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2015 Scarab 165 - won’t start

Nedwod

Active Member
Messages
4
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Location
Florida
Boat Make
Scarab
Year
2015
Boat Model
165 G
Boat Length
16
Engine won’t start. Not sure if the engine is seized or starter is fried. How do determine which?
Thanks
 

Luc Lafreniere

Jetboaters Captain
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Scarab Forum Lead
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Location
Ottawa, Canada
Boat Make
Scarab
Year
2015
Boat Model
165 G
Boat Length
16
You assume neither and check the other stuff first. Because both of those failing are way less common.

Does anything click at all when you turn the key? Do you have power? Are things connected correctly (battery)? Is the battery good? What is the voltage? Does it have the correct cranking amps? Is the master switch on? Is your emergency kill lanyard correctly installed? Is that emergency switch working? And finally, are your relays good (two of them, located inside the fuse box right beside the battery, those are very common problems for this issue).

Sorry, but I've been helping a lot of people here. I don't think I've seen anyone have a seized engine or failed starter since I've been doing it. It's usually the rest. It's very possible you've checked all of this, but such is the internet. We get people from all kinds of backgrounds, some with very little knowledge. What seems obvious to one isn't obvious to the other.

Report back with more info and hopefully we can guide you further.
 

Luc Lafreniere

Jetboaters Captain
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Scarab Forum Lead
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Location
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Boat Make
Scarab
Year
2015
Boat Model
165 G
Boat Length
16
Also, history of the boat probably matters since you haven it listed as 2015.
 

Nedwod

Active Member
Messages
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Location
Florida
Boat Make
Scarab
Year
2015
Boat Model
165 G
Boat Length
16
All of these issues/items check out OK. Radio/dash lights all work, battery good (new), master on, can hear the starter motor clicking, lanyard and relays are good. 17 hours on the engine.

Any other suggestions? Thanks Luc.
 

Judge

Jet Boat Addict
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Location
Cape Coral, FL
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Yamaha
Year
2022
Boat Model
275SD
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Was the engine rebuilt / replaced with only 17 hours on it?

Clicking can sometimes mean a loose or bad ground. I would take a heavy duty battery cable and connect one end to the negative battery post and the other end to a solid part of the engine block to establish a good known ground and then try it again.

If that doesn't work, removing the starter and seeing it is will spin up outside the motor might be your best bet. If you can get at it, you could try taking a jumper cable from the post on the starter and then holding it to the positive post on the battery to to by-pass any solenoid / relay to see of the starter will spin. Just be careful of hitting the block in a tight space.
 
Last edited:

Nedwod

Active Member
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Points
40
Location
Florida
Boat Make
Scarab
Year
2015
Boat Model
165 G
Boat Length
16
Thx. I'll give it a try. The engine is original - just sat for over 18 mths in a garage.
 
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