Can't start the boat

awthacker · #1 12-17-2011, 10:43 AM

I am having ongoing issues. A few weeks ago, I topped off all the cells on both batteries, which were all low, then plugged in the charger. After charging, I still can't turn the boat over, so I'm not sure if it's the battieries or the starter, which sounds a little rough.

Today I test the starting battery with the $5 tester that sucks the acid out of the cells, and it looks good on the tester. So I put the battery back in and try to crank it today. Starter doesn't want to turn and I notice smoke on the positive battery terminal and it's hot to the touch. Picture of the smoke attached.

Any ideas?

BTW, the charger I use is the onboard Guest charger, so I'm not sure how well it does at recharging a low battery. But it does test good on the hydronic meter and show 12V. Any way for me to determine how many amps it offers?

Thank,
Aaron

chumbucket · #2 12-17-2011, 11:15 AM

Sounds like the armature on the starter motor may be gone. It's causing too much resistance (drawing too much amperage) making the wires get hot and overheat. You could always pull the starter and get it tested.

leeprice72 · #3 12-17-2011, 11:18 AM

Sounds like you have a short somewhere. I would clean all my connections real good to start. Check to see if your getting power to the starter. Starter may be going out, but that is easy enough to check. YOu can take the starter off and have it checked, or put it directly to a battery. I would disconnect my battery if you are not near it. That terminal getting hot is not good.

smokeonthewater · #4 12-17-2011, 01:09 PM

the terminal getting hot means you have a high resistance connection.... clean it... next go buy a digital volt ohm meter ($20 and no man should be without one).... check battery voltage after charger has been turned off for at least a few hours. Next test between the positive terminal on the battery and the positive battery terminal on the starter solenoid... should be 0.0 or very close. Test the same between the negative terminal and a good engine ground. should give the same results..... Now get a helper. While performing the same two tests have your helper try to crank the engine for just long enough to see the reading on the meter (IE half a second).... the reading should stay very low... If it jumps to say 10 volts you have found a problem.
Next check battery voltage across the terminals and have the helper try to crank again.
Write down the results of these tests and let us know. If we have to continue testing a load tester is next and there are a couple tests to do with it.

steplift20 · #5 12-17-2011, 02:45 PM

well the title says it all. How do you winterize a 115 yamaha 4 stroke, its my sons engine and i dont know, now if it was a good old 2 stroke that wont be a problem but a 4 stroke you cant fog it its fuel injected so what do you do to it
thanks

awthacker · #6 12-17-2011, 03:24 PM

Thanks guys. Here's the update:

The starter had a little corrosion on the terminals. I cleaned them up and re-tightened but noticed some stripping on the positive post (this post is actually on the solenoid beneath the starter motor). While everything seems nice and tight, the nut can still continue turning but doens't get any tighter. So I have a suspicion this has something to do with it.

After this process the starter still won't turn, but did seem to try a little harder than it was before. So I put the charger back on it and will try again tomorrow morning. If it's still not a go, I think I'll pull the starter.

Lee, before pulling the starter, are you saying that I could just run two wires directly from a battery to the starter and expect it to turn. I tried this with just touching the bare wire ends to the posts, but got no results. It could've been because I wasn't making a good enough connection, or my spare battery could've been weaker than I thought, or the wire I was using could've been too small (but it didn't get hot, so I don't think that was the issue even though it was much smaller than the wiring on the boat).

awthacker · #7 12-17-2011, 03:28 PM

BTW, I do have the Perko selector switch that came up in another thread. I guess I need to pull this too and make sure everything is tight. Do any of the symptoms point to the switch as part of the problem? (The smoke only showed up on the battery, not at the switch).

smokeonthewater · #8 12-17-2011, 04:59 PM

so I guess you aren't going to test like I said? You have one or more of 3 problems... high resistance somewhere, a bad starter and or a bad battery. you can guess or you can diagnose.

reelapeelin · #9 12-17-2011, 07:42 PM

Does the motor turn?...it's not locked up is it?...disconnect the battery and turn the flywheel to see if it'll turn...other than that, I'd bet on CB's diagnosis...

leeprice72 · #10 12-18-2011, 10:41 AM

Disconnect battery,starter wires and fule supply. Get a hot battery and jumper cables. Ground the negative cable on block. Touch positive cable to positive starter lug (just for a second). If it spins real hard and fast its probably ok. If it is dragging and slow its time for a rebuild or replacement of starter (if your sure battery is good). If it jumps up and is not spinning flywheel, you have other issues.