Starting Question

I have an '85 SN 2001. I had issues with a bad battery and needing new points. I put in a new battery and then had that battery get run down by a pump that wouldn't shut-off (a whole other story). I put in new points (it's not an electronic ignition) and it started great. I was able to jump the battery that got run down and then it was starting on it's own no problem.

I dropped it in the water last night to test out the ballast and got nothing. I get just a click on what I believe is a relay switch between the battery and the starter. What is click has a little red button with a 40 on it and sits at the back side of the motor near the top. It has a cover on it indicating that it has an electrical volt. The wires then run from there to what I believe is the starter. The starter itself is not clicking, just the relay switch.

There has been no indication that the starter was going (grinding when starting, etc.).

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks.

That's the main circuit breaker for the boat and it is either faulty or you have a short in your wiring. When it clicks it kills all the factory electrical circuits.

Thanks Art. Yeah, I think I need to replace the main battery line. I was also told that red button on this boat, is actually a button. You have to push it in really hard. I tried pushing it in, but not as hard as I should have I guess. I just didn't want to bust anything.

Thanks again.

That circuit breaker will pop out if it's tripped. It's not tripped. That click you hear is the starter solenoid engaging, but not kicking over. Your battery is dead. Jump start it again.... or better yet you need to put a charger on this boat and leave it on until your battery is fully charged. It sounds like you never did this.... I (and I'm sure many others) plug the boat in every time I come off the water. (Of course I have 4 batteries... but still.....)

I agree with robert.

When you drained down your new battery it killed it. You jumped it and were able to start it that day probably even though the battery was in bad shape. this is because the alternator put a surface charge on the battery. It gives it enough juice to start it but if you leave it overnight the battery discharges quickly and you are dead.

You need to pull the battery out and leave for a few hours on a good charger.

Not sure if you did this but if you go to start your boat and the starter solenoid clicks but the starter doesn't engage don't keep cranking. It isn't going to do anything for you other than ruin the solenoid and/or starter.

It could be that the battery is dead. If you can turn something else on, like the stereo, and observe it while you try to start you can establish if it is the battery or the relay/starter. If the stereo continues to play (or a light stays on reasonably bright, or the voltmeter stays above 10 volts, etc.) then the problem is not the battery.

The red button is the circuit breaker. If the breaker had tripped you would have nothing, no click, nada. The starter relay is often mounted on the same bracket as the circuit breaker so the click can sound like it is coming from that.

The starter relay would look something like this:
http://amkproducts.com/starter_relays.asp

There are a number of variations but it will have two large posts (5/16" bolts) that the heavy battery cables attach to and one or two small posts that the wire from the ignition switch connects to.

If the two big posts are close together or if the terminals attached to them hang down a bit you can do a quick test by shorting across the two with a screw driver. Be prepared, it will spark, but it will be okay. If the engine cranks and sounds proper shorting across the relay then the relay is bad. If you get nothing then the starter is probably bad.

If you are replacing the starter relay be careful as there are a number of different styles and while they may look alike they can vary in operation. If yours has only one small post then it is pretty safe, but if it has two posts the function of the other post can vary. In some cases that second post connects to ground, in other cases that second post is the bypass to the coil ballast resistor.

Rod

Yeah, definitely not coming from the starter relay. There not located in the same place. You guys are right I never did put a charge back on that battery. However, in my defense I've never seen where a brand new battery wouldn't hold the charge from an alternator and I've seen it a lot. However, given the length of time it did sit, about a week-and-a-half, I will need to address that issue. Thanks.

It is not that it didn't hold the charge. It didn't hold a good charge. You can blast a bunch of volts into the battery to get that surface charge to help you initially.

Also the alternator isn't designed to charge your battery. It is designed to maintain your battery.

where is your starter relay mounted compared to the circuit breaker? I know with the old ford starters it is not mounted to the starter itself.

*|
|
|_____
+

*=circuit breaker
+=relay

View of the back of the motor from a side angel. Hopefull my drawing turns out.