Looking for help

[tinbanger]

dragged the boat home last week , Started set up late sunday .

 

Main (cranking battery) runs lights , trim ( although up seem slower than I remember) but wouldn't start motor just a 'CLICK '

Hooked up battery charger for an hour or so , guage read fully charged , still just the click .

Had topped up the batteries three times during the winter and kept in a cool ( above freezing) garage.

Boat was winterized last fall

 

All fuses checked AOK .

 

do you think its the battery and can I boost with the car ?

 

If not most likely will have to haul it to the shop as that about the extent of my knowledge.

 

Any help appreciated

 

2006 , 90 hp 4 stk merc

 

TB

[fishnsled]

A buddy of mine had similar problems last year although his motor would start. Trim was slow though. He put in a new battery and all is well. I'd double check the connections for tightness and if that doesn't work, get the battery tested before anything else. Might be a starter problem.

Edited April 21, 2008 by fishnsled

[Meely]

TB,

 

Mine did the same last year.......

Tried for about 45 mins to get her goin. Changed batteries...... nothing

Then...I noticed I hadn't attached the negative wire......

Attached it and away she went.......

 

 

OOPs !!

 

Meely

Edited April 21, 2008 by Meely

[tinbanger]

all connections tight ,clean and connected .

 

 

Think I'll try boosting with the car tonight and see if it'll turn over , if so guess its the battery .

Kinda disapointing as I thought I did everything right , stored in cool temps , topped up during winter etc .

Was hopping to get more than two years life.

 

TB

[misfish]

I would bet a coffee cup, it,s the battery.

Do you have a volt meter? When you crank and it drops fast,battery is pouched.

[forrest]

Is it in neutral?

 

Try a known good battery before buying a new one.

Edited April 21, 2008 by forrest

[tinbanger]

Brian

 

I'll check tonight , just gotta find the Voltmeter since the move

 

Forrest

It is in neutral and kill switch is also in place .

 

TB

[sonny]

OK,,,try this,,,,alot of time the starter motor brushes rust and won't make the initial contact needed to get it to start turning,,try having someone hole the key on and give the starter motor a LIGHT tap on it's side with a small hammer,,,see if that will get ya going,

Edited April 21, 2008 by sonny

[purekgw]

yah its prob battery although its holding a charge still might not be able to pull juice to get it goin

[ccmtcanada]

Ahhh...the hammer technique!! I love that method.

 

Hammers and duct tape...their power is underestimated!

Edited April 21, 2008 by ccmt

[Maverick]

OK,,,try this,,,,alot of time the starter motor brushes rust and won't make the initial contact needed to get it to start turning,,try having someone hole the key on and give the starter motor a LIGHT tap on it's side with a small hammer,,,see if that will get ya going,

 

If it is not the battery it is probably the starter, try this technique. Believe it or not, it works. Don't be afraid to hit it, you will need to loosen up the brushes.

[fishnsled]

Ahhh...the hammer technique!! I love that method.

 

Hammers and duct tape...their power is underestimated!

 

Very true. I recently heard that if you can't fix it with a hammer then it's an electrical problem. That theory is now thrown out the window, at least for starters. lol!

 

Any luck Tinbanger??

[Canuck2fan]

I had a ford van that kept killing starters for some reason... I met a lot of people by asking them to sit in it and turn the key while I crawled underneath to induce the starter with the tire iron LOL. So it sounds like solid advice to me to try doing it in this case.

[keram]

The two most important tools I use are WD40 and duct tape.

If something is moving and it should not I use a duct tape. If something should move and does not I use WD40

On the serious note: It looks that your battery is toasted, but before you go and buy new one, try this

1. Make sure that all the connections are clean and tight. any corrosion or oxidation on the contacts will act like a resistance and will drop the voltage of a battery.

2. Even 75% bad battery will show O.K. with no load. Use voltmeter to see the voltage, when you try to start the motor. If it drops more then 2.0 V, one of the cells in battery is bad

[wallyboss]

You can use your car battery to try it. Chances are it's the battery. It's not because it's in neutral or wire not hooked up or emergency switch not in. Cause it's clicking!!!

[tinbanger]

tried booster cables this morning still nothing .

may try the hammer method tonight

 

if still nothing I'll yank the battery and get it check at CTC .

 

Thanks for all the advise

 

TB

[irishfield]

Tell me where you put the booster cables to try Dave !

 

I had a couple gals in a boat towed to my dock this year with a dead boat. I slapped my booster pack on the battery posts and stil dead as a door nail.

 

What I found was the Positive cable was perfectly centered on the threaded lug.. with enough corrosion under it and above it that it was making ZERO connection. With that cleaned and retightened it started on it's own battery.

 

That don't work... hammer ! lol

[tinbanger]

two girls towed to your dock !

 

Luck of the Irish !

 

 

Battery was cleaned and lubed before it was put in the boat , Cables were connected to the larger solid posts( not the threaded ones where the cables connect )

 

I though even if the battery was fried the van battery (via booster cables ) would have done it .

 

tb

[irishfield]

That's why I asked where you clamped the booster cables.. if you put them directly onto the cables to the motor.. then your're looking from there to the motor for loose connection or starter relay connections/contacts being toast or the starter brushes as previously mentioned. If you put them on the battery lugs themselves.. not touching the cables to the motor.. then it could be the battery to cable connection.

 

If you can't figure it out... bring it up and I'll trouble shoot it for you.

 

Wayne

[misfish]

If you can't figure it out... bring it up and I'll trouble shoot it for you.

 

Wayne

Just dont GOBBLE,live firing range up at Irish,s.

[tinbanger]

Ok

back at it again last night .

 

checked all battery conections , clean and tight,

connected booster cables from van to terminals on battery .

 

Only a click from the starter.

 

Tried tapping with a hammer , again only a click .

 

Hooked up the deep cell to the main motor , again only a click .

 

 

Even if the battery is toast , connecting via booster cables should get the starter to work ..right ? that is assuming its the battery .

 

TB

[Maverick]

Boosting it give it enough juice to start, it does for vehicles and its the same principle. Make sure you are hitting the starter while somebody turns the key. You want the starter trying to start and the tapping should free up the brushes if they are rusted. If that doesn't work your starter might be toast but thats pretty simple. 3 bolts or so and a wire connection was all it took on my 83 Johnson a few years back. Somebody might no a way to test the starter, I'm not sure how to myself though.

[yellowboat]

Sounds like your not getting enough juice to the starter, it maybe the starter solenoid or ignition switch. On my older motor (merc 70hp) I would disconnect the engine electrical plug and jump direct to the starter terminals to test it, not sure if I would do it to a newer motor though.

[tinbanger]

had the same thought last night Yellowboat ,was tempted to connect direct but like you thought that may make a bad situation worse What with all the fancy electronics and such !

 

Will find out soon as its going bacl to dealer tomorrow . also need the trim switch at motor replaced , had teh trim at throttle done last year .not too impressed with the mercury electronics so far !

TB

[Kerry]

I had similar probs with mine.Tried to boost with a fully charged battery via cables.Nothing.Took out the battery and put the other one in it's place-fired right up.Put a new battery in the next day.The old one was just 2yrs old.Some last some don't.My trolling motor battery is 6yrs old and still going.Go figure.

 

Kerry