using remote start button w/ 2 solenoids?

[Brambo]

Having trouble starting. Will not start about every other day. All I hear is click, the lights do not dim. ’94 Ford 351; with King Cobra.

Checked the assist solenoid, getting the same voltage as battery. The problem is the location of the starter & attached solenoid is very hard to even see. I would like to use a remote starter button, on the starter solenoid, for the rest of the season (will be on the water 1 or 2 more days this year, then will put in storage, plus boat is 3 hours away), & pull starter to have rebuilt. But not sure if that would hurt the other solenoid.

Thanks

[Barry Eller]

Having trouble starting. Will not start about every other day. All I hear is click, the lights do not dim. ’94 Ford 351; with King Cobra.

Checked the assist solenoid, getting the same voltage as battery. The problem is the location of the starter & attached solenoid is very hard to even see. I would like to use a remote starter button, on the starter solenoid, for the rest of the season (will be on the water 1 or 2 more days this year, then will put in storage, plus boat is 3 hours away), & pull starter to have rebuilt. But not sure if that would hurt the other solenoid.

Thanks


Sounds like bad wire connections. Clean and tighten battery cables, and the wires going to the starter and solenoids. Also check ground to engine block from NEG battery cable.

[BigGrizzly]

First get the solenoid out of the bilge. Like harry said clean the terminals first!! That starter doesn't have the chevy type its all Bendix gear with a separate solenoid. I had this problem on our 1966 in 1968 and moved it high. The other thing that happened to the Corsican was that it did the same thing before the lights did the dim thing and then it was the starter.

[Brambo]

Moving the solenoid would make it easy to work on!! I know the positive side has 2 wires (1 from battery & one from assist solenoid) on one of the 2 large posts. Plus the other wire from the assist solenoid are long enough to move. But the short wire to starter..... Can I just attach another wire to that post on solenoid? Is the solenoid itself grounded? Or can I just use a hose clamp & attach to deck.

I did charge battery & clean posts, will do same for ground to block (will make part of maintance schedule).

Would a solenoid fail in this manner? I thought you could tap on it & get a couple more starts.....

[Brambo]

I am looking at Shorts Marine for parts & noticed that solenoid - starter has what looks like a moving mechanical link (Lever Assy) between them.

http://216.37.204.206/Shorts/OMC_OEM/OMC.asp?Type=13&A=55&B=8

Plus when I look at the solenoid it appears to have a plastic plunger.

http://www.perfprotech.com/store/product/ARCO-P-SOLENOID-FORD-GEAR-REDUCTIO-57-SW125,64200.aspx

So then I would just replace both starter & solenoid, to be safe.

[MOP]

You have the late style starter with the solenoid attached, many are not aware of this type the solenoid needs to stay on the starter! I doubt it is bad!
My bet would be slave solenoid not passing enough current to actuate the starters solenoid.

[Brambo]

I did put in new assist solenoid (as I broke original when trying to trouble shoot). Then I tested using Aroc's Tech Tips (some good PDF's to download):
http://www.arcomarine.com/xhtml/Tech%20Solenoid%20Circuts%20%26%20Testing.pdf

My reading was .03 Volts to the terminal starter cable is attached. Tech states no more than .3 Volts. This was when key is turned to start & I could just hear the click of a solenoid, the starter did not engage. So I thought it was OK......

Now I am leaning towards a battery issue. I did charge battery, but did not have it load tested. Also could be the ground to block. Will be going Up North soon. Will get a remote start button & that should by pass the assist solenoid?

[MOP]

The block ground it fools many people as everything else seems to work just fine. It may not be the cause your issue but all electrical main contacts points should be one of the first things checked "when ever" there is any electrical problem.

[Barry Eller]

Brambo, did you find your problem yet?

[Brambo]

We are going Up North (cabin is 150 miles away) Monday. We are going to the Vikings game sunday - so can not go this weekend. Did get a remote starter switch last night. So will be able to rule out assist solenoid. Just hope I can get last couple of starts for this year, as boat need to be in storage by Wednesday the 24th. Will up date after.