When we put the boat in the water after 6 months on the hard in Antigua the engine wouldn't start (fixed by removing and cleaning the bendix on the starter) and the stop solenoid wouldn't stop anything. Stop lever worked just fine. Is there any fix short of removing the solenoid? I'll test the switch for continuity. If that is good, should I tap the solenoid gently? Whack it? Unplug what looks like 2 connections and test them in some way? Thanks for any ideas.
Feel free to tap the solenoid gently. If this does not cure the problem... or your aggravation... proceed with diagnostics below.
The short answer is to first check the 11 pin plug at the engine for corrosion. If you have a deluxe panel, check the 11 pin plug at the panel also.
**The solenoid is energized by the stop button through the harness to stop the engine.**
The solenoid is connected to the harness by a two pin plug. There is one ground wire and one hot wire at the plug.
With the plug disconnected you can test the ground using an ohm meter or a test light. Check for continuity from the black wire to the engine block. If no ground is present check the ground stud at the port side of engine near the starter for corrosion.
With the plug disconnected you can test for power to the solenoid with a volt meter across the two pins.
With stop button pushed, if you have 12 volts at the plug then you have a bad solenoid.
With the stop button pushed and if you have no power at this plug check the 11 pin plug at the engine for dirty/corroded contacts. If you have the deluxe panel also check the 11 pin plug at the panel for the same.
If the 11 pin plug(s) are clean and making good connection and you still have no power to the solenoid then check for power at the stop button.
You should have 12 volts at the stop button terminal were the brown/white wire connects. With stop button pushed you should have 12 volts at the stop button terminal were the white /black wire connects.
If you have power to the stop switch and the switch will not pass current when pushed then you will need to replace the stop switch.
As always, Beta support is great! I'll address in the next couple of days. Just an aside, would it break Beta to show a picture of the starboard side of the engine?? Took me forever to find the thing. The pictures in the shop manual are indecipherable, and the drawings are clear, but don't include anything I recognized. But I found it eventually.
Whack it?
Unplug what looks like 2 connections and test them in some way? Thanks for any ideas.
