Carver Owners Forum

Howdy!
I'm having a strange problem with my port engine that I'm hoping I can get some help with. When I turn the key to the "run" position, the starter runs and the engine will start without ever turning the key to the "start" position. I can't really tell if the starter stays engaged once the engine starts, but I think that it disengages.
Does this sound like the starter solenoid is stuck in the "on" position? Why doesn't the starter run even with the key in the "off" position like it would in a car? is there something else that cuts the power to the starter when the key is "off"?

Any help with this will be very much appreciated.

I'd be checking the ignition switch first. Turn the battery of and with your vom on ohms, see which circuits are completed on the back of the switch as you turn the key.

Ignition switches seem ok. I get the same result using the inside or fly-bridge helm. I unhooked the wires from the fly-bridge ignition switch and got the same result from the inside ignition switch. I have not tried the converse.

The two circuits (start/run) should be isolated. The starter only engages when the start circuit is activated which is only one side of the ignition switch. The common piece of hardware where the start and run circuits are controlled is the ignition switch. If the starter remains engaged in the run position, either the run and start side of the switch is shorted, or you have a mechanical issue with the starter. If there's a short, you'll burn out your starter in short order (common problem). Like Fred said, I'd take a closer look at the ignition switches. "....seem ok" doesn't rule anything out. You need to get a meter on them. Other than that, it's possible for the two circuits to be shorted somewhere in the harness, again, a meter is your best friend here and eliminates the guessing.

Does the engine shut off okay?

When the key is in the run position, the only thing that should be hot is the power to the coil and the distributor as far as engine starting goes. Have you have 12 volt electrical work done lately? Since you have dual helms, and u state it does the same thing at either helm, your issue is somewhere down the line.

Does this system use 2 solenoids? One remote and the other part of the starter. If so, has someone installed a new remote solenoid and possibly wired it incorrectly?

You probably have a slave solenoid on the engine too but would have to confirm for your model. It would only get activated in the "start" position. The start circuit wiring should be the only control wires going to that location.

abcoker, Have you found the the problem to this starting issue? I am having the exact same issue with my 390CPMY. I work on electronics but this is stumping me. My starboard engine starts when I turn either station ignition switch to "Run". I confirmed that the slave solenoid is getting 10 volts to the control side of the relay even with the start wires disconnected at both switches. This is telling me something is shorting from the "run" hot side to the "start" hot to the solenoid. with both switches "start" hot disconnected. Neither "start" side hot wire rings (continuity) to the solenoid wire.. telling me there must be another control relay perhaps? I found a wiring schematic in the 454 manuals that show how the engines are wired but they don't take the dual station into consideration. There has been no new wiring recently. I have the 390 CPMY manual but I can not find a engine starting diagram. If I had all of the wiring diagrams I know I could figure this out. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Did you solve the problem?