Glad Of Dinghy Experience When Engine Wouldn't Start! Yanmar Advice needed...

Zagato

Zagato

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Bit of a moment this morning coming down through the moored boats in Itchenor Reach under stay sail when the wind died against the turning tide and my engine wouldn't start. I am very grateful for all the time spent in a dinghy as I managed to pick up a free mooring with just enough puff in the sail for steerage - phew.

OK heres is the intermittent problem.

Ignition on sometimes she starts other times there is nothing despite the warning lights coming up showing electrical connection - just dead, engine doesn't crank over, no noise of starter motor engaging etc.

Sometimes she fires up, others not. I am thinking loose connection somewhere or maybe the kill switch is not going back properly after it is pulled to a stop.

I left the mooring and carried on with the day hoping that it would fire back up again which it did. It has not overheated or anything, it's just dead sometimes :confused:
 
In the loom you will find a fuse, cunningly hidden. Clean the terminals. Also make sure the multipin connector is clean. Also worth checking all terminal connections. Yanmars are very sensitive to poor connections.
 
First thing I would do it check (take apart and remake) all the connections, there are at least two large connector blocks that connect the pannel into the wiring loom. Also check the engine block earth collection and the connectons onto the starter/solenoid.

Are you sure there is not even a click (of the solenoid) when you hit the starter, if not I would check the button itself?
 
Thanks folks I'll try all the connections and the button itself. I have just called the marine engineer who said it needs a new starter motor but I doubt that and will go through all the connections first. The starter button sounds like a good place to begin (no click Georgio!). It's all a pig to get at but cheaper than calling someone out...
 
It's not the stop handle - that's purely mechanical and works on the injection pump. If it was left activated, the engine would still spin up on the starter, though it wouldn't fire.

Kindred Spirit's engine at one point started having a lesser version of the same problem. Pressing the button would give a "clunk" of the solenoid but nothing else. It would usually spin up (and then fire) on the second or third press. Based on advice here, I checked all the connections in the wiring loom, and found one that was loose and a bit corroded. Cleaned up and re-fastened, it was reliable ever after. Afraid I can't remember exactly where the connection was.

Pete
 
Zagato said:
Thanks folks I'll try all the connections and the button itself. I have just called the marine engineer who said it needs a new starter motor but I doubt that and will go through all the connections first. The starter button sounds like a good place to begin (no click Georgio!). It's all a pig to get at but cheaper than calling someone out...
Click to expand...

How can a "marine engineer" diagnose that it needs a new starter motor over the phone.

IMO It's almost certinly a poor connection.

I hope it's easy to sort.
 
Thanks Pete, can discount that one then. Not looking foward to the job, can't get at anything or see anything it's all so dark. Got to be easier than putting on new suspension, let alone a steering relay on an old Land Rover though....I hope!
 
I understand that the Yanmar loom can be too high resistance to activate the starter properly, I don't know the circumstances but I believe some people put thicker cable in. You can start a Yanmar bypassing most of the electrics by sorting the solenoid terminal to the main 12V connector next to it, use a nail or screwdriver.
 
Zagato said:
can't get at anything or see anything it's all so dark.
Click to expand...

Flexible-torch-main-image.gif


:)

(Reminds me actually, the clip has broken on my flexible-headed torch (kept in the boat toolkit for peering into dark crevices) and I should really get a new one.)

Pete
 
Common peoblem with Yanmars

See this earlier thread:

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?295625-Yanmar-starter-switch&highlight=yanmar+starting




Zagato said:
Bit of a moment this morning coming down through the moored boats in Itchenor Reach under stay sail when the wind died against the turning tide and my engine wouldn't start. I am very grateful for all the time spent in a dinghy as I managed to pick up a free mooring with just enough puff in the sail for steerage - phew.

OK heres is the intermittent problem.

Ignition on sometimes she starts other times there is nothing despite the warning lights coming up showing electrical connection - just dead, engine doesn't crank over, no noise of starter motor engaging etc.

Sometimes she fires up, others not. I am thinking loose connection somewhere or maybe the kill switch is not going back properly after it is pulled to a stop.

I left the mooring and carried on with the day hoping that it would fire back up again which it did. It has not overheated or anything, it's just dead sometimes :confused:
Click to expand...
 
As has been said, a common Yanmar problem and a right pain, and reflected in an earlier thread. Affects my engine too, but it always starts eventually after repeated pressing of starter button.
Don't replace starter motor at this point - it's expensive; if all else fails, you can get the starter motor checked by an automotive electrics engineer at a fraction of the cost of a new motor; and I doubt if it's the most common reason for the problem.
In my experience, almost anything you do will solve the problem - for a while. Problem will then stealthily recur.
As has been said - make sure all contacts are clean and bright, including fuse and fuse holder. Fuse holder is seen as a bulge in the electrics loom, as well as the (in-line, 30 A) fuse it contains a spare fuse. "Contacts" includes the little joining thingy about 2 inches from the starter button.
Use a multimeter to check the resistance (with batteries firmly OFF!) of the "ignition" switch and the starter button, should be less than one ohm, if not replace starter button or else find a way into the "ignition" switch, hunt around for where 2 springs and 2 ball bearings have got to, clean contacts and reassemble.
Replacing the solenoid may cure the problem - for a while, but if there's any undue resistance in the starter circuit, problem is likely to reappear.
I expect I may lose my temper with this, and fit a relay.
 
Thanks once again, having read DW's link it does appear I have the same problem - at least I won't have to fork out for a mechanic and new parts. I'll get the ACF-50 out and start going through it all.
 
Worth fitting a relay, once you've checked / cleaned all the connections. Did this on my 2GM, and starting has always been pretty reliable since. I got the drawings for the circuit from the Yanmar dealer in Burseldon-F.O.C! (
I think because they recognise this as a common problem )

Simon
 
I have had starter problems with Yanmar, but have always found that lifting the decompression lever reduces the resistance enough for the motor to turn over. As has been said by others it is almost certainly an electrical connection. The negative connection to the block and starter motor is worth checking as is the battery isolator switch, the starter button connections and the battery terminal connections
 
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