isolator Starting problems

[Sailorjohn]

Hello

 

 

lookking for some advice, I started my boat today and for around 2 hours was all fine. I turned it off for an hour then decided I wanted to take her out. So restarted the engine after 30 mine I smelt burning and could see smoke coming from the starter and it was red hot. 
 

 

after I let it cool I had a tinker around with it & thought I’d start it to check everything was all okay.... my problem is that when I turned the Isolator switch on the engine started!  The engine  key wasn’t even turned on!  Can anyone explain to me what is wrong or why this happened? 

[ditchcrawler]

Sounds like the starter solenoid is jammed in and making contact

 

[Tracy D'arth]

7 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Sounds like the starter solenoid is jammed in and making contact

 

Either mechanically jammed in or the solenoid wire is shorted to the big stud on the starter that goes to the battery. I suspect the later.

You stop your engine with the battery isolator switch? surely not. So why was the isolator switch off when you were stopped?

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Either mechanically jammed in or the solenoid wire is shorted to the big stud on the starter that goes to the battery. I suspect the later.

You stop your engine with the battery isolator switch? surely not. So why was the isolator switch off when you were stopped?

 

Good way of killing the alternator.

[ditchcrawler]

5 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Either mechanically jammed in or the solenoid wire is shorted to the big stud on the starter that goes to the battery. I suspect the later.

You stop your engine with the battery isolator switch? surely not. So why was the isolator switch off when you were stopped?

Maybe the smoke they had coming from the starter had something to do with it. If the solenoid is jammed/shorted they will have to turn the isolator off or it will just keep cranking

[Sailorjohn]

1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Either mechanically jammed in or the solenoid wire is shorted to the big stud on the starter that goes to the battery. I suspect the later.

You stop your engine with the battery isolator switch? surely not. So why was the isolator switch off when you were stopped?

From what your saying that makes a lot of sense, I do think it’s to do with the solenoid.  I can’t imagine the starter getting jammed tho, Iv just had a new starter put on about 2-3 weeks ago.  No the engine started when I turned the isolator switch to turn the battery on so then I could start it like I normally do. the isolator switch didn’t stop the engine tho, I still had to turn it off by the stop handle. A current is definitely travelling through the solenoid to make it start like that. 

[Sailorjohn]

From what your saying that makes a lot of sense, I do think it’s to do with the solenoid.  I can’t imagine the starter getting jammed tho, Iv just had a new starter put on about 2-3 weeks ago.  No the engine started when I turned the isolator switch to turn the battery on so then I could start it like I normally do. the isolator switch didn’t stop the engine tho, I still had to turn it off by the stop handle. A current is definitely travelling through the solenoid to make it start like that. 

[Tracy D'arth]

Could be a short to battery +  anywhere. 

 

Even the "ignition" switch.  Or in the wiring loom, short to alternator B+ would do it.  I would suspect a short to a heavy cable to be able to pass enough current for the solenoid.

 

What is the engine?

 

Is there the infamous multiplugs on the engine wiring loom a la Beta?

[Bee]

I've had this on a lorry. New starter put on, started fine for a few times but then stuck. Contacts presumably welded themselves on so permanently engaged when engine running and impossible to turn engine off. No battery isolation switch so only way to stop engine was to smash the leads off of the smoking  starter with the jack handle. Frightening but better than a fire.