Yanmar Engine stopping

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keithmorris

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Accidently pressed the start button with the engine still running. The engine start battery does not now start the engine, have had to use the link battery switch to start the engine.
Engine battery 10 years old does this mean the end for this battery ?
Could I have caused other damage by this momentary lapse of reason.
The engine is a Yanmar 3GM 1989 which has been regularly maintained and serviced.
 
Bit of an odd one this Keith. I would start by checking the battery. Charge it up and see if it holds charge at 12.6 volts or more after it has settled down after charging (say a couple of hours). If it does the battery probably ok. I doubt your mistake has damaged the battery.
If battery ok I would polish up all connections on the starter circuit including main power and solenoid feed and return.
 
Yanmar starter solenoids and their connections have a bit of a poor reputation and you might have affected the solenoid. Sometimes the extra oomf of linking the batteries will do the job, as you found, even when the normal battery is OK. Halo's suggestions are good; possibly use a contact cleaner spray from Halford's etc, especially on each one of the several solenoid connections. Also try a 'technical tap' on the solenoid body with a spanner or small hammer.
 
keithmorris said:
Accidently pressed the start button with the engine still running. The engine start battery does not now start the engine, have had to use the link battery switch to start the engine.
Engine battery 10 years old does this mean the end for this battery ?
Could I have caused other damage by this momentary lapse of reason.
The engine is a Yanmar 3GM 1989 which has been regularly maintained and serviced.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forum Keith.

Just to put your mind at ease, your starter battery may well be defunct as 10 years is a very good innings but it's purely a coincidence that it threw in the towel at the same time as you pressed the starter with the engine running. That cannot possibly cause any problem with modern pre-engaged starter systems. Over the years I've done it dozens of times with cars and boats.

In the old days with a recoil bendix starter and a worn cog it was not quite so safe but even then it wouldn't harm the battery.

Richard
 
Personally I would check the brushes of the starter motor, as they have a habit of sticking in their guides etc, and maybe the motor has spun faster than normal and this has moved them and reduced their ability to take a sufficient current. Had a generator, and a mates outboard do this recently, both fixed at no cost by disassemble and clean of commutator and brush guides.
 
david_bagshaw said:
Personally I would check the brushes of the starter motor, as they have a habit of sticking in their guides etc, and maybe the motor has spun faster than normal and this has moved them and reduced their ability to take a sufficient current. Had a generator, and a mates outboard do this recently, both fixed at no cost by disassemble and clean of commutator and brush guides.
Click to expand...

Although as the starter runs perfectly from a different battery I suspect that sticking brushes is a bit of a long shot. However, checking and cleaning can only help.

Richard
 
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