Starting Problem Solution

flsurflover · Outlaw Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 131 City: Melbourne, FL

Most of you probably know about this starting problem troubleshooting step, but for those that don't...

I started up my 86 MC Prostar Thursday night off the hose and let it run for a few minutes then changed the oil. Friday morning we load up and go to the lake. Butter! Stoked. Back the boat into the water, turn the key... NOTHING. Not even a click. I check the battery terminals and reattach and tighten them, nothing. Take the battery to be tested and it tested fine with no bad cells, 12.7V and 540CCA. Checked the circuit breakers, no problems. Knock the starter a few times, nothing. Go home disgusted. Called Vince at Discount Inboard Marine and he had me test the Neutral Safety Switch on the transmission. Same kind of thing that keeps your car from starting in Drive, must be in Park or Neutral. The switch is closed when the transmission is in neutral, allowing the starting circuit to work. If the switch is open, the key won't work. My transmission was definitely in neutral. Vince had me check the 2 wires that go to the transmission and attach on the 2 posts. They were loose. I tightened them up really good and it started no problem.

If you've already tested your batt and cables and your wires are tight on your neutral safety switch and you still don't even get a click when you turn the key, take one wire off of one of the switch posts and put it on the other post with the other wire, forcing the circuit to be closed. But make sure your boat is actually in neutral before starting. If it starts then the switch may be bad. Put the wire back and see if it still starts. The switch is only like $20 if that is it. If not, put the wire back anyway, then move onto jumping around the starter switch, then jumping the relay.

Thanks Vince! wwwskidim.com rocks!

Went back out about 11am, the butter was gone, but she started right up and I learned something new.

hyperlite-proair man · Outlaw Joined: 04 Mar 2003 Posts: 193 City: columbus in.

thank's for the input

MrBlean · Posted: Aug 26, 2003 12:45 am Post subject:

Great tip. I believe poor adjustment of that switch can also give an intermittent starting problem when the gear lever is in neutral. The symptoms are that the boat won't start after having returned to neutral and cut the engine. Moving the lever into gear and back again resolves the problem but a permanent fix is to adjust the switch. Have this problem on my boat and yoiur mssg is a good reminder to go fix it!

Breezer · Outlaw Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 246 City: Austin

that sounds good, but let me ask a dumb question so I can use this information if I need to in the future. Where are these two wires and the 2 posts? and I don't even know where the transmission is. Sorry for being dumb, I like the help though and love learning about my engine.

flsurflover · Outlaw Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 131 City: Melbourne, FL

I can't tell you where to find it on an i/o, but on a direct-drive inboard like mine, the transmission is bolted up against the rear of the engine in the center of the boat. You can't see the switch itself, because the two wires that go to it have a big rubber boot covering the 2 posts of the switch. The switch on my MC transmission is on the starboard (right) side, in the middle. Work the boot up the wires and off the switch to expose the posts.

Someone else will have to chime in for the location of the neutral safety switch on a v-drive and an i/o.

Breezer · Outlaw Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 246 City: Austin

Thanks, I have a direct-drive also. I will take a look see.