60 HP Starting Problem

[Pineyrooter]

I have a 2003 Yamaha 60 2 stroke that continues to have a starting problem. Once she starts she runs like a champ. The problem seems to have gotten worse the last couple of years. When I turn the switch it acts just like the battery is low. At times she'll bump over a little and other times just bump. My current battery is brand new and fully charged. I have replaced the primary relay (not starting relay) on the engine and installed new connections on the wiring harness. I have checked all connections and they are tight. Boat has been used in saltwater so corrosion can be an issue but everything is clean. I removed the starter, carried to a friend that rebuilds them and he advised there is nothing wrong with the starter. Could the starting relay cause my problem? I guess I figured it either worked or it didn't or at best it would just click and nothing much more. I had a mechanic check it last year and he replaced the battery connections. He said it was bad connections but it still didnt turn over and start like it should. The wiring harness/connections do get pretty warm when I'm trying to start it but they are tight with little corrosion that I can see. Thoughts?

[pstephens46]

I have a 2003 Yamaha 60 2 stroke that continues to have a starting problem. Once she starts she runs like a champ. It seems to have gotten worse the last couple years. When I turn the switch to start it acts just like the battery is low. At times she'll bump over a little and other times just bump. My current battery is brand new and fully charged. I have replaced the primary relay (not starting relay) on the engine and installed new connections on the wiring harness. I have checked all connections and they are tight. Boat has been used in salt water so corrosion can be an issue but everything is clean. I removed the starter, carried to a friend that rebuilds them and he advised there is nothing wrong with the starter. Could the starting relay cause my problem? I guess I figured it either worked or it didn't or at best it would just click and nothing much more. I had a mechanic check it last year and he replaced the battery connections. He said it was bad connections but it still didnt turn over and start like it should. The wiring harness/connections do get pretty warm when I'm trying to start it but they are tight with little corrosion that I can see. Thoughts?

Some or all connections are hot when cranking? Cranking once or twice or many times? I would start there. I had connections that looked good and were tight. That was my problem area. They needed to be taken apart and cleaned. You can also google voltage drop testing. It's also possible to have a bad spot in cable.

[Pineyrooter]

Some or all connections are hot when cranking? Cranking once or twice or many times? I would start there. I had connections that looked good and were tight. That was my problem area. They needed to be taken apart and cleaned. You can also google voltage drop testing. It's also possible to have a bad spot in cable.

Thanks. The primary wire where it connects to the battery is where I've noticed it gets hot. I have noticed the wire is somewhat dark looking but it is tight. It will become warm if you turn it over one time.

[boscoe99]

Sounds more like a cranking problem than a starting problem.

A wire becoming warm or hot indicates a problem. Usually excessive resistance. With reduces the voltage that gets to the starter motor, resulting in slow cranking speeds.

Battery cables can fail internally. Usually starting at the ends where the terminals are located.

Do you have a voltmeter? Set it to the 12 volt scale. Put the red probe on the positive battery cable at the point where it attaches to the starter relay. Put the black probe on the positive battery post. Directly on the battery post, not on the battery cable part. Pull the kill switch lanyard so the motor won't start. While looking at the volt meter turn the key to the start position. What volt reading do you see? Anything above 0.5 volts tells you that the cable is defective.

[panasonic]

Thanks. The primary wire where it connects to the battery is where I've noticed it gets hot. I have noticed the wire is somewhat dark looking but it is tight. It will become warm if you turn it over one time.

That would be a very good indication that that lug on the end of the cable is corroded where it is in contact with the battery lug. Remove battery cables from battery and clean everything until bright and shiny. Put it back together with some dielectric grease and try again.

If it still getting hot in that spot there is probably corrosion wicked up the cable itself. if you cut a bit of insulation off the cable and the wire is turned green and powdery that's corrosion. If you find that, then you have to cut that cable back till you get to clean wire.

Try that to get started and report back with results. A few pictures is worth a thousand words as well.

[boscoe99]

That would be a very good indication that that lug on the end of the cable is corroded where it is in contact with the battery lug. Remove battery cables from battery and clean everything until bright and shiny. Put it back together with some dielectric grease and try again.

If it still getting hot in that spot there is probably corrosion wicked up the cable itself. if you cut a bit of insulation off the cable and the wire is turned green and powdery that's corrosion. If you find that, then you have to cut that cable back till you get to clean wire.

Try that to get started and report back with results. A few pictures is worth a thousand words as well.

And if there is sufficient length of cable remaining after cutting it shorter to get to clean wire, don't forget to solder the new terminal that you will have installed. Or get someone that knows how to do it for you. Solder improves the flow of those pesky electrons and will help to prevent future corrosion also.

[99yam40]

Could be there is something in the motor resisting the 1st turn over of the motor.

would not hurt to try turning the motor by hand when it does not want to move with the starter.
Just something easy to check

As said above , a bad connection can cause low voltage to starter, which causes higher current thru the cable . Which could cause it to heat up some. Voltmeter is your friend, amp meter might help also. but most people do not have a DC ampmeter that would read high DC current

[boscoe99]

To verify the starter motor is not the problem, use a set of battery jumper cables and clamp one side of one end to the engine block and the other side to the starter motor positive terminal. Then connect the other end to a known good battery. Observing the correct polarity that is.

See if the starter motor spins the motor normally. Which I am guessing that it will.

13 year old battery cables, used in a salt environment, are more than likely the problem child. Particularly if they get hot in use.

Does anyone need to be reminded that this is a stupidly simply system? Particularly if one is a Yamaha Master Techamatician. If not, this can whip ones arse.

[Pineyrooter]

Thanks for the great input folks. I will begin working through everything mentioned here and see what happens. I'll check the voltage and go from there but I'm thinking its likely corrosion in the wire at this point. I picked up some new connections yesterday and will solder those onto clean wire.

[rodbolt17]

from the + battery terminal,not cable end to the starter stud a max of .7v drop.
from the - terminal to a good engine ground a max of .5v.

yes it is that simple.