F50 won't start - electrical problem

[woodrowbirdman]

I have an 03 f50 that has an occasional problem. Sometimes when I try to start, I can only hear a zapping sound from the motor and the starter never spins. Is this the plugs firing and a relay telling the starter to engage is bad? This happens intermittently without rhyme or reason. To further confuse me, it recently made the same zapping sound when I tried to trim/tilt. This would tell me that zapping is not the plugs.

Once I wait a bit it may/may not start just fine.

Any suggestions?

[99yam40]

maybe a bad connection on the battery cables

[woodrowbirdman]

I don't think it's a power issue because sometimes when it won't turnover (but makes zapping sound) the trim works just fine.

[99yam40]

zapping sound sounds to me like electrical arcing, check the connections

[woodrowbirdman]

I don't think it's a power issue because sometimes when it won't turnover (but makes zapping sound) the trim works just fine.

[woodrowbirdman]

Sorry for the double post. I agree that it sounds like arcing but it's beneath the cowling. Also if it was a bad connection wouldn't the starter and t/t not work at the same time.

[99yam40]

Battery cables have connections on both ends and one end is under the cowling. Check them it does not cost anything to look or put a wrench on the bolts/nuts