1998 Challenger 717 starting issue...

[samsubmerged]

Hello All,
New to the forum even though I have had this boat for the last few years. Got the boat out last month, ran great on the lake and decided to do a pump service and replace of wear rings.
Probably not related but the starboard engine will not start - when I press the starter button, it turns over for a crank or two and then stops. I can hear a whirring noise (the starter?) continuing if I hold the starter button down but it's not turning the engine over. Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Dr Honda]

When you put the pumps back on... did you make sure the shims were put back into the right place? If you are out of align... it can be very tight. I guess I should ask... did this problem start when you put the pumps back on?

 

[samsubmerged]

No, it has happened since. Once the pumps were back on I was able to crank and fire both engines for a short while and they would start pretty easily. After all that, I took off the coverings to the carbs to clean them but that's been about it. I didn't see any issues with the impellers being too tight or out of alignment but there weren't any shims when I took off the pumps. My feeling is that it is more to do with a starter problem but then I'm not very experienced with engines so I am probably wrong... I have a new and fully charged battery and the port engine fires up and runs well. Starboard side had always been a bit smokey but then I found a wire had fallen off and reconnected it to the oil pump which seemed to help - until I couldn't start the engine!

 

[Dr Honda]

Put a meter on the battery, and start the engine. The voltage should stay up around 11v. If it's dropping past that... it's time for a battery. If it stays up... then clean, and tighten all the cables... and if that doesn't do it... it's time for a starter.

 

[samsubmerged]

Brand new battery, cable ends are all cleaned with new connectors so it looks like a new starter - are there any schematics or instructions on how to replace it?

 

[Dr Honda]

Brand new battery....

Check the battery first.


Notice, that I didn't ask how new your battery was?? I've seen WAY too many bad batteries, that were new, to even assume it's good. So......... before you spend the money on a starter... check the battery. It takes more time to get your tools out, than to do the test.

 

[samsubmerged]

Ok - I'll give it a go and see. Thanks for the advice, I had just assumed that a new battery was a good un! If it was a bad battery wouldn't I also see problems with the port engine?

 

[samsubmerged]

Checked the battery with decent Greenlee gauge - showed 12.6V at rest and then dropped to about 11.5V on hitting the red start button. I think it's the starter motor that I hear whirring. It sounds like the starter motor is spinning, it's just not catching the engine except at the beginning of the button mash... Let me see if I can get a video of what is going on along with the voltage meter. Thanks for all your help!

 

[samsubmerged]

[video=youtube;dQGzLX8uNac]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQGzLX8uNac[/video]

In this video, the voltage was up around 13.5V and only dropped down a little... Otherwise this is what is happening. Appreciate all comments, even if they're to say "stop mashing the start button, you bloody idiot! you're wrecking the engine" sort of thing.

 

[Dr Honda]

OK... now I will agree. If it's staying up at 11v... the battery is OK.

Last word of advice... Don't buy an aftermarket starter. They all suck. OEM starters are expensive, but worth it. IF... your starter isn't rotten... then you can get a $30 rebuild kit. Just clean your starter, and replace the brushes, and they normally come back to life.


ACTUALLY..........


Now that I turned up the volume... the bendex may have gone bad, and dropping out. Remove the starter, and give it a look over.

 

[samsubmerged]

Great! Just pulled off the starter - is there any way to know if it's bad or not? I don't really know what I am looking for. It rotates and I can see how the gears run forward when the starter spins to hook up with the big cog in what I think is the magneto. There seems to be a fair amount of metal scurf in there as well...

 

[Dr Honda]

Put power directly to the starter. It should spin fast, and kick out the bendex. If it pushes out the entire way... and spins with good speed (and smooth)... then you need to try to push the bendex backward to see if the one way clutch slips.

 

[samsubmerged]

Finally got some time tonight to get power on the removed starter - it comes on instantly and runs smoothly but the bendex kicks out and then almost immediately falls back to the starting position again. I can see how it would turn the engine over once or twice before disengaging and then just spinning in place. Is there a fix to this or does it require a replacement starter? Insides look good, brushes about 10 or 11 mm long, armature relatively unworn...

 

[samsubmerged]

OK. Put on a used (but in good shape and clean) OEM starter that I found off eBay and we have this problem solved! Engine turns over and we were able to get the boat out in the water yesterday for some testing on the new wear-rings...

 

[Dr Honda]

Glad the new starter took care of it.