Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

[scuba4me]

I have a 40hp 2000 Mercury 2 stroke. Its manual pull start. The place for the starter is empty and the flywheel has teeth. Has anyone ever just added a starter and a push button to an outboard like this? Can I just add the starter and connect the battery cables up to it with the push button inline? I know I won't have any recharge functionality and I'm not concerned about that as the pull start will be my backup. Any harm in doing this.

Thanks for any help.

 

[daveswaves]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

I have a 40hp 2000 Mercury 2 stroke. Its manual pull start. The place for the starter is empty and the flywheel has teeth. Has anyone ever just added a starter and a push button to an outboard like this? Can I just add the starter and connect the battery cables up to it with the push button inline? I know I won't have any recharge functionality and I'm not concerned about that as the pull start will be my backup. Any harm in doing this.

Thanks for any help.

You will need to mount a solenoid as well to handle the current to the starter, a push button will not handle the current. The push button would engage the solenoid and the solenoid would engage the starter.

There is no harm in doing what you are thinking about, assuming you use the correct starter, solenoid and wiring to do the job. If not the wires will burn up when you push the button. Never a good thing

 

[scuba4me]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

Ok so it should work. I have the starter (used) so I guess I need a solenoid will any solenoid from an auto parts store work? I will look at my manual to see where it is supposed to go I figure I have the holes for the starter so the spot for the solenoid should be there somewhere as well. There are a lot of wires on the motor and it look like it has a Stator. If it has a Stator is all I have to do wire it correctly (via the manual) to charge the battery? Thanks for the quick help.

 

[daveswaves]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

Ok so it should work. I have the starter (used) so I guess I need a solenoid will any solenoid from an auto parts store work? I will look at my manual to see where it is supposed to go I figure I have the holes for the starter so the spot for the solenoid should be there somewhere as well. There are a lot of wires on the motor and it look like it has a Stator. If it has a Stator is all I have to do wire it correctly (via the manual) to charge the battery? Thanks for the quick help.

If your engine was available with electric start as an option the stator likely has the charging wires available, they will just be terminated on a terminal block or a connector. Your wiring diagram will show you. you will need a rectifier as well if you want to charge the battery.
Marine solenoids are wired differently, while it is electrically possible to use an automotive one, the marine version is preferable. If you go to NAPA they have the marine version as well.

 

[scuba4me]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

Thank you for the clarification and help Dave I?m going to get into it this weekend and see what I have. I think I see the stator wires hanging there. I will use the manual and see what parts it has or is missing. I got the motor used a year ago and it looks like there was a starter on it at one point by the way the holes for the starter look on the block, but the flywheel does not look worn at all so who knows. I?m having an issue with my shoulder so just having an electric start for part of the day on the water would be a big help at this point.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

You might want to think about rigging a neutral safety switch if your engine can start in gear. Some of the bigger motors have them some don't.

 

[scuba4me]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

You might want to think about rigging a neutral safety switch if your engine can start in gear. Some of the bigger motors have them some don't.

What happens if it starts while in gear is it bad?

 

[daveswaves]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

What happens if it starts while in gear is it bad?

Depends whether you are sitting down or standing up at the time, and how expensive the boat parked in front of you is........

 

[sschefer]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

What happens if it starts while in gear is it bad?

Doesn't hurt the engine at all as a mater of fact it's probably easier on the gear case. It's a safety thing. On a 40 you probably can't pull start it in gear but an electric starter will do it no problem. Like was said before it can cause some embarrising and often dangerous moments.

 

[scuba4me]

Re: Just add a starter and a push button to my 40hp?

Ok I got the parts used of eBay and got it working for a little under $30 for the parts and a little more for the wires and push button. I put a 20 amp fuse on the small positive wire that goes to the button in line with the Solenoid. My question now is should I have an inline fuse on the big positive cable that goes to the Solenoid? Seems this big red cable could cause some problems if it got grounded somehow. Should I put a fuse on the big cable close to the battery? And if so what size fuse does it need to be.

Thanks for all the help! So far the project only took a couple hours and is saving me lots of shoulder misery.