DF90A starting problem

[Gringo]

I live on a small island south of the Bahamas, with not a lot of help locally for Suzuki's. I have a DF90A that had been running flawlessly for a year or so. It's been sitting for the last six months. I went to start it, and when I turn key to Start position, I get a Clunk Clunk Clunk Clunk sound, about four times a second, roughly. It's not a click click sound, it's definitely a clunk.

I charged battery, it's good. 13.5 volts no load. Checked and cleaned terminals at battery. I swapped the starter relay with the main relay to see if it made a difference, it did not.

Any ideas on what I should try next? Jack plate goes up and down, and so do the trim tabs, so I am not suspecting a battery problem.

[noelm007]

Just because some things still work does not necessarily mean the battery is good, do the very easy stuff first, try a known good battery, make sure all the cables are still OK, both ends, not just the terminals, have someone look and listen to the motor with the cowl off when you try to start it, can you turn the motor by hand, all those things need to be checked before you panic.

[Gringo]

When you say "turn the motor by hand", what does that mean? Put it in gear and turn the prop?

Thanks for the other suggestions. I'll try another battery, although this one seems fine. 13.5 volts, and all the spec. grav on all cells is good.

[jHydroman]

I would pull all of the spark plugs, engine in neutral and turn the fly wheel by hand to make sure the engine is free to rotate.

This will verify that you don't have fuel or water in one or more of the cylinders.

Jim

[noelm007]

Yes, turn the flywheel by hand, do NOT start putting it in gear and turning the propellor, if the key happens to be on, it could start, and that won't be a whole lot of fun, safety first at all times.

[Gringo]

Progress, of a sort. I followed your suggestions, removed the flywheel cover, and I managed to pull start the motor with a rope. It wasn't that difficult, after I got the hang of pulling the slack out. I had 68 Harley. The technique is similar.

I checked the connectors, and while there was some slight discoloration on the battery terminals, it wasn't what I would call corrosion, really. Not the white fluffy stuff. I cleaned them up with sandpaper and put them back together. I also removed the cables from the battery switch, and put both of them on the same terminal so I know that's making good connection. It's a good switch, so I don't think that's a problem. I also disconnected both ends of the cables at the crankcase ground, and the hot terminal on the side of "magnetic switch", which I think must be Sukukiese for solenoid. Those were spotless, like new. Shiny and Tight. The copper in the cable is good. I put a VOM on a crankcase bolt and the loose end of the positive cable that normally attaches to the solenoid, and reading 12.84 volts at that end.

When I turn the key and hold in Start position, the solenoid engages and actually kicks the flywheel around in little increments. Fraction of an inch at a time, but it turns it. The starter just isn't spinning. It sure acts like weak battery, but that voltage is good.

I started it several times with the rope, just to get it warmed up and hopefully jar something back into working order on the starter, but nothing has changed there. Same symptoms.

Any ideas what to try next?

[Gringo]

I just took a battery out of our Land Rover and tried that, no change. I do notice now when I turn ignition key to ON position, I get a Check Engine 2-4 code. That's a CMP sensor, according to the manual? It doesn't explain what CMP is, exactly, Camshaft Position Sensor, but that shouldn't stop the starter should it?

[jHydroman]

Check voltage on both sides of the solenoid to determine if there is a voltage drop across solenoid contacts. If voltage is low on both sides, problem is with cables or disconnect.

This test should be performed with the ignition in the start position.

I have seen the disconnects switch to fail to make good contact and had same sympthons. You can check this by bypassong the disconnect switch

Jim

[Gringo]

Thanks for reply. I want to be sure I understand terminology, as I have been running into a few differences in English in the Suzuki Outboard Motor Service Manual. This book is document 99500-87L01-03E. I'm looking at page 1I-6 diagram for starter motor components, but am not finding anything labeled
disconnect switch. Is that within the starter motor/solenoid assembly?

When I turn the ignition key to the Start position, and the starter makes the clunk noise, the pinion gear does pop up and engage the flywheel gear. It just doesn't seem to have enough power to turn the engine over.

[jHydroman]

The disconnect switch is installed close to the battery, It is usually red and is a rottary switch, manually operated to isolate battery when boat is not in use. The is usually installed by person who outfitted your boat.

Make sure you clean and check all of the ground wire (- battery leads) for good connections on both ends..

Jim

[Gringo]

oh, yes, I know what you're referring to now. The big red heavy duty 1,2, Both and off switch. I'm very familiar with them, have had a lot. There are three on our catamaran. I always called it the battery selector switch.

I did check that early on and mentioned it up above. I couldn't find any problems with it. Lightly sanded the cable terminals shiny clean and then stacked them one on top of the other on the same terminal of the disconnect switch. That let me really crank down on them and make sure they were in good contact, and that took the switch out of the circuit.

[jHydroman]

Beginning to believe the problem is the starter, I believe the starter is a permanent maginet motor and doesn't have any brushes,

Jim

[redlowrey]

I live on a small island south of the Bahamas, with not a lot of help locally for Suzuki's. I have a DF90A that had been running flawlessly for a year or so. It's been sitting for the last six months. I went to start it, and when I turn key to Start position, I get a Clunk Clunk Clunk Clunk sound, about four times a second, roughly. It's not a click click sound, it's definitely a clunk.

I charged battery, it's good. 13.5 volts no load. Checked and cleaned terminals at battery. I swapped the starter relay with the main relay to see if it made a difference, it did not.

Any ideas on what I should try next? Jack plate goes up and down, and so do the trim tabs, so I am not suspecting a battery problem.

It sounds like a voltage drop problem to me, hook a volt meter up, the negative to a good ground and the positive to the starter motor main cable turn the key to start and observe the battery voltage if it is under seven volts do the same on the battery isolating switch both sides with the key on start, I bet one side will have ten volts and the other around six and your problem will be in the isolator.

[Gringo]

I bolted the cables together early on, completely bypassing the disconnect/ isolator/ battery selector/rotary switch. The big red switch is not in the circuit.

I didn't have anyone to turn the starter switch for me before but I'll give it a try today with the voltmeter.

[jHydroman]

I checked my manual and the starter does have brushes.

Their trouble shooting guide suggest that you remove startea see if it will run with no load when connected to a battery. If runs with no load and you find that adequate voltage is available, the starter has problem. You should disassemble starter and check brushes and communtator.

Jim