Occasional Issue Starting Motors

[jrtracker203]

I have a 2001 Maxum that is powered with twin 6BAT5.9 – M3 diesels. The problem is that they will not always turn over & start. The symptoms are that you turn the key and sometimes you get nothing. If you keep turning the key off & on they will eventually crank and start. Another example that sometime occurs is that one of them will turnover & start immediately. If I turn it off after about 15 seconds and try starting it again …it doesn’t crank. Any ideas as to what may be wrong?? Thanks

Topic

[Rob Schepis]

In Tony’s first pic the two mag switches to the right are for the grid heaters. Same as the starter mag switches so you can disable the grid system and use those as spares , permanently or for troubleshooting….assuming they are good.

[Tony Athens]

To add to Clark’s post.. Pics and diagrams attached……………These may help to.. It just takes ONE bad wire connection ( rust, etc) to cause the symptom you are describing.. Tanks every wire off, clean and lube with a petroleum based di-electric and / or white lithium grease, re-installed

[Clark Leighs]

THere should be three relays on the side of the engine near the starter. One of them is the intermediate relay between the key switch and the starter mounted solenoid. They fail sometimes so most likely you simply need to replace it.
The key sw. cannot handle the current the starter mounted solenoid draws thus the relay. or the key sw. would have a very short life.

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Tony Athens

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