvb · Posted: Apr 19, 2004 9:36 am Post subject:

Make sure to grease that bendix gear often.

Last time out at the local lake, I got the boat into the water enough so the boat floated off the trailer. It would turn over but not start... none of my gauges were working either. Safety/Kill switch was stuck open! There was a line to launch, so I hooked up the winch and tried to pull the boat back up on the trailer to get out of everyone elses way, the winch strap broke!! Luckily, I had bearly enough of the boat on the trailer to pull out very slow.

Popped off four screws, cut the wires going to the kill switch, shorted them, and I was on my way.

-gvb

MissJade · Soul Rider Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 486 City: Austin, TX

Mine did the same thing, clicking but the engine wouldn't turn, and I'd just used it the day before, my buddy gets in and tries and it does the same thing. Frustrated, I dragged it down to the dealer and my friend comes out to look at it - it wasn't in neutral Confused

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

OH man! Before we figured out it was the starter bendix, we called the dealer and were just like "look, are we forgetting anything obvious?"

garveyj · Addict Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 877 City: Savage, MN

We had the same problem with the seleniod last year as well - Took forever to find a cheap replacement. We were able to hotwire it each time we wanted to go out though.

wesgardner · Posted: Apr 19, 2004 11:21 am Post subject:

Hey cameraboy,

Sometimes you can get lucky and just beat on the starter a bit to get the bendix gear unstuck....

My brother, who lives on his boat, tells it like this - "while you're sleeping, things are breaking"...

Wes

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

We couldn't get that bendix to pop out and engage the flywheel without taking it off the engine and playing around with it. I have started the boat up 5 or 6 times since then, and no problems. New boat (new to me), no idea what the problem was, man, I was close to losing it.

Also, and this is weird, the bilge was clean 2 weeks ago when I went away on business. While we were taking the starter off, I noticed some oil in the bilge, just a tiny bit. No hint of oil anywhere on the engine, though. No evidence of a leak anywhere, and we felt every place we could think of. WE can't figure out where the heck that oil came from, and it hasn't reappeared since. Weird.

htownbdr · Posted: Apr 19, 2004 12:59 pm Post subject:

I had a 97 Nautique that never had any problems starting. Then, the night before I was selling it (about midnight) I decided to go ahead and make sure it cranked up..for what reason I decided to do this I have no idea, it never had given me any troubles. Anyway, when I tried to do start it I had that same clicking. My heart stopped becasue the guy was going to be there at 7:00 in the morning and his only condition was "as long as the boat starts, I am taking it home" (I live in Houston, he lived in Oklahoma, he was already on his way down).

So, we took the starter off and could not get the gear to come out. Luckily, a freind of mine like to supe up mustangs and had the exact same type of starter that I needed sitting in his garage that was still new in the box. We threw that one in there and we were good to go.

That was an interesting night.

tommyadrian5 · Addict Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 907

I was out on my buddy's 2001 Launch Sunday and the same thing happened, everything is fine, just no go on the starter. Ended up pushing the "red button" and it fired right up. We figure the circuit breaker blew somehow. Could be the 3000W of stereo he has in the thing.

Dpierce37 · Ladies Man Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 7659 City: Austin

I had one of those "attacks" last year. Just got to the launch with a boat full of peeps. So I back in the boat and and my friend is telling me it wont start. So after a few more tries, I jump in and try to start it. You can here the engine trying to turn over, but it just wont fire. So after a few more minutes of looking at the engine, cussing, and trying to look half way sane fo the ladies, I finally remembered all I/O's have a lanyard switch and sure enough it was switched to off...flipped to on, and she fired right up! Rolling Eyes

gvb · Posted: Apr 19, 2004 3:17 pm Post subject:

htownbdr,

i have been told that marine starters are different that standard auto starters... i guess they are sealed for closed engine compartment use, and using an auto starter is a safety issue. (gasoline fumes + starter spark = boom)

-gvb

ttuclint · Addict Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 984 City: Lubbock, TX

^
^
^

alternator.

MaddogMoney · Newbie Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 41 City: Dallas

^
^
^
I've been told by several mechanics that the starter is the same way. I've, personally, never taken apart either an automotive or a marine starter, though.

ttuclint · Addict Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 984 City: Lubbock, TX

i dont see how a starter would cause any kind of spark.

