Defeat SB start lockout?

[smthng]

Not sure how to phrase this, so you'll have to bear with my long description...

One of the reasons I got the LX210 was for dual engines... if one has issues on the water, the thought was that I can limp back on the other one. Unfortunately, I found out last night that the starboard engine won't turn over unless the port engine is running first (I'll save that for a different post). So, if for any reason I can't start the port engine, I'm dead in the water (pun intended).

Is there a valid reason the SB engine shouldn't be run without the port engine? The only real reason I can think of is to make sure someone doesn't try to start both engines at the same time, possibly melting wires when trying to spin two starters at once.
Is there a defeat for this? I'd like to be able to "override" whatever is causing this so I can limp along on the SB engine if necessary.

 

[itsdgm]

No such feature as a starboard engine lockout. You've got a gremlin in there somewhere. Now long have you owned the boat? Has it always done this since you've owned it?

 

[smthng]

Hrm... Only had the boat since April this year, but now that I think about it, that couldn't have been a problem last time I was out. I ran it in salt water and I know I flushed the SB engine afterwards without out the port side running... I only have one flush adapter.

What I usually do is start up the port engine first, once it's able to idle by itself without throttle, I start the SB side. Yesterday, the port engine was being "ornery" and didn't want to fire up. I didn't want to drain the battery trying to start it, so I tried to start the starboard side instead and nothing happened at all... it wasn't even trying to turn it. I went back to starting the port side and managed to get it going. I then started up the starboard engine and it turned over and fired up immediately.

I'll try it again tonight and see if I can figure out something I could have done wrong... I know I checked throttle and F/R gate positions.

 

[Bruce]

I wonder if the starboard engine has an issue with its battery connection and is using power from the port engines stator to start. The engines have separate battery leads. This is the first place that I would check.

I owned a 2004 LX210 for a year. As itsdgm said, there is nothing in the stock wiring to prevent running either engine without the other.

You may want to consider Adding Tow Valves in case you ever need to limp home on one engine.

 

[Scottintexas]

maybe your clean out hatch kill switches got bumped,
check this thread to help trouble shoot,
https://jetboaters.net/threads/engine-wont-start-debug-list-engine-codes-and-battery-voltage-states.1835/

 

[Julian]

My guess is low battery or poor battery connections. Check the battery voltage, and undo and redo all the terminal connections at the battery.

 

[smthng]

Could be a low battery, but if so it was probably caused by the amount of starting attempted on the port engine. I keep it on a tender and it checked out good when I checked it all last night. Could be the cleanout switches, as I've been dinking with them for the last few weeks while cleaning up the back area and installing the GPS sounder.

@Bruce I definitely plan on doing tow/bypass valves this winter, but thanks for the link... saves me having to hunt it down later.

 

[4x15mph]

This is not usual. You should be able to start and run the engines independently so you will need to look at wiring. You may want to start by looking at the ignition switches and how they are wired up.

 

[skrip345]

One of my LS2000's did that. Ended up replacing an ignition switch. I could swap the switch and the problem would follow the switch. Seemed weird but that's what fixed mine.

 

[Gym]

I think @Bruce hit the nail on the head. An old battery or a high resistance connection from the battery to the starboard engine could cause an excessive draw on the battery requiring the extra amperage generated by the stator of the operating port engine. I would check/clean all the connections from the battery to the starter. If it were the safety switch on the clean out hatch it would be problematic regardless of weather the port engine were running or not. It would also be intermittent while under way. If your battery is more than a few years old you may want to consider changing it. The previous owner may not have been as diligent about charging it as you are and you could have some weak or damaged cells.