60hp Mercury Starter Problem

[kevin.weir@sympatico.ca]

Does anyone have any ideas. I have a 60hp Mercury and when I try to start the motor the starter gear goes up to the top and trys to turn the engine over. The gear then falls back down and continues to spin. If I turn the ignition off and on again it does the same thing.<br /><br />Should I remove the starter and take it to a Starter repair shop? Or could there be another problem that a marine repair shop should or would be better choise for this repair.<br /><br />Thank for any assistance

 

[12Footer]

Re: 60hp Mercury Starter Problem

Greetings, Kevin.<br />Check the teeth on the flywheel and the starter gear,to make sure they aren't rounded-off. A good cleaning, using WD40 on the worm gear's shaft will do alot to allow the starter gear to engage the flywheel in quicker order. The quicker, the better,as the grinding noise will eventually become perminent.<br />By the way, this is very common on marine engines,due to the environment they operate in.<br />So keep this worm gear clean and lightly oiled.

 

[kevin.weir@sympatico.ca]

Re: 60hp Mercury Starter Problem

Thanks 12footer<br /><br />I have already lube the gear with Wd40. I have also checked the battery and it is providing lots of voltage. I then removed the plugs and tried starting. And I still have the same trouble.<br />The gear starts turning the fly wheel the drops immediately.<br /><br />Is there anything else I can try.<br /><br />Thanks again<br /><br />Kevin S.

 

[petryshyn]

Re: 60hp Mercury Starter Problem

did you check the voltage at the starter while cranking? You must check it at the starter WHILE CRANKING.... If its less than 10V, check battery, wiring and connections....if its 10V or higher, remove and inspect starter

 

[Kenny Bush]

Re: 60hp Mercury Starter Problem

Kevin, if you are turning the motor over with no plugs, it is probably spinning so fast it disengages the bendix. Put the plugs back in and try. I would get a remote starter button so that I could make sure that starter bendix gear is sliding cleanly onto the flywheel teeth. Once engine begins trying to start, it overspins and sends bendix gear back down on the starter shaft. If motor is dead, starter should turn over and over while staying engaged with flywheel teeth. If motor pops or fires, it will overspin and disconnect bendix gear. Check out and update..........<br />Good luck..

 

[kenroughty]

Re: 60hp Mercury Starter Problem

I am having the SAME problem. Mine is an '84 and starter engages and turns for 1-2 sec, then drops down and keeps turning freely. I've seen somewhere to check for a bad ground, but the starter turns fast, just won't stay engaged long enough to start the engine. All the teeth are good and have been cleaned and relubed. The motor will start after 5-8 times, then once warm, will start in less than a second. It's been like this for 2 years and is just a pain, but I would like to fix it if anyone has any other ideas.<br />Thanks,<br />Keith