on and off starting issues

[polardog]

I've got a 40 Horse 2 Stroke that has just started having starting issues. Sometimes it will start right away, others do nothing but wine. The battery is brand new and full charged.

If I manually try to start it, it starts very quickly and easily (using a rope). It seems as if the starter gear works it's way up and into position but does not have enough to spin the flywheel and start it(?).

Am I looking at the starter going bad or something else? I'm also not sure if this is related or not but the RPM gauge now only works sometimes as well.

Where do I start to trouble shoot this...??

 

[Laddies]

Re: on and off starting issues

The bendix gear needs a little oil on the shaft, if that don't work you need a new gear

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: on and off starting issues

REMOVE both the battery and engine ends of both battery cables and clean the connections. also the cable between the solenoid and starter. check for any nicks in the cables, they will corrode and deteriorate from the inside out.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: on and off starting issues

If, as you say, the bendix rises and actually engages the flywheel but doesn't turn the engine, or it turns slowly, you may indeed have a starter problem. but there are other things to check first. Remove and clean both ends of both battery cables and clean them thoroughly so they are shiny bright. Corrosion or loose connections won't let current reach the starter even if the battery is fully charged. If the problem still exists, connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive terminal of the battery. Touch the other end to the large terminal on the starter solenoid that feeds the starter. Be prepared for a spark as you make that connection and the engine will try to start. If the engine now spins freely you know the starter is good. This leaves the solenoid or its connections as the culprit. Connect a voltmeter to the large terminal you just jumpered on the solenoid. Connect the voltmeter ground lead to a solid ground. Now turn the key to START and measure the voltage. If the solenoid clicks but you have no voltage, or it's less than 11 volts, the solenoid is probably bad. If the starter does not spin freely using the jumper cable test, it's probably in need of rebuilding. But the likelyhood of that will depend on the year of the motor which you failed to indicated.

Now to your tach. An intermittent tach may be as simple as a loose connection but it can also be due to bad battery connections which you may have corrected during starter testing. It may also be due to a regulator/rectifier becoming intermittent which means the charging system is also intermittent which means the battery may be charging only intermittently. See how all of this may be related??

 

[fishdabayou]

Re: on and off starting issues

I had the same problem start on my 2002 125hp merc yesterday. The only way we could get the starter drive to engage the flywheel was to bump it with a screwdriver. that would free it for one turn of the key. then it would stick at the bottom of the shaft and only spin when you turned the key, would not run up the worm and engage. Took it apart today, looked good. greased it, put it back on and it does the same thing. It appears the gear jams at the bottom and doesnt climb the worm unless you bump it loose. Dont know if I need a new gear or just a thin copper or bakelite washer under it to keep it from sticking.