1988 Saltare starting issue

Advise needed.

I was out on the lake this weekend and the water got filled up near the transmition. The next morning I attempted to start but the boat wouldn't turn over. All the water was drained out and everything was dry but no luck even turning over. I did however find that 2 yellow and red wires were just hanging down near the transmutation as well as a white wire. I touched the white wire to the starter and the boat fired right up. I'm guessing my problem has to do with the fuse but I was to make sure everything is connected properly. I started the boat by just turning the key to the on position but not clicking it to roll over, just by touching the white wire.

Get out your multimeter. If you have +12v to the ignition switch constant hot terminal you're golden for both start and run from the switch. Check voltage at the stsarter solenoid actuating (usually labeled S) terminal with the key in the start position. If so, problem is the starter or solenoid, which is unlikely since you can start it by jumping the solenoid. Check continuitiy from the start terminal of the switch to the start terminal on the starter solenoid, you likely have no continuity. If that is the case, repair the connection at whichever end is broken or replace the wire. Could also be dirty or corroded at one end.

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Originally Posted by cadunkle

Get out your multimeter. If you have +12v to the ignition switch constant hot terminal you're golden for both start and run from the switch. Check voltage at the stsarter solenoid actuating (usually labeled S) terminal with the key in the start position. If so, problem is the starter or solenoid, which is unlikely since you can start it by jumping the solenoid. Check continuitiy from the start terminal of the switch to the start terminal on the starter solenoid, you likely have no continuity. If that is the case, repair the connection at whichever end is broken or replace the wire. Could also be dirty or corroded at one end.

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Attachment 18291Attachment 18292

can someone explain what these wires area and where they belong? If I touch the white wire on the starter it powers the starter and rolls the engine over.

You should have a wire in that vicinity (or closer to the coil) that is hot in run and start positions, that goes to your coil. Another will be hot only in the start position, that goes to the small terminal on the starter solenoid (smaller cylinder on the starter). You'll also have a large cable around 1/0 or 2/0 maybe to the starter, I think mine is 2/0. I can try to get you a picture on the wires at the starter on my PCM 454, probably Friday.

Also, interesting driveshaft isolator. Wonder what the story behind that is, I'd guess to allow minor misalignment. It's not factory.

I forgot the picture, but I did look at mine yesterday. The white wire goes to the starter solenoid to energize it, thus it should only be hot with the key in the start position. If your white wire is hot all the time you have a short.

There are two yellow (with red stripe?) wires in that vicinity as well, those two go down to the neutral safety switch on the transmission. You can connect those two to eliminate the neutral safety switch as a potential problem, or just check continuity of the switch. I'd imagine it should have continuity in neutral and not in forward or reverse.