help please, single click on first-second turn of key to start 3.0 mercruiser 2006-gctid396823

[Guest]

Hello All

Only my second time posting here as I just found this handy group. I own a 2006 Bayliner Discovery with the 3.0 4 cyl mercruiser motor. Had it most of last year and ran well. I had it winterized and serviced at the dealer. I've been out about 7 times this season with no problems. We trailer this boat. The past couple trips there has started to be a problem starting. I want to fix it but it is intermittent so far so I'm hoping to get some opinions.

On the first key turn of the day it won't start. There is a single click and nothing else. try it one more time and it might click or it might start... (SO FAR) try it a third time and it starts. We use the boat all day with probably 2-3 starts and no problems. On the last trip I have engine cover open waiting for click or no start every time during the day and it just fires right up. Last night while on the trailer I had my wife try to start while I was listening at the engine. It did the single click at the "slave solenoid" mounted on the block. I grabbed a test light and a handy write up of how to trouble shoot this condition and had her try again only to have it start the second time. I tried multiple times and it turned over every time. While I had time I cleaned and tightened the battery connections and the starter connections and I checked the push on connections to the slave solenoid (the heavier wires were fine)

I have a slave solenoid on order as I figure for $20 it wouldn't hurt to have it if I need it.

My question is how do I troubleshoot something that only happens once or twice a day? I'd like to fix it before I get stranded.

Thanks in Advance

Brian

[2850Bounty]

santuitman wrote:


My question is how do I troubleshoot something that only happens once or twice a day? I'd like to fix it before I get stranded.

Brian, intermitant problems are a real bugger to sort out, that's for sure.

We use a term here called the P of E, process of elimination. Works best if one item only is looked at at a time.

With what you describe, the suspect items for me would be:

• Neutral safety switch within the throttle/shift lever unit.
• Solenoid, either a slave or a starter motor solenoid.
• Contacts within the engine/hull harnes connector.
• or a starter motor problem.

While the key switch is held in the "start" position, move the shift lever back and forth just barely in-out of the neutral position.

If the engine fires, then there is your issue. Perhaps a faulty micro switch, or perhaps out of adjustment.

NO GO.... then move on to the engine/hull harness interface connection. Pull this apart, and examine the contacts.

This will be on the engine, and will be a large multi pin connector.

Still NO GO.... then move onto the slave solenoid.

While the key is held in the "start" position (don't let up... keep in start position), take a reading at the "S" terminal. This should be giving continous voltage.

While there, check for continous voltage at the output side of the large terminals. (one will be powered, one will be the switched leg)

The switched leg should also be giving continous voltage.

Still NO GO..... then move to the actual starter motor solenoid.

Same as above:

While the key is held in the "start" position (again...., don't let up... keep in start position), take a reading at the "S" terminal. This should be giving continous voltage.

While there, check for continous voltage at the output side of the large terminal that powers the starter motor field.

This is likely NOT giving continous voltage.

However, if it IS showing continous voltage, then the issue is within the starter motor itself.

Perhaps brush contact with the armature.

Also, any battery cable connections (both Pos and Neg) that are making good/heavy contact but intermitantly ONLY, may also be suspect.

Do this, and I'll bet that it leads you to the problem area.

.

[joeydiver]

Seems to be a running theme here:

http://www.baylinerownersclub.org/forum/showthread.php?71601-Intermittent-Starting-Issue-Clicking-sound-and-Starter-Doesn't-Engage

I had a problem where the ground wire to the grounding block was loose, tightened it up and it worked, until a few days later, then had a problem with the battery. On my Discovery the block is located on the port side under the batter charger, see if the nut is loose.

Joey

[Guest]

Hi guys, thanks for the tips of things to check!

It just stinks that it only happens once or twice a day. We are going out this evening for some fireworks watching if it occurs again after my battery/starter cable cleaning last night I will try to check the shift interlock. It seems to do it whether the shifter is in the neutral position or in the high idle setting but I'll double check that.

I will also check the block ground. I should have done that last night but I don't work so well after 9pm

[Guest]

Well I had the boat in for a few hours. the first time I started it there was just a click. I continued to hold the switch in start position and wiggled shifter. This seems to have caused boat to start. It only did this once and started fine the rest of the day. I can't seem to find where the neutral switch is. Is there a diagram of the shifter that I could find online so I can look at it further when I get home tonight ?

Would anyone know if its easy it is to get to or am I going to be taking the whole shifter out/apart?

Thanks

Brian