Yamaha 115 4-Stroke won't start !?!?
 

I'm wondering if anyone has any input on a not-able-to-start problem
I now have with a 2002 Yamaha 115 4-stroke. When I turn the key the
starter solenoid gear extends and engages the outboard's flywheel,
but it won't turn the flywheel. At the same time the tach LED display
goes blank. I can wrap the emergency starter rope around the flywheel
and turn it. There is a lot of compression - so it's hard to pull
and I can't get it started this way either. But I know that the
engine is not seized up.

I checked the 4 fuses on the outboard. All fuses look good.

I was working on the automatic bilge pump float switch prior to these
problems. While doing this I disconnected and reconnected the power to
the outboard. Perhaps this did something?

Any ideas? Think I need a new starter? I did not check the batter
voltage yet - could that be why the solenoid engages, but doesn't
turn the flywheel? Any other diagnostics ideas?

Thanks,

TK
Anchorage, AK

Check all connections and make sure they are clean and good and tight.
Tighten the battery connections with pliers (not just by hand).
Next charge the battery. If it is low (which it probably is from working on
the bilge) it will not have enough current to spin the motor over.
Or you can jump it off with the car/truck and make sure the engine spins
that way.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Tim Kelley" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm wondering if anyone has any input on a not-able-to-start problem
I now have with a 2002 Yamaha 115 4-stroke. When I turn the key the
starter solenoid gear extends and engages the outboard's flywheel,
but it won't turn the flywheel. At the same time the tach LED display
goes blank. I can wrap the emergency starter rope around the flywheel
and turn it. There is a lot of compression - so it's hard to pull
and I can't get it started this way either. But I know that the
engine is not seized up.

I checked the 4 fuses on the outboard. All fuses look good.

I was working on the automatic bilge pump float switch prior to these
problems. While doing this I disconnected and reconnected the power to
the outboard. Perhaps this did something?

Any ideas? Think I need a new starter? I did not check the batter
voltage yet - could that be why the solenoid engages, but doesn't
turn the flywheel? Any other diagnostics ideas?

Thanks,

TK
Anchorage, AK

Are the battery terminals clean and tight? I had a similar problem with
mine and had a few people to take out for the day. I offered the
mechanic $50 just to look at it and he said they were done for the day
but I should check the terminals. I cleaned them up with a file,
reattached them, and off we went. I also took his advise and got some
CRC for electrical connections and I haven't had another problem.

Dan


Tim Kelley wrote:

I'm wondering if anyone has any input on a not-able-to-start problem
I now have with a 2002 Yamaha 115 4-stroke. When I turn the key the
starter solenoid gear extends and engages the outboard's flywheel,
but it won't turn the flywheel. At the same time the tach LED display
goes blank. I can wrap the emergency starter rope around the flywheel
and turn it. There is a lot of compression - so it's hard to pull
and I can't get it started this way either. But I know that the
engine is not seized up.

I checked the 4 fuses on the outboard. All fuses look good.

I was working on the automatic bilge pump float switch prior to these
problems. While doing this I disconnected and reconnected the power to
the outboard. Perhaps this did something?

Any ideas? Think I need a new starter? I did not check the batter
voltage yet - could that be why the solenoid engages, but doesn't
turn the flywheel? Any other diagnostics ideas?

Thanks,

TK
Anchorage, AK

Tony, Dan,

Thanks - I'll take your advice and clean the heck out of the battery
connections (on both batteries), and recharge them. Hopefully that's
the problem. I tightened the terminal connection with a pair of
pliers, but they aren't too clean - that's for sure.

Glad I'm running twin 115's. This problem happened 50 miles from port.

Tim

Tim,

Tony beat me to it by a long shot. Maybe a different time zone??

I don't remember if I mentioned this in my post, but a file like the one
on a leatherman tool will do the trick on the lead battery posts in a
hurry. Don't forget to clean the corrosion off of the copper
connections from the engines. The file is also great for that.

Since you have one starting fine the corrosion is probably on the
connection to the battery from the other motor.

Dan


Tim Kelley wrote:
Tony, Dan,

Thanks - I'll take your advice and clean the heck out of the battery
connections (on both batteries), and recharge them. Hopefully that's
the problem. I tightened the terminal connection with a pair of
pliers, but they aren't too clean - that's for sure.

Glad I'm running twin 115's. This problem happened 50 miles from port.

Tim

A little surprising to hear talk of tightening battery cables at the battery
terminals with pliers?? Switch to clamp-on cable ends for high amp
connections such as starters. Those wing nut connectors are only useful for
connecting electronics directly to the batteries when there is no terminal
strip for the purpose. If you have a battery on-off switch those
connections should also be checked and cleaned and tightened if necessary.
As Dan suggested the CRC battery connection cleaner/protector is great stuff
if a little messy. It's red and never completely dries.

Invest the few cents for a battery cable end and clamp connector wire
brush.. A file? Golly, use the brush.

Obviously, if you're on the water and need to clean the connections and you
have no brush use something else.

Butch
"Dan Krueger" wrote in message
.net...
Tim,

Tony beat me to it by a long shot. Maybe a different time zone??

I don't remember if I mentioned this in my post, but a file like the one
on a leatherman tool will do the trick on the lead battery posts in a
hurry. Don't forget to clean the corrosion off of the copper connections
from the engines. The file is also great for that.

Since you have one starting fine the corrosion is probably on the
connection to the battery from the other motor.

Dan


Tim Kelley wrote:
Tony, Dan,

Thanks - I'll take your advice and clean the heck out of the battery
connections (on both batteries), and recharge them. Hopefully that's
the problem. I tightened the terminal connection with a pair of
pliers, but they aren't too clean - that's for sure.

