Volvo TAMD 31 P - Engine Start Relay

[Karisma]

Had a start problem with my newly purchased 2002 Nimbus 280. When starting the starter worked sometimes and sometimes did not. I know that the starter had been replaced before I bought the boat. on Sunday the starter failed completely . Called the electrician who eventually traced the fault to the start relay that sits in the box on top of the engine. This showed signs of failure and overheating in that the sealant around the contacts was soft and had overheated.
As the engine has done about 1000 hours, which might mean about 2000-3000 starts, I would have thought the relay should not have been a problem. I do not know why the starter motor was changed but guess, if that was faulty, it might have overloaded the relay. Lesson seems to be , if you are going to change the starter motor change the relay as well and if you are having problems with intermittent starts the relay might well be the cause.

 

[Momac]

if you are having problems with intermittent starts the relay might well be the cause.

I had intermittent starting issues with my previous boat (kad32 engine which is very similar to yours) . Like you the cause was eventually discovered to be associate with the relay but in my case was poor/loose electrical contacts on the relay. It would have been a no cost fix except I had first done other things which were a waste of money !