Ar230 Starter Relay

[Speedling]

Have any of you ever heard of a relay getting stuck closed which causes the starter to stay powered and continually running???
?

Continually running no. More likely to be a no start or a sometimes starts.

 

[tdonoughue]

Yeah. Just now... https://jetboaters.net/threads/starter-relay-stuck-closed.26132/#post-437564

 

[ta421]

Yeah. Just now... https://jetboaters.net/threads/starter-relay-stuck-closed.26132/#post-437564

LoL That is my post also. I was not sure if I should have deleted that one since it is not the same issue

 

[johnmcane]

First post, been reading for about a year. Had the same issue as above, starboard engine intermitent start for 1 day, 4 starts, then nothing.

Figured had to be solenoid from reading. All i had by the end of the day was a slight click. New batteries, charged yesterday to make sure, still just the click. So I replaced the solenoid. Now NOTHING.

I jumped the solenoid, engine starts fine. Switched ignition switches at key, other motor still starts fine.

Any other ideas? Maybe got bad replacement part?

 

[tdonoughue]

With the new batteries, did you clean the cables before attaching them? A click usually means low voltage... If you have a new battery, charged and a new solenoid, corrosion is about all I can think of...

 

[ta421]

Mine appears fixed, replaced both relays. Fingers crossed, No Problems

 

[Beachbummer]

First post, been reading for about a year. Had the same issue as above, starboard engine intermitent start for 1 day, 4 starts, then nothing.

Figured had to be solenoid from reading. All i had by the end of the day was a slight click. New batteries, charged yesterday to make sure, still just the click. So I replaced the solenoid. Now NOTHING.

I jumped the solenoid, engine starts fine. Switched ignition switches at key, other motor still starts fine.

Any other ideas? Maybe got bad replacement part?

If you jump the solenoid and it works, something's fishy there.

All the solenoid does it connect the two points when voltage is received. Did you confirm the solenoid is receiving full 12V when expected? Can you statically test the solenoid by checking continuity while you power the coil (the two small wires that make the solenoid tick when they have voltage?)

Best of luck!

 

[johnmcane]

Does the fact that I can jump the solenoid and the motor fires up, and that the port motor always fires up, rule out a battery problem? Or is it possible the solenoid is very picky about the voltage it needs to receive?

I wasn't quite sure HOW to check the solenoid. I messed around with a multimeter for a bit with it, but since I didn't know what to look for I came here.

 

[Beachbummer]

If you Jump it and it works, the issue is certainly the "Solenoid system" - That the solenoid is not doing what it is supposed to.

the Solenoid is very basic, it's an electrical switch, that when it is given a little bit of power to the little wires connected to it, it will "connect" the two big posts on it to each other, via an electric magnet, powered by the voltage to the little wires. So it allows a little electricity from the ECU to connect BIG wires together. When it works it just bridges the connections exactly like you did by hand.

Solenoid OFF (Big hole) --No Connection---(Big Hole)


Solenoid ON (Big Hole)---Connection--(Big Hole)


Are you sure you put the little red wire back on the correct post ? In my ECU the power to it is provided by a little red wire that goes to the live post too. If you forget that one, or put it on the wrong side, like I did, nothing works. Be sure the small red wire that was bolted to the post, if you have one, goes to the side that goes to the battery.


To test the solenoid with your tester, connect in the Omhs positsion (any resistance scale number is good 2K or 20K is fine) and verify it shows 1 to the left or some other indicator of Infinity, then put power on the little wires (12V) and you should hear it Click and the number shown in the multimeter should change to zero or close to it. (No resistance, Solenoid is connected. All good)

I'm hoping it's that you missed the red little wire, which is cheap and easy to fix.

Best of Luck!

 

[Beachbummer]

https://jetboaters.net/threads/how-to-troubleshoot-a-starter.23927/#post-402296

This thread shows my test.

Here's much longer video, with greater detail.

And here is one, odd voice but the first 3 minutes are pretty good.

 

[johnmcane]

This forum is awesome! I really appreciate all the help. I am going to take my multimeter out now (its 90 degrees at 1100AM) and see what I find.

 

[johnmcane]

I confirmed That the red terminal is connected to the battery post of the ECU terminal.

Crossing fingers hoping its a bad replacement solenoid

 

[Beachbummer]

Did you test power to the new solenoid? Static test the old one?

I hear you, I'm crossings fingers with you, but with the tester you can know for sure now that everything else is working well.

If no voltage arrives at the little wires, while everything else is hooked up, no new solenoid will ever work, and the problem might be wiring or the key switch. You should test to know for sure.

Best of luck!

 

[johnmcane]

Ohhhhh! I didn't fully understand before. So I can run the multimeter between the two terminals that connect to the ECU and that should tell me when I turn the key, if the signal is even being sent? If I don't get voltage on the key turn, it could be the wiring harness to the ECU or the ECU itself?

 

[johnmcane]

Also thank you for the videos. I tried the test but am gonna try to figure out if It was just user error.

But thinking to the OLD solenoid, the fact that I could hear the click when the key was engaged, more or less means that at least BEFORE the key was providing SOME voltage to the Solenoid.

 

[Beachbummer]

Yes, I agree, the old click should mean you had voltage there.

Applying voltage directly from the battery to the new one and not hearing a click, and not seeing the multimeter change, means the new one is testing bad.

 

[johnmcane]

I am halfway between ecstatic and furious. With the guidance of the forum I trusted my diagnosis.

I got a replacement, replacement, and the boat fired right up!!! I am SO happy, but also... The bad part cost me a week of no boating and 6 hours of diagnostics.

Thank you all!

 

[Beachbummer]

Glad it worked!

 

[PEARCE]

What's it mean when I go to turn the key to shut the motors off and the motor keeps running even though the key is in the off position? I can run it to the on position and back to off and that usually shuts it down. This doesn't happen every time and it's only on the starboard engine. I'm thinking it's the ignition switch.

 

[tdonoughue]

Sounds like it...