Engine won't start, battery is good. Suggestions?

[REDLYNER 1]

2005 Centurion Thunder(Strom series) with Black Scorpion engine:

 

I have had the boat out 7 times this year, 6 in the past 3 weeks. Every time the engine had a difficult time starting, almost like a bad battery. It would slowly try to turn over, then finally kick in and go. Yesterday, it tried to turn once or twice, then nothing at all. No ticking, lugging, nothing. All accessories work, radio works, and a battery charger shows my battery at 14 volts.

 

Does this sound like a starter or alternator issue?

[h20king 794]

2005 Centurion Thunder(Strom series) with Black Scorpion engine:

 

I have had the boat out 7 times this year, 6 in the past 3 weeks. Every time the engine had a difficult time starting, almost like a bad battery. It would slowly try to turn over, then finally kick in and go. Yesterday, it tried to turn once or twice, then nothing at all. No ticking, lugging, nothing. All accessories work, radio works, and a battery charger shows my battery at 14 volts.

 

Does this sound like a starter or alternator issue?

Sounds more like dirty or lose battery connections....................H

[REDLYNER 1]

Sounds more like dirty or lose battery connections....................H

 

 

I tried hooking up a battery charger/remote starter and still couldn't get it to crank, but I'll go out this afternoon and try to clean up the terminals.

 

Just to be clear, it started each time I took it out (probably turned the boat off and on 4 or 5 times each trip out), but it would start as if the battery wasn't fully charged. Sounded like a car with a dying battery, but would then finally start.

 

Yesterday, it wouldn't start, I hooked up the charger/remote starter and got it to turn over. We ran the boat for about 20 minutes without shutting it off, then docked it for about an hour. When we got back in, it wouldn't turn over at all. No clicking, no noises except for the beep when you turn the keys.

 

But, all guages work, the lights work, and the radio works just fine.

 

?????

[h20king 794]

Another scenario is the manifolds are bad leaking water into the cylinders creating a hydrostatic lock making it hard for the engine to turn over.To check pull the plugs and rotate if you get water out of any of the cylinders its time for new manifolds................H

[REDLYNER 1]

Another scenario is the manifolds are bad leaking water into the cylinders creating a hydrostatic lock making it hard for the engine to turn over.To check pull the plugs and rotate if you get water out of any of the cylinders its time for new manifolds................H

 

 

Ok, how do I check to see if I am getting water out of any of the cylinders?

 

So I pull the plugs, rotate them to different spots, then what? Not sure where I would see if water is in a cylinder.

 

Thanks for the advice!

[h20king 794]

To check for water all you have to do is remove the spark plugs and rotate the engine with the key there will be no compression with the plugs removed and if there is any water in the cylinders it will be blown out the open spark plug hole's.Hydrostatic lock is more common than one would think due to improper winterization or worn out flappers on the engines exhaust tips and can lead to serious engine damage......................H

[sonny2004 0]

sounds like a bad connection, or it also could be the starter is going out.

[h20king 794]

sounds like a bad connection, or it also could be the starter is going out.

Yeah the connections are the first thing I would check.It's hard to diagnose on line without seeing the boat so all any of us can relay give is a best guess and an idea of what to check......................H

[First timer 19]

Hey redlyner my boat just went through the same thing. Last year my boat would barely start as if my battery was dead. Eventually toward the end of the season my starter went out. I put a new starter in and the boat carnks over smooth and quickly.

[REDLYNER 1]

Hey redlyner my boat just went through the same thing. Last year my boat would barely start as if my battery was dead. Eventually toward the end of the season my starter went out. I put a new starter in and the boat carnks over smooth and quickly.

 

 

I went down to the boat this afternoon and kept turning the key, all I got was one little click, no turning or cranking- I am very confident it is the starter. All of the connections I checked were tight and looked pretty much corrosion free. So I removed the starter and will try to have it tested tomorrow. There is a new one online for like $60 shipped, hopefully my local Marine store will be close to that.... unlikely lol.

[First timer 19]

I just went to a starter and electrical store near me and turned in my old one for the core and they gave me a new one. I think my starter was around $200. Started my boat yesterday for the first time this season and was amazed at how it started. My boat had the same exact symptoms as yours, slow cranking and just barely starting the boat.

[First timer 19]

Nope I was wrong I paid $120 the only nice thing is the 2 year warranty

[REDLYNER 1]

Just got off of the water!

 

I ordered a new starter for a steal ($59 shipped), it arrived this morning, and 30 minutes later it was installed and ready for testing.

 

Very first turn of the key and it fired up like a brand new engine. What a relief!!!

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[First timer 19]

Glad to hear. That was a steal. Do you get a warranty with that?

[REDLYNER 1]

1 year warranty included. Worked out well !

[First timer 19]

Dang guess I should have looked around. My bad.

[h20king 794]

Are you guys using marine starters or automotive?? new or re manufactured??glad it was something simple.................H

[REDLYNER 1]

Marine starters. Mine is the same as the Delco marine that came with it, just a different brand.

[h20king 794]

thats a great price for a marine starter even if it is a re man.................H