starter or solenoid?

[PlayDate]

I am thinking same. Only using my common sense and not knowledge of the issue. Hoping when I hooked it up wrong it didn’t blow anything.

Just curious.....where on this picture did you attach the remote starter leads?

 

[Stpetelsu64]

Just curious.....where on this picture did you attach the remote starter leads?

View attachment 153967

Looking to your left there is the red wire with the black rubber cover. Then the black rubber cover to the right of it. I hooked it to the 2 lugs under the rubber cover. Didnt touch the starter or solenoid above it. So the one to the left mounted to the bracket. Must have hooked up wrong when it sparked right away. Then reversed it and clicked the button and it sparked also but did the same click. What was strange to me was it started yesterday as I was about to quit working on it but has not started since.

 

[Blueone]

Looking to your left there is the red wire with the black rubber cover. Then the black rubber cover to the right of it. I hooked it to the 2 lugs under the rubber cover. Didnt touch the starter or solenoid above it. So the one to the left mounted to the bracket. Must have hooked up wrong when it sparked right away. Then reversed it and clicked the button and it sparked also but did the same click. What was strange to me was it started yesterday as I was about to quit working on it but has not started since.

A bad solenoid will work sometimes….. just jump it …if it works then that’s your problem

 

[Stpetelsu64]

A bad solenoid will work sometimes….. just jump it …if it works then that’s your problem

Will try again. I did the screwdriver trick touching both lugs at the same time. But now I have found a way to get a better reach so will try when I get back. Thanks

 

[PlayDate]

Okay .......since you are going to try this again.....take a look at this picture:

I believe in this image you have been trying to jump the Control Relay by shorting the two lug terminals.

If you do that it should energize the Starter Solenoid which advances the Bendix and closes an internal high amp contact between the BAT terminal and the MTR terminal energizing the starter.

Alternatively you could also take the Control Relay out of the equation by connecting your remote start cables to the BAT terminal and the SWITCH terminal. If the starter turns when it the remote starter is pressed......the problem is the Control Relay. If it does not spin the starter........there is a problem with the Starter Solenoid.

Under no circumstances should you attach your remote starter between the BAT and MTR terminals. The amount of amp draw between those two points will instantly fry your hands and the remote starter.

As others have mentioned.....the only click noise can come from either the Relay or the Starter Solenoid. If the sound is coming from the Starter Solenoid that means it has an internal issue.

Cummins Marine Engine Starting Circuit​

 

[Stpetelsu64]

Okay .......since you are going to try this again.....take a look at this picture:

I believe in this image you have been trying to jump the Control Relay by shorting the two lug terminals.

If you do that it should energize the Starter Solenoid which advances the Bendix and closes an internal high amp contact between the BAT terminal and the MTR terminal energizing the starter.

Alternatively you could also take the Control Relay out of the equation by connecting your remote start cables to the BAT terminal and the SWITCH terminal. If the starter turns when it the remote starter is pressed......the problem is the Control Relay. If it does not spin the starter........there is a problem with the Starter Solenoid.

Under no circumstances should you attach your remote starter between the BAT and MTR terminals. The amount of amp draw between those two points will instantly fry your hands and the remote starter.

As others have mentioned.....the only click noise can come from either the Relay or the Starter Solenoid. If the sound is coming from the Starter Solenoid that means it has an internal issue.

Cummins Marine Engine Starting Circuit​

View attachment 154002

Some of the technical terms confuse me but the pic helps. There is a tag on the cables to the top left part that says mag switch I believe. That is what I tried to jump. The pic attached shows the tag. I can’t get close enough to the starter to attach to it. So I have to work with the mag switch or slave solenoid I guess. I am going to take another pic to explain where I am jumping it

 

[Stpetelsu64]

Okay .......since you are going to try this again.....take a look at this picture:

I believe in this image you have been trying to jump the Control Relay by shorting the two lug terminals.

If you do that it should energize the Starter Solenoid which advances the Bendix and closes an internal high amp contact between the BAT terminal and the MTR terminal energizing the starter.

Alternatively you could also take the Control Relay out of the equation by connecting your remote start cables to the BAT terminal and the SWITCH terminal. If the starter turns when it the remote starter is pressed......the problem is the Control Relay. If it does not spin the starter........there is a problem with the Starter Solenoid.

Under no circumstances should you attach your remote starter between the BAT and MTR terminals. The amount of amp draw between those two points will instantly fry your hands and the remote starter.

As others have mentioned.....the only click noise can come from either the Relay or the Starter Solenoid. If the sound is coming from the Starter Solenoid that means it has an internal issue.

