96 GTX Will Not Start

[seawolf18]

I have a 96 GTX. When we put it away last fall it ran fine. When I tried to start it this week, it will not turn over, just clicks. I tested the battery, and I was getting 12.4 volts stationary. However, once you pushed the start button, it would go down to 7 volts. The battery was two years old, but some off brand the previous owner put in it. I replaced it with a new AGM battery.

It still just clicks when you try to start it. It now has 12.8 volts at idle, and drops to 12.5 when you push the start button. I checked the solenoid, and it has 12.5 on the battery side and 12.3 when you push start on the starter side. I tryed bridging the solenoid terminals with a screw driver, but it does nothing. The previous owner put a SBT rebuilt engine in it, and I remember them saying a new starter as well. I'm leaning toward a bad starter, unless I'm missing something?

 

[Dr Honda]

Good call on the battery. First one was dead.


Start with removing the spark plugs, and try to start it. There are 2 metal tabs on the engine to clip the sparkplug wires on to. BUT... put a towel over the engine. If the center seals leaked... and the engine is full of oil... it's going to spray out.

 

[seawolf18]

Took the plugs out and tried starting it, and still nothing. I tried to turn the engine over by hand, but I couldn't. I was thinking the engine should not be locked up, since i did fog it last fall. I put a vice-grip on the drive shaft and wiggled it back and forth with the plugs out. It would move about 1/8". I kept working it back and forth and finally got it to turn over by hand. No oil came out the plug holes when I hand turned it.

I tried starting it again, and still nothing. I'm thinking the starter drive was jammed into the flywheel, and I got it unjammed by moving it back and forth. I remember someone on here saying that aftermarket starters for these things are junk, and check to see if the starter is black, since the oem starter was white. The starter that is on it is black in color. I'm thinking cheap aftermarket starter failure, just like the cheap Chinese battery failed. Unless there is something else that I should check?

 

[Cheflen]

Took the plugs out and tried starting it, and still nothing. I tried to turn the engine over by hand, but I couldn't. I was thinking the engine should not be locked up, since i did fog it last fall. I put a vice-grip on the drive shaft and wiggled it back and forth with the plugs out. It would move about 1/8". I kept working it back and forth and finally got it to turn over by hand. No oil came out the plug holes when I hand turned it.

I tried starting it again, and still nothing. I'm thinking the starter drive was jammed into the flywheel, and I got it unjammed by moving it back and forth. I remember someone on here saying that aftermarket starters for these things are junk, and check to see if the starter is black, since the oem starter was white. The starter that is on it is black in color. I'm thinking cheap aftermarket starter failure, just like the cheap Chinese battery failed. Unless there is something else that I should check?

I would try pulling the starter and make sure the engine moves freely, also test the ground wire on the starter. But since it is a black starter it's the cheap one and you need to replace it anyways so you aren't stranded in the middle of the water

 

[Dr Honda]

The starter generally doesn't keep things from turning. (by hand)


2 things......

1) When you hit the starter button... do you hear the clunk of the starter hitting the flywheel??

If you do....

2) Think your pump is locked up. If this is the first time pulling it out for the season... last season, water could have gotten into the bearings, in the jet pump, and rusted it solid. We see it here all the time. You should service the pump at the end of the season, to make sure water isn't in there, before the winter hibernation. A quick way to check is... remove the nozzle, and then remove the tail cone. Oil will come out, but if you see water too.... there's the issue.

The other way is to just remove the pump from the hull.


you really should be able to turn the engine by hand... especially if the plugs are out.

 

[seawolf18]

Got the starter out this morning. The rear support plate for the starter was missing. Found that the postive post was corroded pretty bad.

The starter drive was also stuck out. I could hear it snap back once i was wiggling it out of the engine. When you turn the starter my hand, the bearing sounds sound very rough in it. I can turn the engine over pretty easily now.

Is the rear support plate important? If so where does one find one?

 

[mikidymac]

Yes the support plate is important. Is that an OEM Nipon Denso starter or aftermarket?

 

[seawolf18]

There are no markings on the starter. I'm going to guess an aftermarket one.

 

[mikidymac]

I would get a good used OEM one from @Minnetonka4me and he can put new brushes in it too. All of the aftermarket ones are junk.

 

[seawolf18]

Thanks, ill shoot him a message.