Motor will not cranked over

Michael Davis · Aug 31, 2020

If your batteries are charged I think I would start by cleaning all your ground terminals. Nothing like a poor ground to make things not work!

Benny17441 · Aug 31, 2020

Like Michael says make sure batteries are charge and connections are clean and tight. Hunters suffer from a common malady which is a result of voltage drop to the starter solenoid due to old wiring. This malady can begin to surface in boats 10 years old. First test the solenoid by jumping the low side terminals to insure if it is working properly. If the solenoid fails to activate the high circuit then replacing the solenoid should fix the problem but if your test reveals the solenoid working consistently than the problem is in the wiring. You can check all connectors as sometimes the pin connectors are at fault but the cure for the Hunter syndrome is usually the addition of an auxiliary solenoid or the running of new wiring to the solenoid. I have seen some move the starting button close to the engine compartment. This problem and its cure is well documented in the archives.

Don Lucas · Sep 1, 2020

Check your wiring connections and the start relay and the solenoid at the engine. I finally had to wire in a new relay and that has solved my problems the last 2 years. I will admit I also installed a start button in the engine compartment as a backup, but haven't used in a long time now.

Johnb · Sep 1, 2020

Exactly what the others have said. The starter solenoid can take 20 amps or more to pull in and a poor connection in any part of the circuit that feeds it will stop it from working.

Don Lucas · Sep 1, 2020

Don Lucas said:
Check your wiring connections and the start relay and the solenoid at the engine. I finally had to wire in a new relay and that has solved my problems the last 2 years. I will admit I also installed a start button in the engine compartment as a backup, but haven't used in a long time now.

Just to be clear, my problem wasn't the starter solenoid. It was the little relay that in turn energizes the starter solenoid. On my boat the relay was installed on the engine right next to the sole and it bent the wire and I think some strands broke. I couldn't even get to the wire nut to take the wire off. In the end I just cut the wires and installed a standard 12V cube relay.

Benny17441 · Sep 1, 2020

jvoorhies said:
Where is the start relay located on the 356?

I don't know if your boat will have a relay to the starter solenoid. Most smaller boats don't have them. Follow the wiring harness from starter solenoid to the engine control panel. One of the cures for voltage drop would be the installation of a relay where there is none. Check the archives.

Mike Oldak · Sep 2, 2020

I agree with the thought about bad grounds. To check on this condition, grab a pair of battery jumper cables and connect one end to the battery negative post and then to a clean piece of metal on the engine. If there is a bad ground this will bypass that problem. To see if the battery is weak and won't crank, try to release the compression valves on the top of the engine (if you have a Yanmar diesel). This will allow a weak battery to turn the engine over and get it to a healthy rpm at which time you flick the valves back on and the engine will start on a weak battery.

Mike Oldak · Sep 2, 2020

Another thing to check are the actual connections. I once had to track down an electrical problem that resulting in the car stopping dead at various times. It turned out to be some rust in between connectors on a bolt. Apparently the bolt on which all the connectors where sitting wasn't tight and rust got in between the connectors. I cleaned up the connectors, and then tightened the bolt. All fixed.

b.needalman · Sep 21, 2020

The most common reason that starters fail to crank is corrosion in the wire from the switch to the starter solenoid. Many people put an automotive accessory relay in. The existing wire from the start switch operates the new relay, which in turn operates the solenoid. This works because the accessory relay takes much less current than the solenoid. Less current, less voltage drop. The actual fix, which will eventually be needed, is to replace the wire from the start switch to the solenoid.

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Bill Roosa · Nov 16, 2020

Benny17441 said:
Like Michael says make sure batteries are charge and connections are clean and tight. Hunters suffer from a common malady which is a result of voltage drop to the starter solenoid due to old wiring. This malady can begin to surface in boats 10 years old. First test the solenoid by jumping the low side terminals to insure if it is working properly. If the solenoid fails to activate the high circuit then replacing the solenoid should fix the problem but if your test reveals the solenoid working consistently than the problem is in the wiring. You can check all connectors as sometimes the pin connectors are at fault but the cure for the Hunter syndrome is usually the addition of an auxiliary solenoid or the running of new wiring to the solenoid. I have seen some move the starting button close to the engine compartment. This problem and its cure is well documented in the archives.

There are like 11 connections between the battery, ignition switch, solenoid, and back to the battery. Many of them are just factory quick connects to help with installing the engine at the factory. After "nuttering" all these quick connects on my 40.5 I never had the problem again. It also fixed an oil temp gauge reading low.