Trying to start motor.....Click......Click....UH OH!

[WIKD281]

Hello there. I have a 2002 SANTE and I was at the lake 2 weeks ago and had a problem starting my boat...wondering if anyone has any ideas? I have narrowed the problem down a little but some more input can always help. I was there trying to start my boat and it would not spin the motor- the starter would click once when you push and hold the keypad push button. I then proceeded to check my safety wrist band switch pin right next to the throttle. That was in place. I then check the battery power...with 9 Optima batteries at full charge this was not an issue. I then went to check the wires at the starter and just barely touched them. It suprised me when I tried again it started perfectly! I would think: starter relay, wires at the starter are loose, or my starter is going out. I called the local dealer and the mechanic there says it sounds like the starter relay is going out......that he has seen this problem with many other V drive Nautiques and its a quick fix. I would hope that it would only be a relay because that starter is in a tight area to replace. Any idea where this relay is located? Any pictures to help out???????
thanks for any help!
Harold.

[ag4ever]

RE: Trying to start motor.....Click......Click....UH OH!

I have the same problem with my '02 SANTE. Since I have the excalibur engine, I have not taken the time to even check if it has the solinoid on the starter or if it is like the fords with them seperate. I have to hit the button five to ten times to get it to kick over at times. Other times it will hit on the first try.

Does anybody know if the starter solinoid is replacable seperate from the starter on the chevy engine?

[JWAT]

I had the same thing happen with my '97 super sport with the gt-40. Obviously I don't have the keyless ignition, but I would try to turn it over and all it would do is click. We messed with it for half an hour and then all the sudden it just started. It started fine after that, but now I am worried that it is going to do it again sometime. I wish I knew why it did that.

[ssaxet]

My 2001 PAN with GT-40 was doing the same.... after some lucky trouble shooting found the neutral solenoid screws were like a thread too long...(mounted on top of my trans) try to move wires up and down on terminal seemed tight... side to side and they were loose.... I installed a small washer on each terminal and have never had the no start problem again... (shorter screw or grind a thread or two would work too....)

[WIKD281]

I did find some info that might explain the problem that we are having. I talked with a CC mechanic and he thinks its the starter relay also. He says that they replace them all the time. I guess I have been lucky because this is the second year that I have been out all summer and have never had a problem occur like this before. He eplained that the relay is a heavy duty piece that is overkill for what its used for. And with it being overkill it doesnt get the contacts to fully work and stay in shape. Im not sure that I understand the concept but he simplified it by saying when you have a relay not working as hard....sometimes it will not make conctact every time. I guess when you dont use an electrical device to what its made to operate at.....it may not work. Im gonna carry a spare with me....because I hate being towed in!!!

[Alan-S]

Yep, I had the same problem in my 01 SAN w/GT40. It happenned about 10 times last year, but would eventually start. I never replaced anything and it has been perfect all this year. Probably just screwed myself....knock on wood

[davidr]

You can use a screwdriver to bypass the Ford starter relay and fire up the starter, just short the two large contacts on the back of the relay to provide power directly to the starter. Be prepared for a few sparks.

Picture of Ford relay: http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R130001

Relay is about the size of a small orange.

So, either a good screwdriver or a spare relay will get you back to the docks. :-]

[WIKD281]

Thanks for the pic!!! I was going to check it out when I get home from work tonight. I would have been looking for the wrong relay! I was under the impression that it was a square relay (like a Bosch relay)
Screwdriver across the large contacts.....great idea! I will remember that!
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

[ag4ever]

I just looked at mine, and the chevy engines use an integrated solinoid/relay (Just as I suspected).

When I hit the button, it sounds like the gear is being thrown outm but the starter does not start to spin. After I hit the button a couple dozen times is will start, and then after that it only takes a few presses to get the engine to turn over each time. Does this sound like the starter or the solinoid/relay?

Can the starter soliniod/relay be replaced, or is it a one piece package?

If so I guess I will have the dealer warranty it.

[davidr]

Ag4, yeah, I was going to raise that point... looking at the pictures at skidim.com, the Chevy engines appear to have the starter relay integrated into the starter motor unit, whereas the Ford engines have the starter relay separate from the starter unit. I don't know what the best fix is, perhaps DIM (skidim.com) could tell you. You could try shorting the appropriate (large?) terminals of the relay to bypass the relay, if the starter engages normally that would tend to indicate that the relay is not working properly (broken or not getting good control signals), if no change then perhaps the solenoid that pushes the drive gear into engagement with the ring gear of the flywheel or the starter motor itself is having problems. Caveat - I assume that the large terminals at the back of the solenoid section (the large copper colored terminals on the back of the small cylinder near the top of this picture - http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RA122009) are the switch terminals of the relay and not the control terminals, you'd need to doublecheck e.g. with a voltmeter. Caveat Emptor...

Wikd281, which motor do you have, the Ford GT40 or the Chevy Excalibur?

[davidr]

better link to pic - http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=RA122009

Ag4, sounds to me like a problem with the relay. I'm curious to hear what you find out.

[NautiqueJeff]

The same thing happened to my boat. I ended up replacing the starter myself with the part sent to me under warranty. It is a ten minute job if you have the ballast tanks out already (like I did).

[WIKD281]

I have the GT-40 motor.

[ag4ever]

Yea, no way I wuld try the screwdriver trick on the chevy. With the tanks and all down there the access is rather limited. I might call the dealer and see if they ill get me a new starter for me to install. I just hate taking the boat down there due to the time it takes to get it there and back.

So the following parts have been replaced: the blower motor, the oil pressure switch, the perfect pass controller, the tach, and the keypad control box. Now the starter is going out. Add to that the fact that the factory has filled the drain tube from the bow of the boat with foam when building it, I am really glad I have a five year warranty.

[Rick]

Check your grounds. A little corrosion will keep the starter from turning. A knock to the battery by a wake will make it OK until it sits for a while. Remove the Negative termiinal from the battery and clean it really well While it is off do the same with the solonoid connections. Good luck.