Engine starting woes

Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
OK so I am getting ready to do the sea trials of the new electronics this weekend. Haven't started the boat in over a month. I turn on the engine electrical, turn the key and NUTTIN HONEY. This is the second time this has happened. The ground is new cable, the positive lead is new. The connections look tight. Tomorrow I'll start following the wiring diagram and find out where the electrons are really going with a meter. So frustrating. The batteries are showing good voltage. I'll probably start at the key and make sure power is getting that far. If it isn't then I'll work my way back thru the connections until I reach the problem. FYI - engine is a 42B Westerbeke and yes I have the wiring diagram. I'm suspicious of the 20 thermal breaker that is attached to the engine but I'll find out for sure and keep everyone appraised of what I find. I also discovered a tiny leak in my overflow tank that had emptied itself into the engine bilge. I'll have to fix that tomorrow as well.:cuss:
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Even your Westerbeke may have a fuse in the wire between the ignition button and the starter solenoid. What you describe is exactly that: a dead fuseholder, rarely does the fuse blow.
 
May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Or a loose fuse...
That happened to me this week and it was just loose in the holder after I moved several wires to replace battery cables.
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
I've been studying the wiring diagram for a few minutes and although it doesn't call for a fuse, the power is supposed to come from the main switch ( next to my battery switch ) directly to the starter ( and I replaced that cable recently ) and then it goes from there to the preheat solenoid...then thru a 20 amp breaker ( or fuse I suppose ) to the switch. I'll start at the solenoid I guess. Thank goodness Catalina made it all easy to get to.
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
Here is the relevant section of the wiring diagram. The wire from the battery switch to the starter and to the alternator are new and in excellent condition. The ground wires are new and in good condition as well.
 

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May 27, 2004
1,964
Hunter 30_74-83 Ponce Inlet FL
Condition aside, you probably moved some portion of the ignition wiring to the point of disconnect when you installed new wires. Suggest you check terminals, butt connectors, plug-ins, electrical tape wraps, spade connectors and any wire nut connectors :yikes:, just in case.
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
It worked fine for many months after I installed the new wiring (only the ground wires and the new wire from the battery switch to the solenoid and to the alternator). This is something new...and exciting....and probably expensive...LOL&*
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Here is the relevant section of the wiring diagram. The wire from the battery switch to the starter and to the alternator are new and in excellent condition. The ground wires are new and in good condition as well.
All the Catalina wiring diagrams are "like" yours. NONE show the fuse between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid.

Please, go look. :)
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
Thanks Stu...the Catalina supplied wiring diagram says " sorry...you need to go to the engine manufacturers manual for the engine diagram...(hull #8)...I will be following the path of the missing electrons tomorrow...thanks for the heads up....I'm assuming that when I open the panel at the helm I will find a wonderful world of corroded terminals and perhaps even the elusive fuse you are talking about....ahhhh...the joys of boat ownership:rolleyes:
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
I'm assuming that when I open the panel at the helm I will find a wonderful world of corroded terminals and perhaps even the elusive fuse you are talking about...
That fuse is never nowhere near the cockpit panel. Look under the alternator. It's at the engine end. Sorry, I should have said so earlier, but we get this question so often...
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
I found the problem, that being a wire that is a spade connector at the starter not being firmly attached. But wait for it...there is more to the story. We have owned the boat a year now. One thing the owner did is have a new starter installed as part of the purchase deal because of a corrosion issue. As I was troubleshooting today I was rooting around the wires at the starter ( I had already traced power to the alternator and coming out of the alternator and power was disappearing at the starter. ( see attached photo of the wire diagram where the power was disappearing. Suddenly I had power, I heard the fuel pump start up and the control panel lights were on. They...poof...it was gone, Ah ha I found the problem. Then checking the connections on the starter I found the wires were loose. When I tried to tighten, the nut would just spin. See the discovery of a stripped copper connection in the photos. Oppss...guess I need a new starter and I'll fix this one for a spare when I find the time.
 

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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Glad you found it. I've said it before I really dislike those push on connections Give me a bent fork or ring anyday.

Les
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
I wish I had a way to modify the setup. As it is I now have another project on my list. I will be adding a separate push button switch for the starter and one for the glow plugs. I also found some rust on the engine block I need to address sooner than later. I'm thinking of soldering on a push on connector with a lead wire with perhaps a terminal block or something so this can't happen again. One thing I did discover is that there is plenty of room in the engine instrument pod for a 12 volt plug.
 
Jan 27, 2008
3,045
ODay 35 Beaufort, NC
Here's an idea for you. See if you can chase the good threads that are left on the stripped stud with a die. Then have a machine shop make a stud on a lathe that will screw on to the existing stud and have a new stud on the other end to attach your wires. Shouldn't cost much or take very long to make what I am talking about, especially an easily machined material like copper. It looks like you have at least three good threads left on that stud which is adequate for full strength of the joint. If you can't get a die on it sometimes you can use a knife (very carefully) and carefully follow the good threads until you reform the last thread to allow a nut to get started on the remaining threads. file down or cut off the damaged portion if it is too big in diameter to get a nut to the good threads. Basically what you need is a copper tube threaded all the way through, screw it onto the existing stud and then use a copper screw through your ring terminal to attach your wire.
 
Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
I got the nut onto the stud ok with out lock washers. I have a rebuilt starter I'll be picking up next week and then I can have the solenoid rebuilt. Its ok for now but...not a long time solution. Thanks everyone
 
Jul 17, 2017
3
Beneteau 331 Belmont
Can I ask if you have the Captains or Admirals Panel? I have a similar situation on a 2001 Beneteau 331 w/a 30B engine and the Captains panel. I turned the key and got the alarm for a split second and then in went silent. I thought the buzzer might have just gone bad, or maybe the switch. I pulled the panel and I had power at the switch and I even jumped the switch but nothing. I have power at the starter but nothing happens at all on the panel when I turn the key. The Captains panel has a test button and nothing lights up when I hit that either. There is power at the 20A breaker on the back of the engine but again nothing is happening when I push the button. It was running just fine a couple days before, although I had a similar problem a couple years ago that a mechanic couldn't find but it started working again. I thought maybe it was just a switch so I replaced that but no luck.

The one odd thing is that when I turn the switch (key) the power drops from every contact, at the switch, at the breaker, it reads zero and possible goes negative (the needle seems to move to negative but hard to tell). I looked for a ground fault by taking off the battery cable and bridging the pole and the cable to see if I got a reading and that was negative. I think there are some kill switches in the engine that shut it down when it over heats or pressure is off but not sure why they would kick in before it starts. Any suggestions would be appreciated.