PROSTAR 197 WONT START

[bananaron]

Have battery for everything however no power to the starter.I think having a problem with the lanyard or the kill switch.Can I bypass that kill switch?? I never use the darn thing and don't know of anyone that does....

[UWSkier]

If your kill switch is bad the engine will crank just fine. It just won't fire. Start with the key switch start position post. If it's not the key switch, check relay, solenoid, and starter motor.

 

Another thing you can check is the battery terminals. On my dad's Malibu one time, the battery terminals seemed tight and good to go but the starter wouldn't engage. Gauges would light up at key on and voltage said 12v. Cinching down the battery cable clamps a half turn fixed that issue.

[BraceMaker]

Can bypass, should replace asap if that corrects issue.

[igkya]

@BraceMaker Why replace ASAP, especially if it's not being used?

[BraceMaker]

Few things.

 

People sell boats all the time and its part of the factory equipment. On my first boat I kept stalling in the middle of the lake, and when I pushed in on the button it would start. So I thought I'd replace it. Which when I pulled the dash apart it was bypassed (poorly) and when pushed inwards the panel flexed and the boat would run.

Not something you'd want to find out in an emergency - not sure what the liability would be if I had that clipped on and got tossed and the boat ran people over. Might have been tough to figure out who bypassed it unless they were an active forum member...

 

On our public lakes the Sheriff performs random safety inspections, but they're less random if you're at the boat launch and they're standing around. As part of their checks they will pull the lanyards for function, check your fire extinguisher, check that there is a spark arrestor, and that you have legal floatation aids for your crew.

 

I've only used mine twice on purpose. Once was when a nephew was in the boat while we got it ready for the summer and he started it on the trailer - easy to reach the throttle and lanyard over the window - not so easy to get to the key. And the other one my ignition switch failed and wouldn't turn off.

 

 

Anyhow people can do what they want but I think if you bypass you should remove completely to ensure no one makes any mistakes. And if you don't replace it now... you probably won't ever.

 

 

 

 

 

[eleeski]

@Than_Bogan had an interesting comment about asteroid impact risk. Getting thrown from a ski boat and being saved by the kill switch is probably less likely than being extincted by an asteroid. And there are a lot more ways to get sued out of everything than disconnecting your kill switch.

 

To be sure, kill switches have their place. PWCs, whitewater river boats, stand up consoles and boats facing extreme water conditions need reliable kill switches and deployed lanyards. But one size fits all rules make for problems (like ski boat kill switches that prevent starting when they fail).

 

@BraceMaker is right, replace your kill switch immediately when it fails. I've seen too many taped together splices which work well for the day but fail a while later. The stock kill switches are well engineered parts that have reasonable lifespans and should be far more reliable than the weekend splice. Make sure you do a quality repair - so the engine runs reliably when you need it.

 

Eric

[BraceMaker]

@eleeski that girl in Indiana is the proof of why we should use them.

 

For ski boats it should have been designed more like a lawn tractor, seat empty will run in neutral. If you go in gear the seat switch needs to be closed or the engine dies.

 

Can have a bypass in the form of a button on the throttle such that you could go in and out of gear while standing so long as you returned to neutral before you released the button.

 

Oh well.

[eleeski]

@BraceMaker I drove a tractor with a seat pressure switch. It was horrible. Simpler solution there, wear a seatbelt on your tractor. Safety equipment has to make sense.

 

Not sure what Indiana girl you are referring to. Since I've NEVER seen anyone actually use the kill switch lanyard while skiing in a ski boat, I haven't heard of a save from a lanyard while skiing. It's possible to operate a ski boat in conditions where the lanyard/kill switch would be needed (keep it in your boat!) but I'm not going skiing in those conditions.

 

Picking up a released trick rope with a lanyard on my wrist is ridiculous (and unsafe). Especially when I'm doing it 15 times in a set if we are working on something critical. Again, one size fits all rules do not work.

 

Sorry for the thread drift. Clean your battery terminals and check your kill switch. You might also check the ignition key - I had one fail in my old 04MC. Jumper directly to the starter solenoid to make sure your starter is good.

 

Eric