Delay in starting

[NCH2oSki]

I have a 99' Ski with the Gt-40. When I turn the key, sometimes nothing happens. If I hold it for a second sometimes it starts someitimes it doesnt. Just about always if I retry to start it cranks. It seems to me that a relay or something along those lines is going bad. Is there a relay going to the starter? Or am I way off?

Thanks
Jeff

[SGY]

I too have a 99 SN with GT-40. When I first got the boat this was a problem. Never got it fixed because the mechanic could never duplicate problem when it was in the shop. Now the problem seems to have cured itself. My mechanic and CC seems to think it stemmed from a loose connection on the neutral safety switch on the tranny. You might check that out.

Steve.

[skinautique]

More than likely, it is from your starter relay located on the back of the engine. When you turn the key on, check it with a test light to see if it is getting power. The relays that they used were junk. I see that problem with a ton of Nautiques.

[NCH2oSki]

Thanks I was thinking that someone else had mentioned the relays were poor. I will pick up some and replace.. Are the specific marine or can I cross them with grainger or napa?

Jeff

[M3Fan]

Just grab one from Skidim. They are 21 bucks or thereabouts. I had the same problem, but could never duplicate it in the driveway. The reason? Because I always use the blower in the water, but never in the driveway because the engine cover is open already. Problem actually stemmed from the blower taking the voltage down below 12 volts, which is required for the relay to fire. Turns out the relay on my boat is still fine after 14 years.

[XH2Oskier]

That's very interesting, because my '97 exhibited the same problems. My dealership determined it was a bad starter, which they replaced the other day to the tune of $125.36, plus labor :x

[NautiqueJeff]

Mine does that from time to time too. I always assumed it was from using the blower and draining the battery like M3Fan said. On the rare occasion that this happens, mine always starts right up on the second turn of the key. Maybe I should pick up one of those relays just in case...

[XH2Oskier]

I know very little about boat engines, so I'm wondering if the relay(s) are seperate from the starter? When I dropped the boat in the water this past weekend, it exhibited the same symptoms that prompted me to bring it to the dealership in the first place :(

[NCH2oSki]

Yes, the relays are seperate from the starter. Just follow your wire from the starter to them. One wire goes to ground, the other to the relays.
Mine should be here on Tuesday. Hopefully it fixes my problem, I was worried it wasnt going to start on Sunday, but it did finally.

Jeff

[NCH2oSki]

I changed out my relay today. As someone esle mentioned the fine folks at Whitelake marine commented about the oem's only lasting a short peroid. The new ones are much heavier and the posts are rotated about 20 degrees or more from the original. It makes for an agrivating installation. But not complicated. Bolts nuts and sockets sure do get lost in the bilge. Thank goodness it has a nice smooth finish on it also. ( some inboards have raw glass in the bilge...ouch!)

Dont forget to disconect your battery before doing this, as several of you commented this could be in your future. I will let you know how everything works as soon as I can get it on the water.
Jeff

[NCH2oSki]

That was the problem, all fixed instant starting. Thanks to the folks at Whitelake marine for the clarification of the wire location on the phone. They are a great dealer.
Jeff

[foiltravis]

I had to replace mine on my 98 Nautique 2 years ago, bought a new one from our Nautique dealer, this year it started doing the same thing and I had to replace it again. Maybe another brand would perform better.

[NautiqueJeff]

I just replaced mine today. My boat wasn't showing the symptoms as badly as some in this thread, but I wanted to be on the safe side. It is an easy install, and only takes about ten minutes. The relay can be purchesed HERE (http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R130001&variation=&aitem=1&mitem=1). For those interested, here's what the part looks like. This is my old one.

[Hollywood]

R&R of a relay is as basic as it gets. I too have had to change mine, it seems to be a common problem.

[jwhposon]

I have keyless ignition and from the posts above I noticed these are mostly older than the 04's and wonder if the same issue exists. I have checked the normal emergency kill switch and other things. I keyin the code and then push start button and I hear a click - I can hear it from a "relay" looking thing on the top of the engine, there are three of them located together and one of them is clicking when I push start - I took it out and pushed it back in - now I hear a Heavier/louder click just above the starter - I believe its the solenoid(?). Does anyone have pictures or any suggestions? I know engines slightly, the picture above - doesn't look like mine, I think he has a newer boat now. Any help is appreciated.

[NautiqueJeff]

Yeah, that picture is of the starter relay for my '94 Ski Nautique. The PM I sent to you last night described the situation I faced with my '03, so don't confuse that with what I was talking about in this thread. The starter relay like the one pictured above is only used on the Ford engines. All GM engines (including your Excalibur) have the relay (solenoid) built into the starter.