www.iFourWinns.com

Your on the right path rob. If after cleaning it up and confirming your battery is good w/ 100% charge, you should jump the solenoid and see if that is your culprit. If that doesn't work then it time to take the starter to Autozone for a test.

Good Luck.

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Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

How do I go about jumping the solenoid?

If that helps, it sure would have been nice to know on the water. Oh well, next time I'll know!

What would Autozone do in testing the starter? Would it be similar to the battery test where they connected it to some tool?

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-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

AZ will put the starter on the test bed and fire it off, you will know quickly - by testing independently isolates it from the system

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2006 FW 203 FS
2005 Dodge Laramie 1500
2003 CRF 247F SuperMoto racer
2001 CBR1100XX

Jump it between the small terminal, and the power wire big terminal.
Autozone has a machine just for testing starters.

_________________
Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

I cleaned the battery terminals and all connections, including the starter wire) with steel wool and a baking soda/water mixture. Then I connected everything up and made sure all connections were snug.

This time, when I turned the key, it STARTED Music to my ears.

Just to make sure, I started it a couple dozen more times, varying the time in between starting. A few times I let it idle long enough to warm up.

Thanks to everyone for your pointers!

_________________
-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

Glad to hear you got it running again.
As for jumping the solenoid. For my Ford engine the starter soilenoid is mounted on the exhaust manifold and has 2 large terminals and 2-3 small terminals.

It is on the left exhaust manifold (looking at the motor) and has a red cover over one of the large terminals. it is hard to see.
I used my wrench (anything metal with a ruber or plastic handle) and jumped the 2 large terminals. And do that with the key in the "on" positition.
Hope that helps, but I think you have a GM engine and they are different, I think.

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Troy
2008 Centurion Avalanche
1994 Four Winns Horizon 180 SE 5.0L OMC Cobra (Sold)
2002 Ford F150 Harley Davidson Edition (http://www.nhtoc.com) 378 hp & 465 tq at rear wheels
2008 Honda Accord EX-L w/Nav

Rob, was there any one connection that was obviously the problem? Just curious.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

There was some discoloration on the battery terminals and a little corrosion on the starter connection. It was difficult to determine which caused the problem, but I made sure those connections sparkled by the time I was done with them.

All connection points were tight and secure, so I know it wasn't a loose connection.

Part of me wishes that I had tried to start it before doing all of this. If the rain holds off, I may go out to the lake tonight to test it out. I'll drive around a bit, then come back to the launch to turn it off and restart a few times.

1NiceHarley - I have the GM engine, which places the starter on the lower left side of the engine block. I didn't know I could bend my arm in so many places to get the wire disconnected.

_________________
-Rob.


Current boat: 2011 Yamaha AR210
Previous boat: 1998 Horizon RX 4.3GL SX

I use this, you might consider it.

http://www.crcindustries.com/auto/conte ... =06046&S=Y

I also like the felt terminal protectors that go on the battery posts under the cable terminals. But even a little grease smeared on the connections is a good idea IMO.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I am in the same boat (STS) as you were now. Took it out last night after being gone for over 3 weeks and nothing but a click. Ruled out the battery and have 1/2 my starter off. You could say slight rust build up. Looks like my fix won't be as simple or cheap as yours was. Right now I'm struggling to get the bolt holding the starter base out. There's just not enough room to be able to torque it enough to break it loose. I guess after 11 years, it wants to stay put.

SCORE: Starter = 1
Me = 0

_________________
Nubby


Living the DREAM

Try using some PB Blaster.

_________________
Walter

2003 248 Vista - VP 5.0 GXi
2009 Toyota Tundra SR5 5.7L 4x4

Final score: Starter = 1
Me = 1

Here's how to remove your starter...

Step 1: Remove everything that you have stored on/in/around the back seats and engine compartment.

Step 2: Disconnect/remove battery.

Step 3: Blankly stare at the little bit of the starter you can actually see tucked way back where no normal human being could possibly reach.

Step 4: Visualize being contorted into the most uncomfortable position you can imagine.

Step 5: Try to contort to Step 4

Step 6: Pull yourself back up and realize that you should probably get all the tools you need organized first since movement is pretty limited once you're at Step 5

Step 7: Step 5 (again) and some swearing.

Step 8: Wish you would have just paid someone to do it.

Step 9: Remove starter.

Step 10: Cry (when you realize you have to reverse the process when you get the new one!)

_________________
Nubby


Living the DREAM

I put a new one in my old 88 4.3 Cobra back in 2007, it really wasn't that bad, because the engine stringers are just far apart enough to make it pretty easy. The hard part about the install is that you have to hold the starter up in place while trying to start one of the two bolts that hold the starter in. And the starter weighs quite a bit, don't you think? I did consider tying a rope around the starter, so a helper could hold it up, and that way you could use both hands to get the bolts started, but the difficutly of finding a willing 'helper' meant that I just did it like a man and struggled a bit. But it sure is nice to have a new starter that works every time!

And about generating enough torque to break it loose, I used a Craftsman 1/2 drive ratchet with the long handle, bolts came right out, on this 20 year old motor used in salt water at least 8 years! Got to have the serious tools for this job! Just make sure that the ex manifold drain on that side does not leak, if it does it leaks right on the starter.

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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

For me, getting the starter put back in was the easy part. I'd try using some WD-40 then waiting, then some more, then waiting, etc. I was finally able to get both hands on the ratchet and get enough force to break everything loose. Not sure how your boat is built, but on mine, there is only about 3 inches of movement for the ratchet so even after getting both hands on it, there is only one position to pull from. If the wife gets home today, I'll take a pic and post it. Aside from dropping things in the bilge and having to stop to fish them out with a pole magnet, reassembly was not too bad.

_________________
Nubby


Living the DREAM