2010 Yamaha 250 SHO, is my starter going bad?

[bbarthelt]

2010 Yamaha 250 SHO, VF250LA, In my last few tournaments, a few times when I turn the key to start up, there is only a click. Try again, she fires right up. 3 tourneys ago it happened once. 2 tourneys ago it happened twice. Last tourney, 4 times. I have two very good batteries in parallel (both X2Power 31 AGMs, both about 18 months old), both giving off 12.6v when engine not running. I don't suspect batteries are the issue. Could my starter be going? Is there anything else it would be IF the batteries are good? I'm going to get a better tester to verify CCAs, but let's assume they're good.

Other relevant electrical draw information:

- This is on a bass boat, during tournaments when those same starting batteries are powering livewell fill and recirc pumps, bilge pumps, etc.
- Batteries are also powering two Lowrance HDS Pro 12s, an HDS Live 12, and an HDS 9 Elite FS.
- Charger is a Power Pole Charge. The charge-on-the-run settings are set to favor the starting battery.

Thanks in advance.

[yam911]

The starter motor could be going bad. Or not.

There are several devices in the system, all of which can and should be checked.

[Rick H]

Starter relays seem to be prone to wear more than other items and carry the most amps. The connectors inside rotate so they don't keep hammering the same spots. That being said after a while they start rehitting used spots. Sometimes it won't bother it and just spin the starter other times nothing then you hit it again and varooom.

If it isn't broken when you looking at it. It's hard to find. Just found the intermittent no crank no start on a low hour johnson from last year. Everytime I'd start to deal with it would just start working correctly. Ended up being the neutral switch which is a rare compared to the relay from my experience.

[ThomasD]

Start with pulling your battery cables where they connect to the motor and clean the terminals and posts. Corrosion can and will build up over the years causing

[bbarthelt]

It's definitely not corrosion on the terminals. They are pristine, connections are verified tight.

What else besides the starter, relay, neutral switch should be checked?

[yam911]

There is a brown wire that runs from the starter motor relay to what Yamaha calls the starter motor magnet switch.

Jumper a wire from the battery positive terminal to the brown wire terminal on the starter motor.

Does the starter motor now crank the motor each and every time the magnet switch is provided with battery power?

[bbarthelt]

Thanks Yam911. Am I correct in assuming that the very instant the jump wire touches that terminal it's going to try and turn over?

[yam911]

Yes.

Be careful of rotating parts.

[bbarthelt]

Thanks so much. I'll have to get this out and on the muffs, or in the water. Assuming this test has it starting every time : does that steer suspicion to the relay?

[yam911]

It won't start with the ignition key in the off position. Pull the kill switch lanyard just to make sure.

Yes, if the magnet switch works every time then we will proceed to test the starter relay.

[bbarthelt]

After a crazy work week I finally had a moment to this test. it does seem to try and turn over every single time I make contact. So I think it's time to move on to testing the relay?

[bbarthelt]

OK, i'll ask more directly. Does anyone know how I go about testing the relay?

And another symptom. I was out on the water yesterday. Just once (one out of a couple dozen starts) it struggled to turn over for a split second but then did turn over. It kind of acted like a battery issue. I had my volt meter with me. I was getting 13.7 of the starting battery with the motor running. 12.4 when it wasn't.

[rid 05 198]

12.4 sounds a little weak for being out running around.

[MCIPinkie]

Get you a new battery. You know, I know, we all know.

Get rid of the PP charge.

[bbarthelt]

Sorry, that was a typo, it was 12.7. This is why I hate typing on my phone. Fat fingers, little keyboard. I haven't charged them yet since being out for a full day on the water. They're showing 12.59 right now. I've got a viking battery tester and just tested for CCA and voltage with it. It reports 1555 CCA (this is two 31AGMs in parallel, each 1150 CCA). Tested for amp hours and it reported 220ah. That device also shows 12.59 for voltage. I understand why you suspect the PPC, but I don't think that's the issue in this case. I definitely had issues with the PPC when I had 3 trolling motor batteries in series (it wasn't charging the middle one). My current setup is two Impulse Lithium 36v. Since I can check those via the BMS bluetooth feature, I know those are getting a full charge each time.

So back to the previous question: how does one test the starter relay or other starter related components? I did the previous test yam911 recommended and as far as I can tell, that test passes.

[Rick H]

I don't know what style starter relay is on your SHO.

But if its like 95% of most starter relays they can a do wear with age just the facts. So its a 2010 model year motor and its working on 2025.

That being said if it was me I would just replace it due to my experience as long as the cost isn't staggering. But if you do lots and lots of voltage drop tests on it you may find its failure point. You may find 1 test out of 30 to be out of spec maybe less or more. When you hit that key there is a boat load of amps going through that relay that arc on the connections. The starter relay is the prime connection from the battery to the starter.

[yam911]

Do you have the Yamaha service manual for your model and year motor?

[bbarthelt]

Yes, I do. But I guess I assumed this is a level of detail beyond what would be in there. <edited to remove my original whiny reply>.

[yam911]

Starter relay test per your service manual.

[yam911]

Section from your service manual that depicts the starter motor control and power circuit.