Help 2016 Yamaha SX240 Port engine will not Start

[Easy]

Except for a bass boat years ago this is my first boat. I live in the Pensacola, FL area. Purchased my boat last June in Venice, FL after over a month of negotiating. This forum was one of the reasons I decided to purchase a Jet Boat. Well this and having operated and supervised Jet Boats that we used for bridging in the Army. Read this forum for months to get knowledge about Jet Boats. Between June and the end of September I was on the water almost every weekend. I did encounter a problem with the Starboard engine. The engine would turn over 4 times and stop. I had started it at home before I left. Bought it back home read this forum and got a hint to check wiring. Don’t know what I did but it fired right up. It did that one more time at home before I left. I did the same thing as previous and it started it. It sat from end of September to the day after Christmas. My daughter came home for the holidays. Had a nice day so we made a run across Pensacola bay to the beach area. It has sat since then until this past weekend. Had not planned on letting it sit that long but, since this virus hit, I’m working from home and staying safe. Last week charged up the batteries and on Friday tried the start it up. After 3 or 4 tries the starboard engine fired up. Ran it for about 10 min. Tried the port engine. I turned over about 3 or 4 times and stopped. It this this on 3 or 4 attempts. Now it will not turn over at all. The started engages the engine shakes but will not turn over. Have any of you’ll experienced this? Any help would be appreciated. Scheduled a mobile mechanic to come out of Friday to check it out.

Thanks
Reginald

 

[Scottintexas]

when the starter is turning the engine does it sound like the engine is turning fast enough that it should start ?

Things that won't let your starter work,
neutral switch on the throttles
kill switch on your cleanout hatch
things that won't let the engine run,
safety lanyard at the throttle,

Since your starter is engaging and the engine is shaking just not spinning I would guess it's the starter itself,

I would also caution you on mechanics and jet boats, since our boats are basically big jet skis, many "boat" mechanics aren't familiar with them and if he runs the engine on the hose be sure he knows, engine on, water on then water off, engine off, (this is the opposite of out drive boats),


.

 

[biglar155]

How old is the battery? I see you've got a 2016. If you're on the original battery you're into that zone of "could be good for another few years, could be shot."

If the battery can't maintain voltage under load, you may see this problem. Maybe put a meter on the battery and see if your voltage drops off severely when you crank.

 

[Easy]

The mobile mechanic has a Facebook site, on there he was working on a few Jet Skis, so hope he is familiar with the Jet Boat. Regardless I will right out there with him when he's working on the boat.

Batteries not sure if they are the original, but it has sportsman's Maintenance free batteries. Checked voltage on both batteries, at 12.7 volts fully charged. After running the starboard engine for 10 minutes and trying to start the port engine. Engine battery was at 12.5 volts. Actually charged it over night just to be sure. Battery was at 12.7 volts. Tried to start engine turned about 3 times and stopped then when I tried it again. The started engaged like before but the engine would not turn over. In August I installed Noco Genius GENM2 8 Amp 2-Bank On Board Charger. However, I used my Black + Decker 15 amp charger to charge it. Normally I hook it to the Genius charger a couple days before I take it out. Since it had been sitting so long I used the Black+Decker. Also used a multi meter to check the voltage.

 

[tdonoughue]

I would recommend load testing the batteries. Many batteries will read 12+ volts with no load on them, but as soon as there is load they drop to the floor. Take them out and to an auto parts store--they normally can check them there. If you have not had the battery on even a cheap maintenance trickle charger, life will be decreased. If a battery runs out of charge, life will also be decreased. And we all know about age.

Also, remember that these engines have stators, not alternators, in them. They charge very slowly when running. If you are turning off and on and off and on and off--none of those 'on' cycles is really charging very much at all. Basically, you are frequently using the depth of the battery to provide starting power, then adding a little as it runs. Simply not many amps flowing back to the battery, so it takes a long run cycle to charge it.