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

DJew Jake · Posted: Apr 20, 2004 3:41 am Post subject:

htownbdr · Posted: Apr 20, 2004 4:54 am Post subject:

The only difference in the normal car starters and the one on the Nautique is that the one on the Nautique was a "high torque", or "heavy duty"...or something like that.

It is not the same starter as the one on a stock Mustang. But, the one that my buddy had was an aftermarket starter because his car needed a starter with a little more torque.

The one he had matched identically, same numbers and everything, to the one that came off my boat.

BIZ · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Posts: 184 City: Dallas

I usually don't get on my soapbox but...Car starters are not the same as marine starters, the same holds true for alternators. Do some research people. This is a fact not opinion! there is a difference. They are ignition protected which means they are spark protected. I know a lot of you guys/girls will run your blower and even open up the engine hatch/cover before starting your engine when you launch your boat but the majority of people DO NOT! No spark=no BOOM.

Do you run your blowers ALL DAY and/or open up the engine cover EACH time you start the engine??? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT it!!! I amazes me how many people have $20K, $30K, $40K+ boats that will try to "cheap out" and save one or two hundred bucks on a starter or alternator by going to Pep Boys or Autozone. There is a reason that they are more expensive for boats...They are built for a marine environment. The bilge is full of fumes at any given time (not just when you are launching the boat). If you have ever had a chance to witness a boat burning on a lake you would think twice about "cheaping out". While your boat is burning, you are trying to get your family, friends, life jackets, wallets, purses, etc. to safety and everyone is freaking out and jumping into the water swimming frantically. HOPEFULLY noboady will get hurt! I have never had a boat burn on me but i have seen two boats burn on the water... not a pretty sight. You also need to think about the insurance, your claim will most likely not be paid if the insurance company investigates and finds a non-marine (non NMMA approved) starter/alternator. Are you confident enough that asking your insurance agent about this will not raise any flags? Ask your insurance guy! My first reaction/question as an insurance agent would be... why are you not putting a marine grade part in a boat? But then again you may not have a water/marine "informed" insurance guy.

I also have to mention the people that will lay out $300-$400 for a new board and then $300-$400 for a set of bindings.

Laptom · Outlaw Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 219 City: Eindhoven

They are the same, only the marine starters are more expensive Laughing

.

We bought our first ski boat a couple of years back. The boat started fine everytime we tried it (at the dealer, couple of times at home). At the first launch the boat did crank but didn't run Confused

.
After a lot of tries the engine starts and we boarded all day. Back at home we did a search for the problem. After some time we found the problem. I installed a safety switch before, and I installed the ignition wire (+12V for the solenoid) to the accessory contact of the contact switch Embarassed

.

Dees · Posted: Apr 20, 2004 6:56 am Post subject:

our SAN ran really hot the first time we took it out. We ran it for a about 5 min and the manifold were really hot, so we trailed and when home. Next day come to find out we had a shredded Impeller (it dried out over the winter). $28 later and it runs like a charm.

Leggester · Posted: Apr 20, 2004 7:07 am Post subject:

I agree w/Biz. For the extra few bucks, it's a ton of added protection for your loved ones.

Liquid Lifestyle · Posted: Apr 20, 2004 1:09 pm Post subject:

I was taking a girl out on my boat for her birthday with all of her girlfriends. Needless to say I had about 6 girls lined up watching me in the boat tied at the ramp. The thing was just kicking. It was turning over but wouldn't start. I checked everything I could think of including the kill lanyard. The boat was almost new. It was a 2001 and this was summer 2002.
I finally went into the marina and asked someone to come out and take a look at it.
The weekend before the oil pressure gauge had a crack in it. It was under warranty so I pulled it and brought it to the dealership. They ordered a new one.
well I guess the kill lanyard is wired through the gauges. without that gauge in it was killing the motor. The guy from the marina walked out touched the 2 wires for the gauge together and the boat started right up and ran fine. He zip tied the wires together for me and that was that.
I gave the guy 20 bucks, for the knowledge and because I felt plain stupid. The girls found it funny.

JR · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Dec 2003 Posts: 473 City: ATX

Dave Sunseri · Posted: May 03, 2004 6:39 pm Post subject: Yo

i went to fire up my boat this year and i got nothing...put a new battery again nothing...i touched the two contact points on the starter with a screw driver and the boat fired right up. I started fooling around with stuff and relized that the neutral safty switch wasn't working property so i took it apart and cleaned it and put it back together and the boat fired right up.... Smile