Glad I'm running twin 115's. This problem happened 50 miles from port.

Tim

Every outboard I have ever seen has battery cables designed for screw down
posts. All the batteries come w/ wing nuts and you tighten them down w/ a
pair of pliers to make sure they are good and tight.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Butch Davis" wrote in message
link.net...
A little surprising to hear talk of tightening battery cables at the
battery terminals with pliers?? Switch to clamp-on cable ends for high amp
connections such as starters. Those wing nut connectors are only useful
for connecting electronics directly to the batteries when there is no
terminal strip for the purpose. If you have a battery on-off switch those
connections should also be checked and cleaned and tightened if necessary.
As Dan suggested the CRC battery connection cleaner/protector is great
stuff if a little messy. It's red and never completely dries.

Invest the few cents for a battery cable end and clamp connector wire
brush.. A file? Golly, use the brush.

Obviously, if you're on the water and need to clean the connections and
you have no brush use something else.

Butch
"Dan Krueger" wrote in message
.net...
Tim,

Tony beat me to it by a long shot. Maybe a different time zone??

I don't remember if I mentioned this in my post, but a file like the one
on a leatherman tool will do the trick on the lead battery posts in a
hurry. Don't forget to clean the corrosion off of the copper connections
from the engines. The file is also great for that.

Since you have one starting fine the corrosion is probably on the
connection to the battery from the other motor.

Dan


Tim Kelley wrote:
Tony, Dan,

Thanks - I'll take your advice and clean the heck out of the battery
connections (on both batteries), and recharge them. Hopefully that's
the problem. I tightened the terminal connection with a pair of
pliers, but they aren't too clean - that's for sure.

Glad I'm running twin 115's. This problem happened 50 miles from port.

Tim

The advice a while back was to "test the wingnuts to see if they float"
by throwing them in the water. Replace the ones that sink with regular
hex nuts or locknuts that are tightened with a wrench.


"tony thomas" wrote in message
news:Ybkwe.99781$_o.39993@attbi_s71...
Every outboard I have ever seen has battery cables designed for screw
down posts. All the batteries come w/ wing nuts and you tighten them
down w/ a pair of pliers to make sure they are good and tight.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
"Butch Davis" wrote in message
link.net...
A little surprising to hear talk of tightening battery cables at the
battery terminals with pliers?? Switch to clamp-on cable ends for high
amp connections such as starters. Those wing nut connectors are only
useful for connecting electronics directly to the batteries when there
is no terminal strip for the purpose. If you have a battery on-off
switch those connections should also be checked and cleaned and
tightened if necessary. As Dan suggested the CRC battery connection
cleaner/protector is great stuff if a little messy. It's red and never
completely dries.

Invest the few cents for a battery cable end and clamp connector wire
brush.. A file? Golly, use the brush.

Obviously, if you're on the water and need to clean the connections
and you have no brush use something else.

Butch
"Dan Krueger" wrote in message
.net...
Tim,

Tony beat me to it by a long shot. Maybe a different time zone??

I don't remember if I mentioned this in my post, but a file like the
one on a leatherman tool will do the trick on the lead battery posts
in a hurry. Don't forget to clean the corrosion off of the copper
connections from the engines. The file is also great for that.

Since you have one starting fine the corrosion is probably on the
connection to the battery from the other motor.

Dan


Tim Kelley wrote:
Tony, Dan,

Thanks - I'll take your advice and clean the heck out of the battery
connections (on both batteries), and recharge them. Hopefully
that's
the problem. I tightened the terminal connection with a pair of
pliers, but they aren't too clean - that's for sure.

Glad I'm running twin 115's. This problem happened 50 miles from
port.

Tim

Last night I fixed the problem that I originally made a post for. I
had done some hasty rewiring out on the water, and did not hook wires
back up correctly. The lesson I learned was:

"If FOUR wires are connected to a battery terminal, you pull them all
off and then reconnect THREE of the wires back to the terminal (leaving
one wire hanging) ... things may not operate on your boat as expected.

Oh well - dumb mistake. But dumb mistakes add up to experience. I
sure won't make this mistake again.

By the way - at my local West Marine I asked about "CRC" that was
mentioned above. The folks at WM did not have a clue what I was
talking about. I bought a small tube of dielectric silicone, which I
assume is similar. I believe I know what CRC is - isn't it that red
tinted gel that is on boat wire connections? Is there another name for
this product? Or a manufacturer's name?

Thanks,

TK

For CRC try an automotive supply store. Don't remember or never knew what
CRC stands for but the letters are commonly used to ask for the item in the
automotive trade.

Dielectric grease is another critter. In effect it is grease with high
resistance to current flow, or high dielectric strength. Perhaps it is good
stuff?? But, seems to me we want to decrease the resistance in our circuits
rather than increase it?

Butch
"Tim Kelley" wrote in message
oups.com...
Last night I fixed the problem that I originally made a post for. I
had done some hasty rewiring out on the water, and did not hook wires
back up correctly. The lesson I learned was:

"If FOUR wires are connected to a battery terminal, you pull them all
off and then reconnect THREE of the wires back to the terminal (leaving
one wire hanging) ... things may not operate on your boat as expected.

Oh well - dumb mistake. But dumb mistakes add up to experience. I
sure won't make this mistake again.

By the way - at my local West Marine I asked about "CRC" that was
mentioned above. The folks at WM did not have a clue what I was
talking about. I bought a small tube of dielectric silicone, which I
assume is similar. I believe I know what CRC is - isn't it that red
tinted gel that is on boat wire connections? Is there another name for
this product? Or a manufacturer's name?

Thanks,

TK