Starter Not Engaging at First Push

[GChelius]

Morning,
I have a 1999 340 Sun Dancer and when I push button to start my port motor nothing. Starboard is fine. I push a couple more times, and boom it starts. Would this be the start solenoid? Maybe the start switch? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Snapon24]

Sounds like most likely a bad starter solenoid. Try and check for voltage at the little ignition wire on the starter when it doesn't crank. If you have voltage then you need a starter. If not then a bad switch. Load test that wire to make sure its good too. Also make sure the neutral switches on the transmissions are working correctly.

 

[craigswardmtb]

Do you here the starter spinning down below when you press the button, but just not engaging? The starter has a little bendix gear on it which sits on the end of a shaft/pinion. When the starter is engaged that shaft extends out and the gear engages with the flywheel. Sometimes that shaft/pinion gets corrosion on it and it will no longer extend. It will spin just fine but not engage with the flywheel. It may only show intermittenly and engage after a couple pushes of the ignition button, but eventually it will fail. Ask me how i know...
If its not spinning at all then you have other issues. I had a Merc 496, so not overly familiar with your 7.4. Next place to test would be your starter relay, and then your slave solenoid (if you have one). These solenoids are pretty standard as they are often the same as used for your drive trim, and are prone to failure.
Hopefully its not the starter itself.

 

[craigswardmtb]

Also ensure your batteries are at proper voltage. If they are long in the tooth it will struggle to start. Not sure how you're batteries are wired, but perhaps this is not the problem if you are powering both motors off the same starting batteries, given your stbd fires up without issue. If separate starting batteries then this could be the case.

 

[scoflaw]

Jump the 2 large wires at the slave solenoid. This test will tell you where the problem is.

 

[JVM225]

Might be as easy as cleaning the connections on the slave solenoid.

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

Had similar issues with mine years ago. Turned out to be some corrosion on the engine block ground cable that goes to the battery's negative side. Took a lot of troubleshooting to reach that diagnosis!

 

[GChelius]

The stater engages no problem once it has power.
Batteries are fully charged and terminals and connections clean

One thing I failed to mention is that there is no ignition alarm until I turn off and on again and maybe again. Then she will generally go.

I saw something similar on this one night on some site, but I cannot find the thread. I believe the suggestion was an ignition relay on the top of the motors. I cannot conclude this though I appreciate the help.

 

[370Dancer]

The stater engages no problem once it has power.
Batteries are fully charged and terminals and connections clean

One thing I failed to mention is that there is no ignition alarm until I turn off and on again and maybe again. Then she will generally go.
.

Based on this statement, I would start with the ignition switch. Get one (DPDT Off-On-Momentary), and move your connections to it while hanging off the panel. If it works every time, you have found your culprit. In my experience, it could be both items, the switch, and the engine mounted solenoid.

 

[scoflaw]

easier to jumper 12v to the small y/r at the slave.

 

[Captain Allen]

I would check the switch first, if the alarm is not sounding.

 

[GChelius]

Based on this statement, I would start with the ignition switch. Get one (DPDT Off-On-Momentary), and move your connections to it while hanging off the panel. If it works every time, you have found your culprit. In my experience, it could be both items, the switch, and the engine mounted solenoid.

Where is the engine mounted Solenoid?

 

[Creekwood]

Where is the engine mounted Solenoid?

Its on the starter motor. It pulls the starter pinion gear into contact with the flywheel and connects the circuit to run the starter motor. But as others have said, your symptoms of no alarm points right at a faulty switch, not solenoid. Try swapping the switches port / starboard and if your problem switches to the other engine you have your answer. And if you don't know how to do that, just get a mechanic to do it. Boats need repairs and repairs cost money. A switch replacement will be a cheap repair.

 

[370Dancer]

Where is the engine mounted Solenoid?

Depends. Do you know your engine serial number? My 7.4 MAG MPI inboards have a solenoid on the top of the intake manifold to the left of the distributor, near the 50 amp breaker. That feeds the starter assembly. I have also seen them in the electrical box where the ECU is.

 

[GChelius]

Its on the starter motor. It pulls the starter pinion gear into contact with the flywheel and connects the circuit to run the starter motor. But as others have said, your symptoms of no alarm points right at a faulty switch, not solenoid. Try swapping the switches port / starboard and if your problem switches to the other engine you have your answer. And if you don't know how to do that, just get a mechanic to do it. Boats need repairs and repairs cost money. A switch replacement will be a cheap repair.

Thanks I will start with swapping out the switches.

 

[GChelius]

Depends. Do you know your engine serial number? My 7.4 MAG MPI inboards have a solenoid on the top of the intake manifold to the left of the distributor, near the 50 amp breaker. That feeds the starter assembly. I have also seen them in the electrical box where the ECU is.

Thank you. I do not know serial without looking it up.

 

[Creekwood]

Depends. Do you know your engine serial number? My 7.4 MAG MPI inboards have a solenoid on the top of the intake manifold to the left of the distributor, near the 50 amp breaker. That feeds the starter assembly. I have also seen them in the electrical box where the ECU is.

I guess he should clarify what solenoid he is talkong about. There is the one on the starter:

And there is the emergency start solenoid:

And then there is the slave solenoid:

 

[JVM225]

No alarm? Have to sometimes turn key off and on to get alarm?
Sounds like ignition switch, or could be blade connectors on ignition switch need cleaning.
Cheap and easy fix either way.
The alarm buzzer should sound regardless of the condition of the slave solenoid or starter.