In the fall I winterized the engine, it was running fine. I removed the batteries for the winter and put them back in yesterday. Lights/ wipers/engine tilt etc have power and work. When I try to start the engine I get nothing except an almost unnoticeable "click" coming from the engine that sounds like a relay, its not the starter. I cant imagine what could have happened between fall and spring that would explain this. The throttle is in neutral and the safety clip is on the switch near the ignition. My friend that is a car mechanic said the small wire going to the starter (on a car) should have 12V on it when the key is turned...that voltage is not there on my engine. Im not a mechanic but off hand I would suspect a neutral switch that stops the engine from starting in gear. The safety switch near the ignition switch, something called the starter switch relay a bad ground. The grounds I removed and inspected were tight and clean. If you could share any ideas it would be appreciated.
Cant start 2007 BF90
- Thread starter Mike B
- Start date
Did you jiggle the throttle a bit? It's not uncommon for the cable to the neutral start interlock switch on the engine to become misadjusted as it expands and contracts with heat. If you pull off the cowling, you can override the switch by pushing on it with a screwdriver or a pair of needlenose pliers.
beermanPDX
New member
I have the same vintage BF90s on my boat and experienced the same issue you describe. Similar to what Roger said, my issue was that the neutral switch on the engine had backed out of the bracket far enough so that the linkage no longer caused the switch to engage. The switch is held on to the bracket by a plastic nut that had loosened.
What is the battery voltage, when you turn the ignition to "start"? How old is the battery? Was it kept on a charger during the winter? It is possible that you do have a bad battery or low voltage. It should be 12.6 to 12.7 V resting. When you turn the start with, the voltage may drop significantly only as the solenoid engages and the starter starts to spin.
The "click" is most likely the relay--but power may not be getting to the actual starter motor/relay/bendix gear solenoid. There is a solenoid which engages the starter gear. Then the engine spins. This requires at least 100 amps--and maybe considerably more.
Look at all connections to the starter, It is grounded to the engine frame. But there will be + wires to the relay and Bendix gear solenoid. Even if connections look good, with the large power demand, they may not carry enough current. Clean each connection and tighten it.
Certainly try all wires by the throttle, and move it back and forth. But with the "click" it sounds as if that safety is OK.
Every boater should have digital volt meter and learn how it use it to trouble shoot.
The "click" is most likely the relay--but power may not be getting to the actual starter motor/relay/bendix gear solenoid. There is a solenoid which engages the starter gear. Then the engine spins. This requires at least 100 amps--and maybe considerably more.
Look at all connections to the starter, It is grounded to the engine frame. But there will be + wires to the relay and Bendix gear solenoid. Even if connections look good, with the large power demand, they may not carry enough current. Clean each connection and tighten it.
Certainly try all wires by the throttle, and move it back and forth. But with the "click" it sounds as if that safety is OK.
Every boater should have digital volt meter and learn how it use it to trouble shoot.
Thanks for the help everyone, My starter is shot. Rusted solid, most likely shorted or corroded inside. Now I have another scary question, not so sure I want to hear the answer. I got the starter off with some help from a rubber mallet, it is a mess. When I looked down in the housing there was surface rust on the flywheel and a small puddle of water down there. I would think it should be dry or at least the water should drain out. Im going to try and put some pictures in my folder of what Im talking about. Thanks again.
So you either have a bad head gasket (unlikely because the water would have ingressed while running, mixed with oil and be sitting at the bottom of the works) or water came in through your mysteriously seized starter (probably seized because it is full of water too) and that is why it's sitting on the flywheel.
I would worry about surface rust on your flywheel in due time, but a new starter motor will likely crank you over, from what you have noted.
But drain your oil, refill and drain again. You may even want to have it flushed. If it were my boat, I'd run the motor at idle for a short period of time (5 minutes) after the second oil fill up and change the oil and filter AGAIN, but I will fully admit that this is likely overkill, but I like to be sure. I'm on my own out there.
