starter, starter relay, T/T solenoid problems. Ground?

[walleye1]

90% of the time it's a ground issue.

[fairdeal]

"Is there a difference in the relay/solenoid making one click or if it makes a continues clicking noise? "

in my experience, one click means the relay/solenoid is being properly activated -
so the remaining problem is either -
- no power going into the relay to be switched (fuse, wire, connection issue)
- the internal contacts of the relay are bad

or the relay is properly "sending power on" but
- power is not getting to the device being con*****ed (wire, connection issue)
- the device being supplied with power is "bad"

the relay making a continuous clicking sound,
means there is not enough power going to the relay magnet -
a problem with the control circuit or power source


I'm not clear what you mean by "key on"
to get a meaningful voltage drop you need as much load on the wiring as possible
no or very small load tells you nothing
so you need to measure while you have the key turned to "start" (cranking/attempting to crank)

start by measuring the entire 1/2 circuits - from battery post to starter lug / ground lug
then delve further connection by connection, wire by wire

[walleye1]

I'd attach the neg cable from battery to the engine block and run a jumper from neg wire 6 gauge to the starter.

[GLS062866]

I have a 1993 130hp 2 stoke model 130TXRR. I am having an intermediate problem with the starter not engaging and turning motor over. When it does it turns hard and strong and the motor starts with no problem. When it originally started to happen i reached down to tighten up battery connections and noticed the negative was getting very hot. So i assumed resistance was the cause. Sure enough I pulled back some tape and old heat shrink and found half of cable exposed and frayed. i cut at least a foot off end of both + and - cables and crimped on new lugs. no difference with starter after new ends. I pulled of starter relay and bench tested and it passed test but from reading it can have some burnt contacts inside and not always work. I took one of another 130 that i kept as a parts motor. Had the pair on another boat. That starter relay did the same thing. When put back together then trim up and down did not work but solenoids clicked. So i then decided it must be ground issue or voltage drop. went out this morning to get some reading and the trim works but the starter will not engage. starter relay just clicking.

Is there a difference in the relay/solenoid making one click or if it makes a continues clicking noise?

Here are the voltage numbers i got this morning.

+ battery post to - battery post, key off = 12.64
+ battery post to - battery post, key on = 12.54

+ battery post to - starter post, key off = 12.59
+ battery post to - starter post, key on = 12.57

+ battery post to - starter relay, key off = 12.60
+ battery post to - starter relay, key on = 12.58

- battery post to + starter relay lead, key off = 0.013
- battery post to + starter relay lead, key on = 6.45
- battery post to + starter relay lead, key start pos = 12.48


Didn't seam like it was a voltage drop issue but tested some of the cables anyway. Was not expecting all 0.00 so i hope i was doing it correctly.

+ battery post to + post on starter relay, key off = 0.000
+ battery post to + post on starter relay, key on = 0.001

- battery post to - starter post, key off = 0.000
- battery post to - starter post, key on = 0.001

- battery post to - starter relay lead, key off = 0.000
- battery post to - starter relay lead, key on = 0.001


The starter, starter relay, and trim solenoids get their ground directly from the block correct? I cleaned the terminal that is holding on the bracket that holds the solenoids and starter relay and it looks like it provides the ground for solenoids directly and then the starter relay gets it from one of the solenoids. I did not take the bracket of completely thinking that as long as the bolt was clean and against clean ring connectors it was fine. Was that a wrong assumption?

Is it safe to make a jumper directly from - on battery and attach to the grounding screw that holds on bracket that holds the solenoids and starter relay? If the system works the way I think that it does this way i can rule out any grounding issues from ground coming through starter to block?

Another thing this morning is that i tried to jump starter relay to engage starter and all i heard was a slight crackling noise. I have never had and issue with jumping a solenoid or relay before but with the trim switch on the motor operating in both directions I even tried to jump those and all i get is a small spark but nothing moves. trying to jump with large screwdriver. Do it not have enough surface area to work?


I have also read in post that when i have 3 flashing light on oil indication it means that low engine tank oil and full remote tank oil, or a missing ground path. When it happens the motor does not reduce rpms or buzzer and plenty of oil in both. After running a while it usually stops and the arrow is only above green. This makes me think that it is a ground issue. This ground is through the harnesses correct? From block to harness to remote tank and back to motor? So I need to check ground through all pin connections from block through harnesses back to motor?

I know that the starter is not out 100% but can it be causing the intermediate problem? Is the starter working an all or nothing regarding the starter itself?

The ground comes from battery to starter post. Then the mounting of the starter to block provides ground for all other systems correct? Except the separate ground and power sent to aux panel (lights, fish finder, radio,....) directly from battery.

It just still seems like everything is a ground issue to me with the voltage numbers and the intermediate problems.

Any suggestions or corrections on my thoughts and issues?


Thanks,
GLS