125 hp Force unusual occurrance

[erosenwinkel]

I have a 1985 125hp Force (1258x5a). Engine always turns over and starts within 30 seconds or so when cold or immediately when hot. Went to start it yesterday, turned over like usual but then acted as if I had a bad battery after 20 seconds or so. I switched over to a different, brand new, battery and got the same thing. I went and retrieved a 3rd battery that I knew was good and once again the same thing. Acted as if the compression was so high it wouldn't turn over. Pulled the plugs and cleaned them off a little, put them back in. Still had trouble turning over. Waited 20 minutes and it started immediately. All done in the drive with a hose. Compression is good 135 ish on all 4 cyls. Starter seems to be very strong prior to this. I could turn the flywheel by hand and it didn't seem any differeent from previous. When it tried to start it wasn't completely dead, it tried to start at slow rate. Could I have a poor ground? I am pretty confident the starter is good. I know I had 3 good batteries, for sure I had two very good batteries. Tried to ground jumper cable to motor and hot to positive terminal on starter and still acted as if I had a dead battery. Then 20 minutes later, boom, off I go. Went out all day, started the motor 15 or so times without a problem. Thanks, Eric

 

[foodfisher]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

Elecs. aren't my strong point but no response gets my guess. You've got a loose or corroded connection. Clean them all. The starter grounds through where it mounts to motor. Could be corroded there.

 

[brianvolt7]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

I presume that you have thoroughly cleaned every connection of your starting circuit. With this in mind, I would recommend you check your neutral interlock switch connections to be sure they are tight and clean. If they are tight then jumper out the switch and try again.

Post what happens.

 

[erosenwinkel]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

Could I get the starter to engage and do its starter thing at all without a good connection? When I turn the key the starter does its thing, it has never just sat there and been dead. Eric

 

[erosenwinkel]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

I guess my question should be . . . Is it possible to have a "20%" good ground that only allows a certain amount of voltage to get to the starter? This question goes for trailer lighting, and all the other ground issues I have had in the past. Is there such a thing as a weak ground that only allows partial power or is a ground a ground? All or nothing OR it can be partial? Eric

 

[foodfisher]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

All I know is that bad/corroded grounding can cause many mysterious elec. probs. So I always check there 1st.

 

[Jiggz]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

There's a sure way to find out it you have a good ground or not. With an ohmmeter the reading should be less than1 ohm. That is the reading between a ground wire and the ground or chassis itself. In your case, it could be a faulty solenoid or it could be a faulty starter. Troubleshoot by isolating. Using jumper wires, connect the starter directly to the batter terminals. If the starter is still slow on turning over, then it's obviously the starter that is faulty assuming the battery is good. If the start is good, then jump the solenoid directly to the batter. If the starter turns over properly, it could be the solenoid at fault.

 

[86-vip]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

sounds like your starter brushes are worn down to far---they get hot and wont let starter rotate when they cool of it will turn over ?

 

[yfz450guy]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

starter! buy a good quality one and buy another for a spare. replaced 3 in one year.

 

[brianvolt7]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

The easiest way to eliminate the starter as an issue would be to take it to a starter/alternator shop and have it checked. If you get full cranking sometimes and not others, it appears like your connections are clean just need to confirm none are loose.

If the starter tests good then and your system connections are tight and clean and ? the time it cranks normal and ? of the time it doesn?t then it could be your solenoid going out, neutral interlock switch failing or not adjusted or your key switch could have a loose connection or is going out.

Take them one at a time and bypass each one separately until you discover which one is causing the problem.

 

[bentle]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

I think that starters on a force outboard get cranked over and over so dang much that it only makes sense to have them stop working properly over time. Cranking for long periods at a time will destroy any starter and pretty fast if its getting really hot and not allowed to cool down. If after cleaning and tightening all connections including starter and the battery is fully charged it still cranks slow and gets hot then save yourself the headaches and buy a new starter. Remember though you get what you pay for.

 

[Jiggz]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

After you jumpered it straight to the battery and the starter was still acting slow, then obviously the starter has faults albeit intermittent. This could be a bad spot on the commutator or the brushes are worn out or maybe even worn out bushings or bearings. Disassemble and clean with de-greaser. And then test again. If the problem persists, you need a starter replacement.

 

[erosenwinkel]

Re: 125 hp Force unusual occurrance

By now I should know better to ask " is it possible? " . . . but . . . is it possible for the starter to very slowly turn the flywheel (about as fast as one would screw a lid on a jar) while jumping to the battery, then walk away for 20 minutes and have it fire up like nothing is going on. And then, for the following 10 starts or so have no trouble either. I understand that I can have a bad spot in the starter but once it is turning the bad spot would rotate away wouldn't it? That is why I tend to think more that it is a poor ground. But, I am a novice mechanic at best. I am starting to think it would be a great idea to have a trolling motor stashed somewhere in the boat to get me back to the dock in an emergency. Eric
P.S. Batteries are good, just sayin.