Marine Power 454 Solenoid Question

[thinkblue83]

Launched last weekend at Jack Smith, went down river about 10 minutes and beached it for about an hour, tried to start and nothing, not even turning over. Check for spark and fuses and everything good, take screw driver and bypass the ignition and starts up. Run for about an hour, stop and starts no problem, then let it sit and it doesnt start again.
The consensus seems to be solenoid, but Im having a heck of a time finding the right one. The starter is a top-mount and the solenoid has 3 bolts that bolt on to starter.
If anyone has experienced this and has any suggestions,I would greatly appreciate it, have plans to leave Friday for the river.
Thanks

[ironman44bear]

put a ford style remote mount solinoid on it and it should be ok
Ironman

[Oldsquirt]

Make sure you have a good CLEAN, TIGHT connection at BOTH ends of BOTH battery cables. No paint, grease, grime, etc., are allowed. Also make sure any other connections of the smaller primary wires are clean and tight.
You might try Rex Marine or CP Performance for a source on the solenoid.
put a ford style remote mount solinoid on it and it should be ok
Ironman
The Ford slave relay only works if he already has a fully functional
solenoid on his existing starter and is simply dealing with a voltage drop problem in the solenoid trigger circuit.

[RaceFace]

Ryan...PM me, email me or call me. I cant believe nobody can figure this out. Its a freegin starter, not brain surgery. Call my office tomorrow morning.;)

[AZLAW]

It is the starter selinoid, if you have a top mount starter then you should have the ford remote selinoid you can find these at a specilty automotive shop for about $20. Sometimes if you tap them with a screwdriver they will work for a few starts. This happened to me two weeks ago and I had to jump the starter from the positive side of the battery to the starter wire.

[Lightning]

There is also a hop switch that fails and causes the engine to die. It's a three wire switch right above where your oil filter lines are plumbed into the motor. Follow the lines from your remote oil filter down to the block, there is a three terminal post sticking out of the block. My bet is that this is the cause of your problem. I've seen it happen on two boats already.

[RaceFace]

There is also a hop switch that fails and causes the engine to die. It's a three wire switch right above where your oil filter lines are plumbed into the motor. Follow the lines from your remote oil filter down to the block, there is a three terminal post sticking out of the block. My bet is that this is the cause of your problem. I've seen it happen on two boats already.
Yeah, I've heard of that being an issue and a "weekend ruiner" but thats not it on this. Got the boat fired by jumping the terminals on the starter with a screwdriver and it ran fine and stayed lit. :(
I sold Ryan the boat a couple of months ago. I had the same issue about 3 years ago (boat is 10 years old) and found out from a guy at Lightning Battery in LHC that this particular starter is actually an import starter that Marine Power was using at the time (top mount starter). He did have the solenoid at the time, I switched it and its been fine ever since...until it left my driveway...of course :( . The guy at Lightning also told me that there is a cross over part number to a GM starter with a standard GM solenoid but it seems nobody can help Ryan with that info or get him the correct solenoid. The starter and solenoid are physically smaller than a standard GM.
The starter came on a Marine Power "X" motor which was rated at 440hp at the time (came in a '97 Ultra LX). When I took off the old solenoid, when it took a dump on me, it was all corroded inside, my guess is being in a closed engine compartment. I replaced the soleniod AND the plunger last time, and again, its been fine ever since. If anyone has any knowledge regarding this starter or where a suitable replacement can be picked up, please PM me or ThinkBlue83. Lets get this thing off the trailer!! :D

[pebo]

If you need a solinoid or a starter try this guy. He has everything or will build you what you want. http://www.artsautoelectric.com/

[Lightning]

So what ever happened with this?
Light (has a stock starter from his Marine Power in the garage) ning.

[thinkblue83]

Well, put new solenoid on still didnt start, bought $10 relay and started up. Drove to river, backed down ramp and nothing, pull the boat out and it starts. The whole weekend, it would start a couple of times and then nothing. I would tap the starter and solenoid and sometimes it would start but had to jump with the screw driver most of the time.
I just dont get, it seems to me that there has to be a problem going to the relay but the electrical/ignition stuff is not my thing.
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Lightning]

Have you thought about getting a new starter? I replaced mine with one of those compact high torque deals, much better starts then before.

[AZKC]

Its the early season bugs, corrosion is probably creating multiple voltage drops in the whole starting system. Someone mentioned a closed engine compartment which makes it even worse. Starter connections, relay and solenoids wire connections, Battery cable ends on the battery and also the starter ends need to be cleaned.

[BLOWN JOB]

So you jumped it with a screw driver hm lets think have you checked your switch thats what you bypased an it started just my 00.2

[RaceFace]

So you jumped it with a screw driver hm lets think have you checked your switch thats what you bypased an it started just my 00.2
Yeah, that was the next step he took today. There are only so many things in the starting circuit it can be...that are inexpensive. New solenoid and relay already....switch is next...hopefully not the starter. The covered motor has me wondering though. The boat is 10 years old but I was always very anal about leaving the hatch open in the garage and letting things air out and dry before closing it up. Hopefully thats it. Hang in there Ryan.....:D