I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?

Correction...the engine wouldn't turn over when I hear the single click.


"Scott Shirley" wrote in message
news:JuCUa.154503$Ph3.18704@sccrnsc04...
I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single
click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick
of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few
seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to
get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light
to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the
problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all
once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?

I had a similar problem. Turned out to be a bad connection in the solenoid
circuit so it sounded like it was pulling in but in reality it wasn't
pulling in far enough to make the starter contacts. New, larger wiring
solved problem.
G
cott Shirley" wrote in message
news:JuCUa.154503$Ph3.18704@sccrnsc04...
I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single
click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick
of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few
seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to
get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light
to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the
problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all
once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?

I had this same problem on a 5.0 L Merc, that turned out to be a barely
visibly cracked ceramic neck of the $11 ignition coil !!! changes in heat
and humidity caused it to occur intermittentantly b/c of
expansion/contraction.

Another time this happened, it was because of a bad Sensor assembly - See
Mercruiser Service Bulletin/recall on this.

b-


"Scott Shirley" wrote in message
news:JuCUa.154503$Ph3.18704@sccrnsc04...
I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single
click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick
of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few
seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to
get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light
to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the
problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all
once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?

Scott,

I would clean and tighten all connections from battery to solenoid, battery to
ground, and battery to switch. I would also charge the "new" battery again.

If after doing the above the proplem persisted I would use a screw driver or
similar to short across the solenoid relay. If shorting across the solenoid
relay causes the starter to engage and spin the engine I would replace the
relay.

Note.... ensure the engine hatch is removed and the area is free of fumes
before shorting the relay. I've never seen this done without some sparking.
Sparking and fuel fumes are a bad combination.

Butch



"Scott Shirley" wrote in message
news:JuCUa.154503$Ph3.18704@sccrnsc04...
I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single
click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick
of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few
seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to
get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light
to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the
problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all
once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?

Sounds like the solenoid. Check that 12V is going to the starter when you
here the click and the starter does not turn over. You can get the starter
rebuilt for a lot less than a new one. Look in the Yellow pages for a
starter - generator shop. They rebuild starters. Other thing if you are
mechanically inclined is to pull the starter, and remove the solenoid and
pull apart the bakelite end and turn over the contact disk inside. Now you
have a new surface for the contact.
Bill

"Scott Shirley" wrote in message
news:JuCUa.154503$Ph3.18704@sccrnsc04...
I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single
click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick
of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few
seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to
get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light
to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the
problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all
once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?

I went out to start the boat this morning before making the drive to the
lake...it turned over a few times and never fired (normal when it hasn't
been run in a few weeks). When I turned the key again, I hear a single
click
from somewhere near the rear of the boat and the engine would turn over.
Tried again a few more times...nothing. I replaced the battery a few weeks
ago, so I know there is plenty of juice back there. I tried the old trick
of
tapping the starter (this is an inboard/outboard Mercruiser 5.7L). Tried
turning the key again, and voila...it turns over. Waited a few
seconds...and
again...no dice, hear a single click when the key is turned to start. I am
not too crazy about getting stranded in the water, so I called around to
get
some prices on starters. OUCH...$278.00 for a new one seems to be the
standard price at all the marine parts places here in Dallas. One person
that I spoke with at the parts store recommended hooking up a test light
to
the solenoid to see if I was getting juice across the relay before sinking
$278.00 in a part that can't be returned if it didn't fiz the problem. The
crappy part is....I got home this afternoon and can't replicate the
problem.

My thoughts are that when a starter goes bad, the problem might be
intermitent for awhile. I have yet to see a solenoid/relay exhibit this
intermittent type of behavior. Has anyone ever heard of a solenoid/relay
that is going bad do this or do they just go caput and not work at all
once
they go "bad" ? I'd like to get the problem (whatver it may be) corrected
before heading to the water again. Should I just sink the $278.00 into the
starter and be done with it?







I'm not sure about a 5.7l, but my 7.4l has an intermediate solenoid, located
right next to the 30 amp circuit breaker on the engine, on the left side,
front, over the water separator filter. Mine went bad- it was intermittent,
but there was no click at all when it didn't work. Not nearly expensive a
part- I *think* it was about $20.

I agree!!! I have the 5.7L and the problem was the "slave solenoid". It's
a $20 part located just above the fuel filter next to the red ignition
circuit breaker button. . The clicking noise is the copper disk engaging
the contact points when pushed by the solenoid but the copper disk is all
corroded and does not make good contact. Don't bother trying to take it
apart and cleaning it.....just buy a new one. It's a real simple install.




I'm not sure about a 5.7l, but my 7.4l has an intermediate solenoid,
located
right next to the 30 amp circuit breaker on the engine, on the left side,
front, over the water separator filter. Mine went bad- it was
intermittent,
but there was no click at all when it didn't work. Not nearly expensive a
part- I *think* it was about $20.

I paid $50 for a rebuilt one. Discount Auto Parts,, Auto's work fine. I've
been using them for 15 yrs.

I paid $50 for a rebuilt one. Discount Auto Parts,, Auto's work fine. I've
been using them for 15 yrs.


Ken:

You're playing with fire (literally). Automotive starters are not spark
protected, and should NOT be used in marine applications. You risk a spark
igniting gasoline vapors, which will cost you a lot more than you saved,
including, perhaps your life.