37 Legend won't start...

[Honeyman]

from helm station. I've been all through archives and wanted to ask for current wisdom. Dockmate has a 37 Hunter Legend (87/88) that he says has not been able to start the Yanmar from the helm for over 8 years! Has to go below and jump the solenoid. Claims to have replaced most everything between starter and battery. Many posts about adding a "relay" in the circuit due to low voltage. Any further advice or explanation of this problem/solution would be welcome.

 

[Benny]

Problem in the wiring harness.

Check the wiring harness from panel to engine. This harness is routed trough some sharp edges and with the years of rubbing against these edges wires get cut. Look for broken insulation as a teltale sign of where the problem may be. You can test each cable for continuity with a multimeter to determine which one but a visual inspection should do it. You may reconect any cut or frayed wire found. If your harness checks out well then the other posible alternative would be the push button switch which powers the selenoid. I assume you have checked the key switch and that it provides power to the panel as the lights should be on and the buzzer makes sound.I had been experiencing intermitent loss of power to the panel in my 83 and one day it just went dead. I jumped the selenoid to test the starter and to make sure it was getting power. when the engine started I knew it was a switch or wiring problem. In my case the positive wire leading to the key switch was cut clean and the symptoms I had been experiencing where as a result of the wires diminishing capacity to carry power as it was breaking. Hope this helps.

 

[Bill Roosa]

I fixed mine several times and

this is what I did to ELEMINATE the problem. The basic issue is a lack of voltage getting to the solinoid. This comes from connections that are either loose (say battery terminals) or corroded (say starter key switch terminals). If you can get rid of the "post terminals" and put on "auto type" on your battery banks. If you don't want to do this then get out the sand paper and clean ALL the terminals and cables then smear a generous mittenfull of grease to keep them from corroding again. Remove the engine instriments pannel from the boat and examine the termnals on the key switch. You will find they are brass and have been out in the weather for a while. Did you notice the lack of a gasket on the engine instriment panel? After cleaning the threads and the nuts and the wire terminals, with special attention to the nut that stayes attached to the switch, put it all back together and then paint the terminals with a good enamal paint. Go get yourself some cork or other gasket material and make a gasket for the engine panel and Go out sailing.OBTW I had this problem for two years on and off and after i painted the key switch terminals the problem has never returned, even after a whole winter in the bay.

 

[Don]

fuse

Many of thes engine wiring harnesses have a fuse in the solenoid circuit and can be found behind the engine panel. If you already did what the others have suggested, I'd suspect the fuse is blown