Thread:

Starting Issue

Originally Posted by Tittyman

Have a BBC with 12:1..new battery, fully charged, all grounds and hot connections good. When I start the boat it sort of draws down on the battery big time, then finally kicks over.
Sometimes I even wonder if it has enough cracking power to start..Is the problem likely a starter or starter solinoid..thanks again..

It would most likely be the bushing in the starter that is worn out letting the center rub the outside. Or a dead brush.

Originally Posted by Tittyman

Timing is at around 12*, starter appears to have been in there for sometime..it is not a top mount starter..

I think you should take a photo so everyone can see just what you have.

sounds like a bad starter,

if you can do a draw test, 50 amps per liter is about average draw,
if its significantly more then that, starters no good

if its been there awhile I'd just throw a starter at it,

at the very least pop it out and check the nose cone and give the starter a shake, if it clunks its no good, play in the bushing at the nose cone, its no good

high torque mini starters are a good way to go, and usually not much more then a stock replacement

Originally Posted by car_guy_turned_jetboater

sounds like a bad starter,

if you can do a draw test, 50 amps per liter is about average draw,
if its significantly more then that, starters no good

if its been there awhile I'd just throw a starter at it,

at the very least pop it out and check the nose cone and give the starter a shake, if it clunks its no good, play in the bushing at the nose cone, its no good

high torque mini starters are a good way to go, and usually not much more then a stock replacement

I agree with this.



Another simple test you can do. Use a digital multimeter on DC volts. Connect the negative to ground (any ground) and the positive to the B+ on the starter selenoid. Have a helper hit the key, and watch what the voltage does. If the voltage drops off sharply and you are positive the battery is good, then the starter is junk. Also be sure you have a good voltage supply to the excite wire. Chances are you need a new starter.

I agree. I have a BBF and just had a similar senario to yours. I figured the easist first step would be to replace my starter (least expensive). It was just a standard starter that had been on the boat for many years (and not top mount so more prone to water). Replaced it with another one and it has had no problem since then. I would have loved to put one of the high torque mini starters on it but wanted something quick and cheap and figure maybe this winter I'll swap them out. The high torque mini starters have become very popular though and the price seems to be going up. I got a stock starter for like $50 and the high torque mini starters ran $120 and above.

I'd say everyone is right, but here is how I would handle it if I had no other means of diagnosing the problem.
Take out the battery and have it load tested at a local battery house or auto parts store, they usually offer this service for free, if its a maintainable battery meaning you can add water then do a hydrometer test on the cells too. A battery can take a full charge according to a simple voltage tester and still have a bad cell which will give you the exact response your getting from the starter.
If battery tests good then put a new starter in it, if battery tests bad, well you know what to do then. Also a bad battery can be the culprit to ruining a perfectly good starter so you may be in need of both, who knows for sure until you test. Start with the simple things first and work up the chain from there. Good luck.