New starter causes solenoid to go bad?

[lp142]

2 months ago I replaced the solenoid on a 1979 Johnson 140HP, it was just clicking, it worked fine, then last week the starter went bad, I put in a new starter, it started tight up a couple of times without a problem. Yesterday, I turned the key and all it did was click, tried a few times same results, what could be the cause, the solenoid is barely 2 months old?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: New starter causes solenoid to go bad?

have the battery load tested at the auto parts store,(free). --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: New starter causes solenoid to go bad?

You didn't do enough diagnosing before replacing either the solenoid or starter. I suspect you have some bad connections. The following are potential sources of the problem:
1) Battery cables (both ends) -- disconnect, clean and tighten or replace.
2) Solenoid (small terminals) -- disconnect, clean and tighten.
3) Solenoid ground -- disconnect, clean and tighten.
4) Engine harness connector -- disconnect, inspect for corrosion, clean and reconnect.
5) Bad ignition switch.

As a final check before replacing things, connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive battery terminal. Touch the other end directly to the large terminal on the starter (or the large terminal on the solenoid that feeds the starter). If the starter spins, it's ok. If not, you got a bad starter or there is a bad ground. To verify a bad ground, connect the second jumper cable to the negative battery terminal and the other end to a good ground on the engine block. If the starter now spins, you have a bad ground.

To verify the solenoid, use a jumper wire to jump from the large terminal on the solenoid (the one from the battery) to the small terminal on the solenoid (the one from the ignition switch). If the solenoid does not click, or clicks but doesn't engergize the starter, the solenoid is bad. If it works normally, the start circuit in the harness or ignition switch is at fault.