Starter won't quit spinning

[curlybill]

motor is a 90hp SPL Johnson, when I took the boat out today it started right up but I could hear the starter still spinning, the only way to get it to quit was turn the key off or put the motor in forward or reverse. If the motor died while in forward or reverse as soon as you put it in neutral it starts cranking by itself Anybody had this happen before?

 

[ftl900]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

As a relative novice here, it sounds to me like the bendix is stuck. Centrifugal force of the engine going faster than the starter causes the bendix to disengage the starter as soon as the engine starts up. If it's gooped up or rusted, it can't let go.

Kind of the big picture. I'm sure someone will be along any moment now with a better explanation.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

That happened to me last weekend, tapped the solenoid and it quit.

Follow the positive cable from the starter to a black round thing on the back of the engine, it has 2 large post, one top one bottom,, that is the solenoid, lightly tap it and it may disengage.

Mine was caused by a low battery, checked it several times with a good battery and it works fine now, just make sure it starts disengaging before you run the motor, anything above idle rpm will smoke your starter.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

bad ignitition switch,

 

[curlybill]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

Hmm those are completly diffrent answers although I don't the bendix would is the cause and if it were the solenoid I beleive it would stay running even with the key off, i'm leaning towards the switch....

 

[bktheking]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

Sounds correct, the key is that you say it stops while shifting into forward or reverse which would tie directly into an interlock back to the switch. Disconnect the small terminal wire going to the solenoid and put a testlight on it, the test light clamp on an engine ground. If it lights up with the key in the off position the ignition switch isn't doing it's job.

 

[curlybill]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

Ok problem solved, the switch tested good and so did the solenoid, problem=battery not fully charged or had a bad cell, changed batteries and problem went away, switched back to old battery problem came back, switched batteries problem solved!

 

[bktheking]

Re: Starter won't quit spinning

5150 wins the Christmas Turkey, glad you solved it