www.iFourWinns.com

Motor will not start, when I turn the key to the "run" position, everything is as it should be, gauges cycle, hour meter turns on, and warning buzzer sounds briefly. When I turn the key to the 'start" position, there is nothing, no clicking from the starter, absolutely nothing similar to a dead battery. When I release the key back to the "run" position, a few of the gauges are bouncing. Since batteries are 8 years old, I replaced them. Nothing changed.

Talking with a friend, sounded to him like a bad ground somewhere. Found and cleaned all grounds on the back of the engine as well as the positive on the starter. Again nothing changed.

What I did figure out is that if I hold the "battery parallel" switch down, turn the key to the "run" position and then to the "start" position, the motor starts and runs as it should. And everything else on the boat turns on and runs as it should.

Wondering if it is my starter solenoid. Extra amperage added by holding down the battery parallel switch helps engage it ???

So now I am at a loss. Hoping some one out there has a fix or suggestion for me.

Boat ran perfect the day before.

Rod

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2010 278 Vista
5.7 GXi DP

Past:
1999 225 Sundowner
5.7 GSi SX

You might be right, the solenoids can get corroded internally and then even if you have a good battery, may not crank unless you hit it with both. Keep in mind though that may not be the only cause. There is often a second starter relay, called an assist solenoid, that is in the wiring harness, this is included to prevent voltage drop for the yellow/red wire that activates the starter when you turn the key to start. If you can find it, you can check voltage at that wire (check voltage between the yellow/red to gound) when someone turns the key to start. I would also disconnect the yellow red wire at the starter solenoid and hook up a voltmeter positive terminal to that wire and the other terminal to a good ground. Then have someone turn the key to start and see what volt reading you get. Do it both on a single battery and with them combined. If your reading is low here, then it may not be your starter/solenoid. It could be the assist solenoid or the wiring between the ignition switch and the assist solenoid, or between it and the starter. Even if it is the starter solenoid, if you have good access to the starter (this can be tough on some boats, some installations require removing the exhaust on that side, or hanging upside down, etc) the solenoid is not hard to replace. Can you find an engine wiring diagram for your engine?

When the original starter failed on our old '98 Jeep a few years ago (it did last 16 years!) the first thing I did was to measure the voltage at the yellow/red wire that goes to the solenoid to make sure it was not due to other wiring/electrical issues. It wasn't and a new starter fixed it all up.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Started to think it may be my engine battery switch. By engaging the parallel switch, engine was possibly starting using house batteries alone. Did some diagnostic work and found battery switch to be working correct.

Then pulled starter out and had it bench tested today and found it too is working as it should.

So my problem lies somewhere in the engine start circuit ie. bad relay

Rod

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2010 278 Vista
5.7 GXi DP

Past:
1999 225 Sundowner
5.7 GSi SX

Wait, so if you hold down on the battery switch, it fires?

Sounds like the switch is bad. My riding mower did the same thing. PTO wouldn’t work unless I held pressure on the switch. I mowed a whole year with a c clamp holding it down before I ended up changing it, haha.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

No not the battery switch, but the "battery parallel" switch. Used to connect engine battery and house battery in parallel should the engine battery be too weak to start engine.

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2010 278 Vista
5.7 GXi DP

Past:
1999 225 Sundowner
5.7 GSi SX

I assume it does same thing if you try to start only using house battery.... not using them together. Just wondering if new battery may not be so good.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

I have a 2009 278 Vista, very similar wiring to yours ( except for the diesel specific things). The battery wiring on mine is modified ( now 2 house batteries on the starboard side, the engine battery still on the port side; another story !), but I do remember the house and engine batteries originally had separate ground cables to the engine block even when both were on the port side.

I know you have cleaned the ground connections, but the problem you have points to a poor connection between the engine battery and the block; pressing the "parallel" switch merely connects a well grounded battery to the starter. What is the voltage between the engine battery +ve and the block, compared to the voltage between the battery +ve and -ve terminals ?

I had a Sundowner with the 5.7 GXi. There are multiple ground connections just below the port manifold drain Perfect for corrosion. I thought I had cleaned them all, but one was hidden.

Do you have a voltmeter? What’s the battery voltage?

I’d still look into replacing that switch.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

So I re-checked the battery switch and bypassed it completely, and no change. Traced the wiring, went over everything I had previously did. So last resort I swapped the batteries around. Boat fired up no problem without using the battery parallel switch. Bought a new house battery and problem solved!

Having trouble wrapping my head around this.
1. If house battery was bad, why did boat start with it in place of the cranking battery.
2. I have drained house battery many times while on the hook and boat has never not started before.
3. If boat requires 2 batteries to start, why are they labelled engine & house and not just 1 & 2 or similar.

But on the bright side, repair wasn't costly, starter bench tested good, all engine grounds have been cleaned, Im a little more intimate with my wiring (I think)

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2010 278 Vista
5.7 GXi DP

Past:
1999 225 Sundowner
5.7 GSi SX

When took possession of my "unsold" 2009 278 in 2014, I had loads of electrical issues. I forgot about one until now; the cable labelled "house battery" (or similar) was connected to the engine battery terminal on the battery switch, and vice versa ! One of the reasons I decided to rewire the whole mess of battery related wiring in and around the engine compartment.

In 2008 to 2010 FW had severe labour issues ( I found a " what to do if you are made redundant" letter to employees in my boat. QC was sketchy !

Hey Graham,

I had some incorrect plumbing on my boat I discovered after I took possession. Also found various installation instructions, wood cutoffs, a lot of sawdust and pieces of wire in my forward bilge and under cabin steps. So much crap that it would have plugged up my forward bilge pump. I remember you posting about the multi-pin plug and wiring harness located in the forward bilge. I had some electrical issues and figured out from your posting that this harness was the problem, a multi-pin plug sitting in water at the bottom of the forward bilge, WTF!!

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2010 278 Vista
5.7 GXi DP

Past:
1999 225 Sundowner
5.7 GSi SX

Check the rotor in your distributor, I had spark coming in but none going out.