Problem Starting

[ccruiser]

Hi there,

I have a perkins 108 I'm having trouble starting. Yesterday we went on a short cruise and started the engine 5 or more times. Now, it does nothing when you try to start. We think it's an electrical problem. There is a battery system for the engine, and a seperate system for the boat electrics. We checked, and it was reading 12.18v. What we think is the relay clicks when you release the key. The starter is making no noise at all when you try to engage it.

Also, we started the engine this morning as usual and ran it for a few minutes (we wanted to charge the batteries), went out for a couple hours and couldn't start it when we got back. We've been brainstorming, but would appreciate any help.

TIA,
Leah

 

[LittleShip]

Hi there,

I have a perkins 108 I'm having trouble starting. Yesterday we went on a short cruise and started the engine 5 or more times. Now, it does nothing when you try to start. We think it's an electrical problem. There is a battery system for the engine, and a seperate system for the boat electrics. We checked, and it was reading 12.18v. What we think is the relay clicks when you release the key. The starter is making no noise at all when you try to engage it.

Also, we started the engine this morning as usual and ran it for a few minutes (we wanted to charge the batteries), went out for a couple hours and couldn't start it when we got back. We've been brainstorming, but would appreciate any help.

TIA,
Leah

Had the same problem years ago, it turned out to be the internals of the starter motor, in certain positions it just wouldnt turn over. If you turned the internals of the motor it would kick in.

In short Starter motor requires checking and or rebuilding IMHO

Tom

 

[Cliveshep]

Or the solenoid is cream-crackered! If you get a "click" and nothing else it might be the starter, if you get nothing it could be the solenoid.

Or of course a broken battery cable to starter/solenoid or very bad connection.

 

[sarabande]

that battery voltage looks a bit too low. How do you normally charge them, and what sort of figures do you get when you come down to the boat ?

When the engine is running, what voltage is across the terminals ?

It's probably worth taking off all the battery connections between the terminals and the starter, fettling them with a bit of fine abrasive paper to improve the contact areas, then replacing them with a good dollop of vaseline to inhibit corrosion.

 

[Imperial One]

I had the same thing with my car. Turned out to be the battery holding less than 70% of its charge so there was not enough oomph to kick it into life.
All the lights etcetera worked OK so it took some sussing out as I initially discounted any issue with the battery.

Get the battery professionally checked out or try and start it using one of the service batteries instead. Then if it still will not start that would eliminate the Engine battery and point at the starter motor or solenoid.

 

[PaulGooch]

1) Low battery or bad connections. Check and charge as appropriate, continue below.

2) Dead solenoid or bad connection. If it's a separate solenoid (suspect it will be on a 108), and it clicks you know you have power from the key reaching the solenoid. If it doesn't click, check that the wire from the key (usually a small spade terminal) becomes live when you turn the key, use a test light or multimeter. If no power from the key, you can carefully short the heavy bolt on cable that runs from the battery to the small terminal, this should start the engine and prove it's a faulty wire from the starter switch or the switch itself, also a useful bodge to get you under way if the problem happened at sea.

Just because it clicks doesn't mean it's good though, it can click without making the internal connection. Short the two large terminals together, bearing in mind they might spark a little and whatever you short them with might get hot, so use a heavy-ish spanner or a big screw driver, making sure it doesn't touch ground. If it turns over, the solenoid is dead.

3) Dead starter motor, or bad connection. Again, check the cable from the solenoid to the starter and any negative cabling to the engine. You can run a heavy cable directly to the starter, or use a jump lead, if room permits as a final check. If the starter isn't working by now it needs taking off and looking at.


If it's a pre-engaged starter (solenoid part of the starter), all of the above does not apply. Post back for some different tests.

 

[ccruiser]

Thanks for all of the advice

We have narrowed it down to the solenoid. We bypassed it and got the starter going, but it was slow (we think because of our jumper cables/poor connection). I don't think the thing's ever been moved, it's been a bit tough to get off. We'll have a look at it and see if there's a loose connection and update you.

If it's not a connection problem, is it likely to need to be replaced? We're looking around for replacements in case it needs it.