I would worry about surface rust on your flywheel in due time, but a new starter motor will likely crank you over, from what you have noted.
But drain your oil, refill and drain again. You may even want to have it flushed. If it were my boat, I'd run the motor at idle for a short period of time (5 minutes) after the second oil fill up and change the oil and filter AGAIN, but I will fully admit that this is likely overkill, but I like to be sure. I'm on my own out there.
Was all of the water drained out of the engine block? (sort of a rhetorical question, but water was trapped in the block and if a freeze plug broke, it could put the water where it is.)
The lack of water in the oil is a very good sign. Are there other signs of corrosion on the engine? Any chance that water got into the area of the starter from spray? (such as a crack in the engine cowl?
I would pull the plugs, and see if the engine turns over easily by hand, before attempting to start, just on the remote chance that there is some water in the cylinders.
The lack of water in the oil is a very good sign. Are there other signs of corrosion on the engine? Any chance that water got into the area of the starter from spray? (such as a crack in the engine cowl?
I would pull the plugs, and see if the engine turns over easily by hand, before attempting to start, just on the remote chance that there is some water in the cylinders.
As far as I can tell all water was out of the engine that could be drained out. This water is in a place that it shouldn't be and have a place to drain. Ive been doing the same winterization process the same way for a few years now and didn't have a problem until now. The plugs are great, I pulled them in the fall and sprayed oil into the cylinders, gave it a quick spin and covered it. I pulled the plugs the other day and everything looks good. I can spin the engine by taking the plastic guard off the top of the engine and turning the flywheel.
There is an air baffle on the of the cowl, which is one way that water can get into this area thru the top baffle (either leaking or direct water into the baffle), the head (Gasket leaking?), or the block. freeze plug. A crack in the cowl or lower part of the plastic shroud covering the lower part of the engine would be obvious.
I have the Honda 90--sits out--no rust on the starter gear, or flywheel....Even if the engine runs OK, you need to try and find out why the starter got water on it, causing the rust and seizing of the starter motor.
Since the engine is free, and you know the cylinders are clear, you can start it and see if there is any water dripping down on the starter? Check out the air baffle on top of the cowl to be sure it is not leaking--maybe even squirt water into it (off the engine).
As part of yearly (or even 6 month) maintenance spraying "Corrosion Block" over the external part of the engine, including electrical connections, and starter is good PM.
I have the Honda 90--sits out--no rust on the starter gear, or flywheel....Even if the engine runs OK, you need to try and find out why the starter got water on it, causing the rust and seizing of the starter motor.
Since the engine is free, and you know the cylinders are clear, you can start it and see if there is any water dripping down on the starter? Check out the air baffle on top of the cowl to be sure it is not leaking--maybe even squirt water into it (off the engine).
As part of yearly (or even 6 month) maintenance spraying "Corrosion Block" over the external part of the engine, including electrical connections, and starter is good PM.
The water is not coming from anywhere under the engine cover. I just had somebody suggest there may be corrosion in the exhaust system that could be leaking into the housing where the flywheel is. This is officially out of my experience level, think I have to go professional. Ill let you know how it goes. Thanks for the help.
I would really expect it to be coming in through your bad starter. It clearly got water into it (or so it seems to me from your description) and there sin't much to stop it from getting through to your flywheel once it did. There certainly could be other means of ingress.
I can see how an exhaust leak might bring in the water, but you should see some sign of a leak.
It may be time for a pro, but it may just need a new starter, and be good to go. You coudl replace the starter, then spray the engine with a hose, and see if any water leaked in onto the flywheel before you run it.
I can see how an exhaust leak might bring in the water, but you should see some sign of a leak.
It may be time for a pro, but it may just need a new starter, and be good to go. You coudl replace the starter, then spray the engine with a hose, and see if any water leaked in onto the flywheel before you run it.