# Hard starting



## rickc (Nov 7, 2018)

Well I have had a problem with my 30 etec starting when it is cold like Temps in the 40's. It just wouldn't turn over.

I had replaced the group 24 battery with a small 23# battery to reduce weight. I killed it with the hard starting. Pulled it out and tested with a load tester after charging. Very weak with basically 10v showing on the tester.

So I replaced the small battery with an Odyssea 1200 with 550 cranking amps. I thought for sure that would solve the problem. While doing this I cleaned all the cable ends and checked for loose connections. When it was warm cranked right up. Thought problem solved. Next morning it just wouldn't turn over in 38 degree Temps. Oh no. Weak starter? Bad relay?

Off with the cowling. Watch why trying to crank. Bendex seemed to be sticking. Why not. Got out the corrosion block and sprayed down the bendex good. Hit the starter a few times and resprayed. Cranked right up. 

This morning 40 degrees. The real test. Spun right up and cranked like a top.

Moral of the story. Check the simple things.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Yep. I used to start my 50 Etec with a PC680. It would not turn it over on chilly mornings, otherwise it was good to go. a 1200 should have zero problems.


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Not to mention, a weak battery is hard on starters too.


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

I recently worked on two Etecs with random starting issues. Lucky to get half a crank rotation and starter would just quit. Drew current. But wouldn’t spin. OEM Evinrude battery cables corroded on both motors inside insulation. And both required new starters. Everything seemed fine but would not crank. Some days they would. New starters solved it.


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## NealXB2003 (Jun 8, 2020)

I'll echo the above. Sounds like time for a new starter. 

You can pull the old one apart. If magnets are loose, gluing them back may help temporarily. But starters are not all that expensive.


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## rickc (Nov 7, 2018)

I was afraid I had hurt the starter with the weak battery but since I slicked up the bendix she spins hard no matter how cold it is. We will see what the future holds.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I've run nothing but E-Tec 90's since 2005 (my current one is number four) and all in hard commercial service. From the very first my techs have told me that an E-Tec, by design needs a strong battery, properly charged... That said - you still have to get the juice from the battery to that starter (and in hard service the only "starter problem" I've ever had is a broken bolt on one starter that wouldn't allow it to mesh properly with the fly wheel (and us 21 miles from the ramp...). In short, once I'm certain the battery is fired up and ready (and you really need a load test to be sure of that...) if the motor isn't turning properly then after checking the solenoid and bendix the next checks I'd be doing is those battery cables, cable ends and battery terminals corrosion free and tight enough so that there's no "wiggle" in each battery connection - then the cable itself for ohms resistance to find out it they're up to the job. Remember that any salt corrosion at the end of a battery cable may well have traveled up inside the cable where it's not visible.... By the way one of my motors had over 2700 operating hours and still starting just fine when we removed it for a new motor... Can't speak to smaller motors -but the starters on all of my E-Tecs were trouble free -except as noted above... Now if only BRP hadn't quit making them...

Hope this helps - aren't boats fun?


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