New to Albin, new member, my 36 won't start

[ed3530]

Greetings,

After our intial move from the PO's marina to ours, we tied up, hooked up the shorepower cord to supply the electricity to the battery charger, etc., and went home. Came back the next week, only to find that the batteries had run down (all of them). Why? Because we never flipped the shorepower switch to "on." When I tried to start her up, I got a few low growl attempts to turn over the engine (original Ford Lehman 120 hp) & then nothing. Nothing except there was also a hot electrical smell & some smoke (I can't think of an instance in which this is a good sign). Since then, the battery has been charged (voltmeter read 12.79 with the starting battery at rest for over an hour--not being charged & no load), so that doesn't seem to be the problem any longer. My next "guess" is the starting motor even though it's only about 2 years old. I know nothing about electricity, so while I knew how to touch the voltmeter to the battery terminals to check for power, I don't know where to touch the leads on the voltmeter to the starter motor, nor do I have any idea of what sort of reading I should get. Can anyone help me on this, please?

[jleonard]

FordLehmanEngineElectricSchematic.pdf

Here is the wiring schematic for the engine. You should have 12 V at the solenoid when you hit the starter switch when the ignition key is ON.
HOWEVER, before I woould test it I would first carefully tighten all connections on the starter, solenoid, and relay. Be careful to NOT touch the engine (ground) when tightening the positive wires or you may see a meteor shower (sparks).
You probably did was heat up the cables good by attempting to start with too low of a voltage level (bringing amps up). That would have been the smell.

[ed3530]

FordLehmanEngineElectricSchematic.pdf

Be careful to NOT touch the engine (ground) when tightening the positive wires or you may see a meteor shower (sparks).
.

While I know next to nothing about electricity, I do know not to touch ground & positive at the same time (can't remember if I learned this via a bad experience or whether I learned it through books...but, needless to say, on more than one occasion, I have had my "learning" reinforced by other experiences) .

Thanks for the pdf of the wiring schematic & other info. I hope it's a simple matter of the starter motor, but I will check connections first.

Regards,

Ed

[normntwrk]

I would guess it is either the starter or solenoid. I've read that the number one cause of problems with starter motors is low voltage either because of bad connections or batteries that have run down.
Norm

[psneeld]

just jump the starter...someone handy should be able to help

[ed3530]

Well, after spending the weekend on the boat, I believe I've found at least the source of the hot electrical smell & smoke (and perhaps the reason she won't start). There's a battery switch in the engine compartment hooked up to the starter battery. From that switch is a battery cable that goes to 1 of 3 smaller wires that attach to what I believe is the solenoid (it sits on top of the starter motor, which is relatively new--2 yrs old). Where these two wires were joined (both had circular metal ends) by a nut & bolt, there were blackened ends of both wires--no insulation on the thinner wire for about 3 - 4 inches from that end & for about 4 - 5 inches from the battery cable end, it was all black & obviously melted. I don't feel sufficiently knowledgeable about working on this sort of stuff (for examply, what gauge wire should I buy for the thinner wire?) so I've asked the marina to fix it now that I know at least something about the origin of the problem. The only other thing to report is that despite this rather ugly looking connection, some juice must still be getting through, because prior to my noticing this mess, there would be a relatively loud, single click emanating from the area of the solenoid/starter motor whenever I depressed the start button at the lower helm.

I'll post the full results of the marina's assessment, work, and cost when all is known. If it's nothing more than the wiring, I'll get off easy. I'm just not sure that the solenoid might not need to be replaced & I'm keeping my fingers that the relatively new starter motor is still good.

Thanks for all your help. I hope to post more pleasant items in the future.

Regards,

Ed
Update since submitting last night. Marina says we're lucky no fire was started as PO's wiring to solenoid was inadequate...the smaller wires were of too small a gauge. Solenoid is a problem as is starter motor--found water in the starter motor!!--and all need fixing or replacing...also mentioned was the fact that according to the marina, all the battery wiring/cables (I'm assuming to the starter battery only) needs to be replaced as it's "deteriorating." Hope to meet w/ mechanic @ marina & boat tomorrow afternoon. Now I'm regretting no engine survey--although we did put her through a fairly rigorous sea trial for the vessel survey.

[brookesmith]

I had to soon put a starter in soon after I bought my 36.. Seems it might have been sunk on the hard and some water had gotten in the starter. Changed it and took some plug out of the lower bellhowsing or whatever Lehman calls a bellhoswing on Bob Smith's of American Diesel say so. I think this keeps oil from flinging up into the starter area..