Starter selinoid

[AZLAW]

Went to Apache on Saturday lots of campers not a lot of boats. Boat ran good all day then leaving the beach the boat would not start, when I turned the key I could hear the starter spinning but would not turn over. When I got home I took the starter out and checked all the teeth of the starter and flywheel. Everthing checks out. I then put twelve volts to the starter and it worked fine. I put the starter back in and turned the key and the starter selinoid would just click and not start. With the starter in the engine I put twelve volts to the starter and the motor turned over. What would cause a selinoid to go out.

[ap67et10]

is this a non ford style starter? (olds or chevy) cause if it is then the solnoid is mounted on the starter and its part of the actuation of the starter in that once you turn the key it activates a magnet that pulls a washer and slides the gear into place. once the gear is fully engaged in the teeth of the flywheel (the one click you hear) that washer makes contact to the two fat terminals on the front of the solenoid one is hooked to your battery and the other goes to the starter motor coil windings, but once the gear is engaged in the teeth and the washer hits the two terminals it sends that battery power from one terminal to the other. the problem with these starters is that when you have any kind of positive switch you have a spark and it tends to always spark in the same place. so eventually it makes poor contact cause that washer gets worn from the sparking and wont turn the starter motor due to poor continuity. it engages like it should but wont spin. sometimes people hit the starter and its enough to get good enough contact. but you can get a new solenoid for cheap even whole starters aren't that expensive or if you really want pull it apart and just rotate the washer so it doesn't spark in the same place...sometimes the stud is messed up but not normally.

[AZLAW]

It is a chevy block but the starter is a top mount counter clockwise one wire hook-up. The silinoid is located next to the starter.

[AZKC]

Moisture is a deadly thing on boat electrics, if you have the Ford style(remote) solenoid you can by pass it with a screw driver usually if you have access. Turn the key on, locate the 12 volt coming into the solenoid, apply that power to the 12 volt going to the starter. Just don't leave it on to long:eek: Or make/buy a remote starter setup its a push button that connect to the terminals with alligator clips:) Much cleaner set up but in an emergency just about anything has been used