Thanks to this forum which has substantial information on the subject.
My Yanmar 2GM20F always acted like it had a dead spot in the starter button on restart after sailing awhile, but never on an initial start. I finally decided to do something about it and read some of the forum discussions on the subject. The solution was certainly easy enough except for actually routing the wire from the panel to the starter.
The original wiring harness is probably all of 20 feet long, the excess length is bundled in a loop at the panel. The harness itself then goes aft to the transom then under the aft berth forward to the engine compartment. I simply disconnected the white wire at the push button and the starter and abandoned it. It appeared to be only about a 16ga wire and actually went through a couple of plug connecters in the harness before it got to the engine. I simply replaced that wire with a 14ga wire which I ran directly forward and down to the engine fishing it through a couple of factory access openings. That shortened the distance to about 10 feet.
In the process of re-connecting the wire, I also discovered that the primary cable to the starter was somewhat loose.Tightening that probably helped as well. That cable had not been touched in 7 years and engine vibration probably played a role in loosening it. Now the push button works like a charm.
Having read that others had installed a relay, which also makes sense, I would have done that next. But this certainly seems to have solved the problem.
Thanks to this forum and all of the input.
My Yanmar 2GM20F always acted like it had a dead spot in the starter button on restart after sailing awhile, but never on an initial start. I finally decided to do something about it and read some of the forum discussions on the subject. The solution was certainly easy enough except for actually routing the wire from the panel to the starter.
The original wiring harness is probably all of 20 feet long, the excess length is bundled in a loop at the panel. The harness itself then goes aft to the transom then under the aft berth forward to the engine compartment. I simply disconnected the white wire at the push button and the starter and abandoned it. It appeared to be only about a 16ga wire and actually went through a couple of plug connecters in the harness before it got to the engine. I simply replaced that wire with a 14ga wire which I ran directly forward and down to the engine fishing it through a couple of factory access openings. That shortened the distance to about 10 feet.
In the process of re-connecting the wire, I also discovered that the primary cable to the starter was somewhat loose.Tightening that probably helped as well. That cable had not been touched in 7 years and engine vibration probably played a role in loosening it. Now the push button works like a charm.
Having read that others had installed a relay, which also makes sense, I would have done that next. But this certainly seems to have solved the problem.
Thanks to this forum and all of the input.
