No start issue

[capz]

Help get me in the water by memorial day!
I went to start up for the first time this season and all I'm getting is the dreaded single click from the starter solenoid. Batteries are good 13+ on both. Neutral start is good. With the key in run I took the throttle just out of neutral and I can hear that click. I was getting tired so the only test I did was jump from the red battery connection to the ignition lead on the solenoid and it tried to crank good and hard.

So I assumed it's a bad starter solenoid until I read this somewhere on how to diagnose a no start condition.

".....if the engine cranks when you jump the Red to Yellow/Red lead; but it does not crank when you use the Key Switch, it means you have a bad Key Switch"

Does this apply even if I hear the solenoid clicking? I had ruled out the ignition switch because I heard the click. Any thoughts?

 

[rcknecht]

There are two black relays that are about 1" square. These are ignition start and run relays. It could posibly be one of these.

 

[rabyers1]

Check your slave solenoid. It is located on the top of your engine. Follow the positive cable from the battery to it.

 

[capz]

Now that I'm thinking about it I was looking at it wrong. I hate electricity, just never got it so bear with me. Tell me if I have this right so I know what I'm looking for.
When I jumped the battery to the starter solenoid, and got a good crank, what I actually did was bypass the part of the circuit from the ignition switch to the slave solenoid (on top of the engine)? I was looking at it like that took the starter solenoid out. So if I don't have 12V going to the starter solenoid when the key is turned then it's most likely the slave solenoid or relays?
I'll do more tests tomorrow and get back. Thanks

 

[chumbley]

If the battery will crank the engine (which you proved by jumping it), then your options are basically:
- key switch
- neutral switch
- solenoid

Should be fairly easy to chase down with a volt meter or even a test light.

 

[gnealon]

If the battery will crank the engine (which you proved by jumping it), then your options are basically:
- key switch
- neutral switch
- solenoid

Should be fairly easy to chase down with a volt meter or even a test light.

My exact thoughts. When you jump the solenoid, make sure the key is turned into the on position so the engine's fuel pumps etc are working. Otherwise the engine will just crank.

p.s. last night i pulled my ignition switch out, it went bad. I had YOUR EXACT "symptoms"

Good Luck

 

[capz]

The slave solenoid was the culprit. The test and swap took 30 bucks and 20 whole minutes. If I just called service at my marina, they want you pay for an hour of diagnostics to start at $90/hr. For anyone who gets the same symptoms and new to troubleshooting here's what I did.

The slave solenoid on my engine is mounted on top, starboard side, underneath the mercathode controller. Here's a diagram.

I didn't have a helper so I took long jumpers with alligator clips to extend the multimeter to the helm. First I pulled the center wire on the distributor cap to keep the engine from starting. I'm checking that turning the key to start sends 12V to the solenoid. The wire you want to check is the yellow/red on the lower post C above. You may have a different solenoid but it's the smaller yellow/red wire. Clip the alligator on the bottom of the post and the wire on top of that. I got 12V, a click and no cranking so solenoid was bad. If no 12V then I would test back to the ignition switch.
It started fast too with the new one! I've had intermittent hard starting for two seasons. Now I know why.

For knowledge sake, can anyone tell me what the ignition relay (little black box port side) does and where does it come into play in the circuit?