TOPIC: Starting problem

Last night we were out doing pictures and videos of Brian (crosbyboat) Lawson's Glen-L Missile with his short shaft 1350 and me with my Power Cat and standard shaft 1000. Boat ran great, but I made two mistakes - #1, I turned the boat off in the middle of the Hudson River, and #2 I didn't have any tools on board. When I turned the motor off, I couldn't get it to start again. You could hear the solenoid click, but that was it. My 1st thought was I had a bad solenoid. Brian towed us back to the launch, and we got home in the dark, so I left it till this morning.

So this a.m. I get out, pull the cowl, check all my connections and just do a general close visual inspection. I can't see anything that would indicate a starting problem. So I grab my small ball peen hammer and tap on the starter. Try the key, click, click, nothing. Then I try rapping on the solenoid. Gee, are my eyes deceiving me or did the solenoid move? I try starting the motor, click, click, nothing. Then I go back and sure enough, the solenoid bracket that holds the solenoid up against the bottom of the starter is slightly loose enough that I can move it back and forth. I move it to where I think it should be, try starting the motor, vroom, vroom.

While I'm glad I got it started, does it make sense that just because a bracket was slightly loose, that is why it wouldn't do anything but click when I tried to start it? I sure would appreciate any advice, suggestions or ideas here folks!

Thanks.

Frank

bad ground.

Bad ground where Dave? Between the starter and the solenoid bracket?

All the ground wires and connections are tight and fairly fresh. I use star washers on all grounds. I am VERY particular about them. So it's just that the bracket wasn't tight?

Thank you!

Frank

Frank - if you're interested, I have a good, used late style Mercury starter solenoid here. I can send it south with Brian when he comes up to get his PC next weekend. Woudn't hurt to have a spare if you want it...
- Scott

That would be great Scott. How much do you want for it?

Frank

Frank the solenoid body grounds to the starter which is grounded to the block. If it isn't tight you are not going to get it to do what it is supposed to do. If any of your grounds are loose on the motor something can and will go awry just be sure everything is tight and secure. Simple. Like you did already just keep doing a visual spot check from time to time.

J

P.S. the boat looks OUTSTANDING in action!!!!! Love it!!!!!!

That is what I was wondering about Jim, thank you sir. When I get home tonight I planned on tightening that up. I think I know what's loose and will see if I have a nylok for it. What I think is loose is not a nylok.

Still, there is a ground strap between the solenoid and the starter bracket. That's why I wondered about the bracket itself grounding to the starter. It makes sense seeing playing with it did the trick.

Now I got this baby dialed in, you're gonna be over sometime for a boat ride aren't ya? This season is rapidly fading, but it's an open invitation buddy.

Frank