 

[Easy]

Thank you I will pull the Engine battery out tomorrow and have it checked it out. Hopefully the battery is the problem. Last week was anticipating having a battery issue so was doing some research. My father told me always buy the best battery you can afford. Batteries went in my tow truck 2016 F250 Lariat FX4 and in put in the Optima's. Will possibly put in the Marine optima's if these are bad.

Thanks You again.

 

[marcham]

Will it turn with the spark plugs removed ? (remove the safety lanyard to disable the ignition).

 

[Easy]

So convinced it's the battery. Stuck it on charge before noon today. Went out in the afternoon, battery fully charged. Set the charger to engine start. Tried to start it. The engine turned over 3 times, waited 5 seconds, tried at again, the engine turned over 3 times again and stopped. Another 5 second wait and the engine turned over 2 times. After that back to the starter engaging and engine not turning over. Purchased new batteries, installing them tomorrow.

 

[Babin Farms]

If it is firing up the other engine then I would think that there is a different problem. Like @marcham asked, how does it turn over with the spark plugs out? Have you checked the oil lately? Is it low or milky? If you were messing with the wiring and it mysteriously started I would lean HEAVILY toward a wiring issue. When it turns over is it spinning the one engine as fast as the the other? After trying to start grab the wires going to the starter to see if they're hot, if they are your getting the power to the starter but something is causing major resistance. myself, I would answer all of these questions before purchasing a new battery or spending any $$

 

[tdonoughue]

Sounds like we should clarify. I went and reread the OP, and now I am questioning... Will both engines not start when this non-start condition occurs? Or only one?

If both, test the batteries (before dropping money on new ones).

If only one does not start, see @Babin Farms above.

 

[Easy]

Problem solved. I did take the batteries in to be checked out they checked out ok. Reinstalled them yesterday evening and ran the Starboard engine for 5 min. I also checked the engines for milky oil, and they were good. Didn't pull the plugs, not from not knowing how, but my knees don't like certain positions these days. The mechanics came out today 850 Mobile Marine. Withing 20 min they had the engine started. I talked over flushing with them to make sure they knew about the difference with a jet boat. He tried tried to start the engine to listen to the problem. Started the Starboard engine briefly. Shut it off and tried the port engine nothing. He said to me seems tight, not turning fast enough. He checked all the wiring and starter for lose connections said nothing was loose. Removed the plugs and tried it again and said the same thing. Tight not turning. Said he worked on a Jet Ski a few days before that had pebble stuck in the impeller and would not turn. He pulled out his scope and put it into the cleanout port and looked at the impeller. Looked thru the nozzle and water inlet nothing. Then said let me try something. Had his assistant get a can of Yamalube lubricant. He sprayed it on the impeller through the water inlet. Tried the engine again and it turned faster. Put the plugs back in tried it and it fired right up. They did a service on both engines and we checked them both out again before they left. He told me that I should spray the impeller down with Yamashield after it dries after flushing it out. This bought was in a slip in Connecticut for a year before being bought to Florida. One of my concerns was the salt built up on it before I purchased it. Have pressure washed most of it away.

 

[buckbuck]

Are you going to replace the wear ring?

 

[bronze_10]

Are you going to replace the wear ring?

U beat me to it @buckbuck .... that's not a condition u can leave the boat in!

 

[Easy]

Look at parts diagram of jet unit for my boat. Looks like after 2014 they redesigned and stopped using wear rings? I could be wrong.

 

[tdonoughue]

Corrosion from salt water exposure caused the metal ring to expand and impact the impeller. The mechanic putting lubricant on their just masks the issue. You no longer have the proper clearance between the impeller and the ring.

Some do replace their ring with plastic ones, but I don't think any of the Yamaha have stock plastic. But someone may correct me there...

 

[Easy]

Yes, I'm thinking maybe the impeller housing, duct and impellers might need to be changed. Not sure if the metal expanded or just corrosion from the boat sitting for months. For now gonna go with some advice I got long time ago in the Army, You want this equipment to work, run it. I've learned big lessons on a truck and RV about letting equipment sit, so gonna run it for now.