Port Engine Won't Start

B

Boat Drinks

Member
Jun 21, 2008
52
Waterford, WI
Boat Info
1999 400 Sundancer
Engines
T CAT 3116
Hello All,

Went to take the boat out yesterday for the first time this year and the port engine wouldn't start. Gauges say batteries are fully charged, new batteries 2 weeks ago and have been on the charger since. The engine fired right up with the emergency start. We ran the boat for about 45 mins, then docked for about an hour. When we went back to the boat, the port engine started. Got back to the slip and the engine was fine after about 5 hours it started up. Now this morning it will not start without the emergency start. The gauges on the electrical panel and the gauges on the dash show fully charged. Any thoughts?
 
Assuming you don't have a port battery suffering from "infant mortality" (it happens), my money would be on a dirty battery connection. You can have enough of a connection that the battery gauge shows a good charge, but won't pass the current needed to crank the motor over.
 
Infant mortality, i like that. Happened to me on a car. We took off alternator, starter, everything, taking up to Autozone to test, all while my buddy saying its the battery, and i saying no the batt is 3 months old. At end of day, ya, bad battery. Now, i trust batteries like i trust weathermen (or weather ladies).
 
Can you be more specific about not starting? Does it turn over or nothing at all?

Assuming when you got back to the slip, you put it back on shore power and the charger?
 
The engine turns over slow, like it's not getting power.

When we got back to the slip, it was plugged into shore power with the battery charger turned on. As soon as I hit the emergency start with the engine fires up.
 
Gotcha .... with those symptoms, I'd look at the battery and the connections.
 
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