Cummins Marine Engine Starting Circuit​

View attachment 154002

Ok here is a pic. The red wire has a tag that says “mag sw to starter position. The black wire tag says mag sw to starter S terminal. So yes I have been trying to jump the relay. The other way is too difficult for me to reach. But your explanation helps my understanding for sure. Thanks. Will try to jump the relay again when wife can be at the helm to try to start. Thanks for all the help and I know I am not very good at this but giving it a shot. Hoping like hell it isn’t the starter because the 125$ per hour labor will hurt

 

[PlayDate]

Ok here is a pic. The red wire has a tag that says “mag sw to starter position. The black wire tag says mag sw to starter S terminal. So yes I have been trying to jump the relay. The other way is too difficult for me to reach. But your explanation helps my understanding for sure. Thanks. Will try to jump the relay again when wife can be at the helm to try to start. Thanks for all the help and I know I am not very good at this but giving it a shot. Hoping like hell it isn’t the starter because the 125$ per hour labor will hurt

If the Control Relay is the problem......jumping the two terminal lugs on the Control Relay will spin the starter motor and take it out of the circuit. If it does not spin the starter........the Starter needs to be replaced.

 

[Stpetelsu64]

If the Control Relay is the problem......jumping the two terminal lugs on the Control Relay will spin the starter motor and take it out of the circuit. If it does not spin the starter........the Starter needs to be replaced.

when I jump with a screwdriver nothing happened so I may have missed touching both. But when I used the remote starter I hear the same one loud “thunk” I hear when trying to start. So i guess it must be the starter. However one time before coming in last night at dark it started out of the blue. I let it run for a bit then turned off. Tried again and it wouldn’t start. Thanks as you have been helpful and appreciate the time

 

[PlayDate]

when I jump with a screwdriver nothing happened so I may have missed touching both. But when I used the remote starter I hear the same one loud “thunk” I hear when trying to start. So i guess it must be the starter. However one time before coming in last night at dark it started out of the blue. I let it run for a bit then turned off. Tried again and it wouldn’t start. Thanks as you have been helpful and appreciate the time

Trust me.....none of us like spending money that we don't have to. I have no doubt it started up last night.....but that is the nature of these things when they start to fail. Be glad it happened in the slip rather than on a trip.

I'm guessing a couple hours of labor depending on where the mechanic is coming from and $400-500 for the starter. Unless he gives you money for the old starter.....keep it and replace the solenoid. It is easy to test when it is removed from the boat and it doesn't hurt to have a spare.

 

[Stpetelsu64]

Trust me.....none of us like spending money that we don't have to. I have no doubt it started up last night.....but that is the nature of these things when they start to fail. Be glad it happened in the slip rather than on a trip.

I'm guessing a couple hours of labor depending on where the mechanic is coming from and $400-500 for the starter. Unless he gives you money for the old starter.....keep it and replace the solenoid. It is easy to test when it is removed from the boat and it doesn't hurt to have a spare.

Thanks for the advice and help. I spend several thousand a year for my annual service to make sure the engines stay running good. It is some of the other parts they wear out. After coolers lasted 14 years which was nice. Some electrical issues come up now with the age. Then the rust just sucks but a constant battle living right on the salt water. Can do all the spraying I want and still get rust. Thanks once again and will report back once the final result is in.

 

[Stpetelsu64]

Trust me.....none of us like spending money that we don't have to. I have no doubt it started up last night.....but that is the nature of these things when they start to fail. Be glad it happened in the slip rather than on a trip.

I'm guessing a couple hours of labor depending on where the mechanic is coming from and $400-500 for the starter. Unless he gives you money for the old starter.....keep it and replace the solenoid. It is easy to test when it is removed from the boat and it doesn't hurt to have a spare.

Last post i promise. Finally got to where I could use a screwdriver and touch both nuts. But each time I did sparks flew. A little scary but held on there and still just a click. But for sure I had the screwdriver on the studs. One on the one with the red cover and one with the black rubber cover. Guess it was supposed to spark but not sure if that means anything else

 

[PlayDate]

Last post i promise. Finally got to where I could use a screwdriver and touch both nuts. But each time I did sparks flew. A little scary but held on there and still just a click. But for sure I had the screwdriver on the studs. One on the one with the red cover and one with the black rubber cover. Guess it was supposed to spark but not sure if that means anything else

What it means is that the Starter Solenoid (see above diagram -post #65) is the problem. Internally it is receiving the voltage from the Control Relay but can not energize itself. The click you hear is it trying to energize and the sparks are it consuming a few amps in the process.

You have done all you can do to find the problem. The starter has to come out to be repaired or replaced.

Good work in narrowing the problem down to the starter.

 

[Stpetelsu64]

What it means is that the Starter Solenoid (see above diagram -post #65) is the problem. Internally it is receiving the voltage from the Control Relay but can not energize itself. The click you hear is it trying to energize and the sparks are it consuming a few amps in the process.

You have done all you can do to find the problem. The starter has to come out to be repaired or replaced.

Good work in narrowing the problem down to the starter.

Thanks. Not happy it is the starter especially the port one. Much more difficult to get to. But at least I know now thanks to all the help I got on here. Thanks to all those who helped.