97 challenger not starting?

[boxer0987]

When I put the lanyard on it beeps twice like its suppose to. Then when I push the start button it makes a clicking sound in the electrical box. Do you think it could be a bad starter or maybe even to week of a battery? Thank you.

 

[WAJetboating]

Could be battery, starter, starter solenoid....

Start with the battery. Measure its voltage across its terminals and report back.

 

[boxer0987]

voltage on battery is good. Should I try and jump it through the starter relay?

 

[Dr Honda]

yes, jump the solenoid in the electrical box. If the starter doesn't spin, check the wires going to the starter. Take them off and clean them. Since it's a boat... and they get wet... they have a tendency of corroding, and loosing contact.

 

[boxer0987]

Where is the starter located on this boat?

 

[Dr Honda]

it's almost underneath the engine.

 

[WAJetboating]

it's almost underneath the engine.

...on the carb side. Sort of under the carbs.

 

[boxer0987]

When I use the volt meter it shows power on the end of the cables that plug into the solenoid but on the side coming out there is no reading. I've never used one of them before but I think their should be power on the end going to the starter also. Correct me if I'm wrong. I tried jumping with a screw driver with no luck. Any suggestions?

 

[boxer0987]

Also all the connections running to the starter look clean. No rust but I did clean them anyways. The solenoid makes a click sound whenever I hit the start button. Do you think it could still be the solenoid even though I tried to jump it. I can turn the shaft by hand but it is very hard. Not sure if that is normal or not. there are two cables that run to the ground section on the starter but when I checked the schematics it only shows one.

 

[boxer0987]

Also the sound it makes is a single sound. It is a cross between a click and a thump I suppose. It's fixing to start freezing at night and this sucks I can't winterize properly.

 

[WAJetboating]

When I use the volt meter it shows power on the end of the cables that plug into the solenoid but on the side coming out there is no reading.

That's normal unless you're trying to start the engine. Connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to the negative terminal of the battery. Confirm 12VDC at the "input" side of the solenoid and 0VDC on the "output" side. Now make the solenoid "click". If you don't see 12VDC on the "output" side while trying to start the engine, the solenoid is not functioning.

I tried jumping with a screw driver with no luck.

Did you get a spark? Anything at all?

Presuming you have a multimeter that can measure resistance (ohms), try this: DISCONNECT the battery's negative cable. Then measure from the solenoid's "output" side to the (disconnected) negative battery cable. This will measure the resistance of the starter windings. You should see very low resistance (almost a short circuit). If you see no continuity at all (open circuit) or high resistance, there is a problem with the starter and/or the power cables connecting to it.

Report back!

 

[James.Moon]

That's normal unless you're trying to start the engine. Connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to the negative terminal of the battery. Confirm 12VDC at the "input" side of the solenoid and 0VDC on the "output" side. Now make the solenoid "click". If you don't see 12VDC on the "output" side while trying to start the engine, the solenoid is not functioning.



Did you get a spark? Anything at all?

Presuming you have a multimeter that can measure resistance (ohms), try this: DISCONNECT the battery's negative cable. Then measure from the solenoid's "output" side to the (disconnected) negative battery cable. This will measure the resistance of the starter windings. You should see very low resistance (almost a short circuit). If you see no continuity at all (open circuit) or high resistance, there is a problem with the starter and/or the power cables connecting to it.

Report back!

It could still be the battery. Did you measure the voltage with the solonoid jumpered out? Battery voltage doesn't mean much when there is no load on it. If it is almost dead or has internal high resistance it may have normal voltage approx 12V with no load but be too weak to provide voltage and the high current a starter requires. If you connect the starter to it directly, which you will with solonoid jumpered, and the voltage drags down but hangs in there, it is probably the starter. If the voltage remains high 12V ish, it could be an open wire or open within the starter.

Easier than any measurements is to remove and charge the battery or substitute the one from your wheels as a test. P.S. Charging and/or jumpering in place is not recommended for boats as a spark could ignite vapour causing an explosion. Come to think of it, jumpering your solonoid could cause a spark too.