How I spent most of my day!

[MOP]

As a few of you know I almost missed the Sunday run at the 1000 Islands due to a puked starter did autopsy brush holder broke and jammed it. I ran around like a mad man got new starter and solenoid saved ½ the day. Well towed boat home sat on trailer till yesterday afternoon, left work early launched it and no start, no click etc. even with a jump. So I figure solenoid is bad so I pull it and go home, in the yard I try jumping again boom of it goes starter stuck engaged, pull battery wire to kill it so now I am sure solenoid is bad. Today go and get new solenoid and replaced bad one! Same problem starter sticks and stay engaged, so off come all but the main leads retest starter still sticks. Now I am getting LOOPY. I cart it over to my buds electric shop figuring I don't see the forest for the trees. Run through everything again real careful, try it starter sticks. Ok he says lets try separate ground from solenoid base to battery Neg WOW problem fixed WE THINK. I decide to check and clean everything in sight. I reroute the new ground wire for a clean install and button everything up. Try it a few times all is well, put all the tools, meters and other stuff away. Decide to try one more time, damn starter sticks and engine tries to light off and new ground goes on fire!. Now we are both pulling our hair out, his partner says bad ground, all ends bright and tight. Decide to pull main ground and replace with 2/0, solenoids got fried from Bad Ground! Goes in and gets another solenoid off shelf, put that sucker on and Walla fixed problem. What are the chance of two bad solenoids in a row not likely!

Moral of the story check the damn grounds first before you throw $$$$ at it!

Neither of us though about a bad main battery ground as it cranked like crazy. Tomorrow will add secong ground from wing nut terminal to block. Grounds will screw you everytime!

[Cuda]

That sounds like the exact same problem I had with the Formula. I don't know if you read that post or not. I still don't see how a bad ground can cause the starter to stay engaged.

[BUIZILLA]

Cuda:
I still don't see how a bad ground can cause the starter to stay engaged. :confused:

J

[Rick]

Good to know. Tough day, but you won! Some call it boating. :) Rick

[MOP]

According to my electric Guru the high resistance fried the contacts after a few starts causing them to stick. I have never seen this happen before but have to believe him unless it screws up again. To me if an engine cranks like hell how can there be much resistance! Go figure! We ran the starter on the bench tester it drew about 80 amps which is real good. The solenoid would stick with only the battery wires on it and being energized with a jumper lead, changed out main bat ground and problem disappeared. Weird!