Issue with the starter motor of a SO 30i

[JFA_67]

Hi,

This weekend I had an issue with the starting motor of my SO 30i and I'm looking for your advice (the engine is a Yanmar 3YM20).

After sailing some miles and to guarantee a safer entrance when approaching the Aveiro breakwater I decided to start the engine and to my surprise the starter motor did not work.
Additionally, the lever of the shifter got stuck (I only could move it from neutral to reverse) - it is not the first time that happened, but usually, after starting the engine it gets free.

All was OK with the engine battery, the alarm lamps and buzzer sound normally, but the start button did not operate the starter.

Despite the strong current, I entered the breakwater only by sail and managed to anchor in a safety area. After that, I manage to free the shifter lever (morse control box, like this one jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/5356/opening-morse-control-so37) by playing directly with the gearbox lever. I did that suspecting that there is a neutral safety switch that was in an open position causing the fault at the starter. Then, I managed to start the engine normally.

However, after that, I tried to start the engine in neutral or engaged in reverse and in forward and it always started.

Any clues on what happened? I don't want to take the risk of another similar problem.

Is there any owner of another SO 30i that can tell me if they have a neutral safety switch and where it is located?

Thanks in advance.

Jorge

[sitara]

Hi Jorge,

I suspect you have two problems here, a mechanical one with the shift lever, and an electrical one with the engine start. Could you move the shift lever with the red button depressed? This may help you identify which cable is causing the problem.

I have a similar start problem with my Yanmar 3YM30, same starter I think. Sometimes the starter would not turn on first push of the start button but always did so after three or four pushes. It seems to be a problem with insufficient current getting to the starter solenoid because of a poor connection to the solenoid (a white wire with a spade connector) or in the plug between the motor wiring and the rest of the boat loom. It may also be temperature dependent as there is no problem starting if the engine has run for an hour or so. I am still exploring the problem; the engine fired up perfectly on the last two starts!

I did start a thread with this issue - see jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/7720/intermittent-start-problem-yanmar-3ym30.

Keep us posted,

Rob

[so36idavid]

Jorge,

When you pushed the starter button what happened? If you put your head in the engine compartment and had your trusty assistant push the starter, did you hear any noise at all? It's tough to diagnose at a distance but here are a couple of thoughts:

- If it was completely silent in the engine room then it's probably a problem with the connection from the starter panel to the solenoid. Possibly corrosion in the starter button or elsewhere in the circuit.
- If there is a click then the solenoid is trying to engage but not working properly. Either corrosion in the starter circuit or elsewhere (like the engine ground), a loose wire (again check ground wires) or some other similar problem
- If sound comes out of the starter but the engine doesn't crank then either the starter has a problem or there's a problem supplying starting current to the starter, check the thick wire circuit from the battery to the starter and back through ground. 

The good news is that when an electrical circuit is completely dead then it's usually pretty easy to diagnose. Follow the circuit from the starter button to the engine, to the solenoid and on to the starter. Find the open circuit and you've found your villain. The bad news is that your villain has gone back into hiding so you may struggle to find this until it happens again. In the mean time check the entire circuit for corrosion.

You definitely should get the problem with your morse cables sorted out. 

Good luck!
David

[JFA_67]

Hello,

Thank you for your feedback.

rob , I'll check my shift lever. Although, I'm afraid that the reason why it gets stuck from time to time could be related to the gearbox. It already happened to me to have the lever at the very beginning of the forward position and suddenly ear a little "bang" probably due to the motor was not really well engaged.

The symptoms of my starter now are much like in your case ("sometimes the starter would not turn on first push of the start button but always did so after three or four pushes") but only when I put the shift lever at the very beginning of the forward position.
However, the first time it happened (last weekend) I've tried more than 7 or 8 times to push the starter button without success.
I read your thread and found that the reason pointed by uli057 could be what is happening to me...

david , I could not check the starter relay when the problem happened, since I was alone. Now, at the marina, I checked it but I need to disconnect the motor fan so its noise doesn't hamper me from hearing the relays.

I think there are 2 relays involved. One near the starter motor (check image)


www.23hq.com/JFA_67/photo/61364338/original
 (that I felt clicking when the ignition is turned on) and this other relay (check image)


www.23hq.com/JFA_67/photo/61364272/original

that I think acts as a kind of helper relay between the engine panel and the starter motor, but that I need to check (in silence) if it is working well or not.

Best,

Jorge

[tarn]

Hi All good advise I’ve had starter motor issues and if you read my past posts I believe you’d find them interesting Please replace the relay It can be intermittent and if it switches on when the engine is running you won’t hear it and it will burn your starter motor out I stripped my ignition switch and it was clean as a whistle If you hear your starter motor click then it’s sticking But as yours worked later it would appear to be electrical I presume you’ve checked your earth connection and all other connections are tight,clean and smeared in vaseline Regards Tarn 

past posts 

[sitara]

Hi Tarn,

A solenoid sticking on is a nasty problem (and expensive!). I wondered about fitting an indicator light or buzzer that operates while the starter is engaged and displays in the cockpit?

Rob