What the hell is going on?

[Rchandless]

So kind of a newb to the mechanical sides of boating and would rather figure it out for myself. I have a 1996 23ft kachina with a 502 in it with approx 360 hours. Ran it all spring and summer without too many issues. First when I bought it was left stranded up at pirates turned out fuel pump was bad(mechanical pump). Then approx 2 months later running past the sand bar lost the upper unit and had that replaced. Ran fine in May, June, July but was in havasu this weekend and couldn't get her to turn over. Batteries fully charged changed spark plugs just in case and on crank just sits there and seems to be struggling almost like the batteries are not charged. Previous owner replaced brand new carberatour, starter, impeller etc... question I have is could it be the starter if he cheaped out and did one not high torque basically not capable of turning that motor over? Once again newb to this so take it easy fellas.....

 

[Meaney77]

"Batteries fully charged changed spark plugs just in case and on crank just sits there and seems to be struggling almost like the batteries are not charged."

Did you Check your ground wires?

 

[Andy B.]

Check your coil maybe you don't have a spark happened to me on my 99 502(fuel injected) just turned over and wouldn't start.

 

[Heylam]

Could be all sorts of things. Time for a multimeter and some diagnostic skills.

 

[Rchandless]

"Batteries fully charged changed spark plugs just in case and on crank just sits there and seems to be struggling almost like the batteries are not charged."

Did you Check your ground wires?

Checked ground wires all good there. That's what started getting me on the starter maybe because it almost has the sound like it's struggling or not enough power to turn it.

 

[Instigator]

If I read your post right, the engine won't even turn over. Can you bar the engine over by hand with a socket and breaker bar on the crankshaft?
Did the plugs look like they has water on any of them? Is the neutral safety switch working and allowing current to the solenoid?
Lots of un known still.

 

[bocco]

I would pull the plugs and see if it spins. More importantly if it spits out water. If it does then replace the fuel separator and see if it starts.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

Just went thru a similar issue this summer with my flat, the key was going out, but I ran thru other checks to determine that. Same trip my buddy is sitting at the launch ramp and his flat turned over, started then stopped.. tried to start then nothing. He has a MSD set up and I was thinking wow there's a lot that this could be but then just started tracing back from key, he had a loose wire on the coil. Remember that no power gets to the starter until the key tells it to turn over. Start simple and eliminate loose wires on back of key, distributor and coils.

 

[Rchandless]

If I read your post right, the engine won't even turn over. Can you bar the engine over by hand with a socket and breaker bar on the crankshaft?
Did the plugs look like they has water on any of them? Is the neutral safety switch working and allowing current to the solenoid?
Lots of un known still.

Sorry not trying to confuse anyone it sits there and just cranks very slowly like it's struggling to turn that's why I thought batteries must be low but weren't. It cranks and cranks but won't fire up. Plugs didn't have any water in them. Neutral safety switch is perfect as well. I'm going to try and get a video so you guys can hear what it sounds like cranking.

 

[Rchandless]

I would pull the plugs and see if it spins. More importantly if it spits out water. If it does then replace the fuel separator and see if it starts.

Does spin no water spitting. We turned it when plugs were pulled to make sure it wasn't flooded and no water or anything

 

[Rchandless]

Just went thru a similar issue this summer with my flat, the key was going out, but I ran thru other checks to determine that. Same trip my buddy is sitting at the launch ramp and his flat turned over, started then stopped.. tried to start then nothing. He has a MSD set up and I was thinking wow there's a lot that this could be but then just started tracing back from key, he had a loose wire on the coil. Remember that no power gets to the starter until the key tells it to turn over. Start simple and eliminate loose wires on back of key, distributor and coils.

I'll take a look at those things. It sounds like it wants to start but just seems like it's to weak to turn over even sprayed some starter fluid down carb to try that and still nothing. Just a very slow crank like there is a weakness somewhere.

 

[boblins]

Know that batteries are fully charged, but just in case have you either tried another battery, boosting, or load testing. Sometimes those pesky things can fool us. Friend just spent 6 hours doing starter repairs, then replacement only to find that both of the batteries he was using were bad.

 

[Dettom]

Make sure your batteries are rated for the engine you have. You should batteries that enough cranking amps to do the job. Also, have your alternator checked. I recently changed out the batteries with some Interstates that have 800 cranking amps each and rebuilt my alternator. World of difference.

 

[Meaney77]

Tether Safety Switch? The one you are supposed to wear when you drive?

 

[Rchandless]

Know that batteries are fully charged, but just in case have you either tried another battery, boosting, or load testing. Sometimes those pesky things can fool us. Friend just spent 6 hours doing starter repairs, then replacement only to find that both of the batteries he was using were bad.

Did load testing everything with batteries passed perfectly. So I was able to cross that off the list

 

[4Waters]

Check the engine harness plugs at the back of the engine, if it cranks slow I just can't help but think it's not a bad negative battery cable, use a set of jumper cables and jump from the negative post to the engine block, cylinder head or motor plate leave the positive side of the jumper cables off. The negative battery cable may look fine on the outside and be corroded on he inside.

Don't know why it added an emoji again.

 

[Factory502]

Dont know if you ever got it figured out, but check the drive, a friends boat began doing similar, then completely locked up, ended up being the gimbal bearing... just a thought

 

[Rchandless]

Been a while since I posted here. After replacing starter, ignition, and distro ended up being the wiring harness. Soon as I replaced the harness it fired right up.

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