lushka16
06-22-2011, 04:41 PM
I think this is my problem! Here's why:
I have a good engine (port) and a bad (stbd) engine. The good engine cranks very well, and runs with absolutely no problems. The bad engine barely cranks, and for the 2 months I've owned this boat, has always been this way. When I took her on her shakedown cruise, I could coax the stbd engine into starting. Immediately when I got back from my first time out, I noticed water in the oil - a bad riser.
By the time I was able to drain and replace the oil, replace the riser, and get everything hooked back up, 6 weeks had passed. At this point, the engine would BARELY crank, and I had assumed that this was due to internal corrosion as a result of water in the oil. I was hoping that if I could just get the engine to fire up, all the internals would loosen up and I'd be good to go. So I worked on the ignition system, replaced the plugs and wires, and generally did everything in my power to get the engine into the best shape possible. Still nothing.
Yesterday, TTaxi suggested that the problem may lie in the starter circuit, so I went back to the dock to diagnose. I took a look at the starter circuit, and it generally looked OK, except that the wire from the solenoid to starter looked a little small for the job (based on the size of the wire on the port engine). So I swapped the wire (port to stbd).
The engine started for a SPLIT SECOND and I was very excited, until I saw smoke coming from the starter. It's raining out here, and the rain instantly vaporized. I immediately disconnected all power and got ready to panic.
In an effort to calm myself, I put the port engine solenoid to starter wire back on, and cranked the engine. I got the EXACT SAME RESPONSE - the motor started for a split second, then stopped and immediately the starter started to smoke from the rain. Upon closer inspection, I saw that in the dark corners of my engine compartment, I failed to see that I had poorly tightened the connection between the wire and the starter.
Does this sound like my true problem (with both engines) is bad wiring in the starter circuit? Should I run off to the store tomorrow to buy all new heavy gauge wiring?
I have a good engine (port) and a bad (stbd) engine. The good engine cranks very well, and runs with absolutely no problems. The bad engine barely cranks, and for the 2 months I've owned this boat, has always been this way. When I took her on her shakedown cruise, I could coax the stbd engine into starting. Immediately when I got back from my first time out, I noticed water in the oil - a bad riser.
By the time I was able to drain and replace the oil, replace the riser, and get everything hooked back up, 6 weeks had passed. At this point, the engine would BARELY crank, and I had assumed that this was due to internal corrosion as a result of water in the oil. I was hoping that if I could just get the engine to fire up, all the internals would loosen up and I'd be good to go. So I worked on the ignition system, replaced the plugs and wires, and generally did everything in my power to get the engine into the best shape possible. Still nothing.
Yesterday, TTaxi suggested that the problem may lie in the starter circuit, so I went back to the dock to diagnose. I took a look at the starter circuit, and it generally looked OK, except that the wire from the solenoid to starter looked a little small for the job (based on the size of the wire on the port engine). So I swapped the wire (port to stbd).
The engine started for a SPLIT SECOND and I was very excited, until I saw smoke coming from the starter. It's raining out here, and the rain instantly vaporized. I immediately disconnected all power and got ready to panic.
In an effort to calm myself, I put the port engine solenoid to starter wire back on, and cranked the engine. I got the EXACT SAME RESPONSE - the motor started for a split second, then stopped and immediately the starter started to smoke from the rain. Upon closer inspection, I saw that in the dark corners of my engine compartment, I failed to see that I had poorly tightened the connection between the wire and the starter.
Does this sound like my true problem (with both engines) is bad wiring in the starter circuit? Should I run off to the store tomorrow to buy all new heavy gauge wiring?