93' GLET 175 Faststrike, starter not engaging flywheel

[cityjack]

Afternoon all,

Its been two years since the motor has run. It started and ran great last time I had it out. The problem was my regulator/rectifier went bad. I just recently replaced the regulator/rectifier with a brand new CDI unit. Rebuilt all six carbs. New fuel filter, primer bulb, and fuel lines to and from the bulb.

I put the two original batteries back in(purchased 2008) and tried to start. The only thing that happens is the starter spins. No engagement with the flywheel at all. These two original batteries sat in ice for at least a month before I rescued them out of the battery well. The other two batteries that I had on board were under the dash for the trolling motor. All four are Interstate. Over the last 1 1/2 years I have been charging them on and off. When charged they will show 13 and change(surface charge). With the voltmeter on any of the batteries you can watch the charge drop by a tenth of a volt while on the bench. Any combination of the batteries will work the trim motor ok. All the way and down. I thought maybe my solenoid got hung up. So I jumped it directly across. Starter motor just spins. And not hugely fast.

I have a little battery tester for electrolyte. Not sure of its accurate. How can I be sure its my batteries thats a problem? Other than to spend 200 for two new batteries. I have a jumper box that sometimes I hit the cars with. Charge/start box. Can I use that or should I not?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Sid

 

[boobie]

Take all the batteries into a parts house and have them load tested. Only way to go.

 

[cityjack]

Thank you sir. Any preference of Interstate over Deka?

 

[boobie]

Down here in FL we use a lot of Interstate.

 

[cityjack]

Another question if I may sir. My boat has two plastics trays in the battery well for two batteries. The main switch has selection positions for 1 both or 2. It is a 175hp V6. Why do I need two batteries? Can I get just one and run it on positon 2?

Thanks

Sid

 

[boobie]

If that one battery is for the motor only you can do it. But it's always nice to have a back up incase one fails. It's your option.

 

[cityjack]

Well the battery store gave me two loaner fully charged and tested good batteries. Still the starter just spins but the bendix gear will not come out and engage the flywheel. Whats next, remove the starter and see whats up with the bendix gear? Maybe its just stuck for me not starting the boat for over a year and a half. Any suggestions please? It looks alot easier to remove the starter than to remove the flywheel cover to get to the bendix.

Thanks

Sid

 

[boobie]

Before you get at the bendix, check ALL your battery cable connections on the batteries and the motor. Also bend the battery cables to make sure they are not hard and have corrosion inside.

 

[cityjack]

Well sir, after bending and messing with all battery connections as you suggested and still no bendix engagement, I decided to remove the starter. To my surprise, the bendix is not part of the starter like a cars starter. Its up inside the flywheel cover. The starter spins fine and fast. I tried to mess with the part(bushing?) whatever it is that is below the gear that engages the flywheel with my finger. I could not push it up very far with my finger. It does move independently of the gear that the starter engages though. I can feel the spring that is above the bendix gear also. I just cannot get in there very well to see whats stuck or corroded or whats going on in there. I sprayed a small amount of PB Blaster onto the bendix gear shaft and tried messing with it with one finger the best I could to maybe free something up. I let it sit for a bit, then did it again. i then put some grease on the shaft and reassembled the starter. Tightened everything down, still nothing. Starter spins but will not engage the flywheel.
I started to read what all is involved in the service manual to remove the flywheel cover. They talk about a "piston stop" tool. A new timing wheel screw will be needed as well as some OMC locuic primer and OMC HT400 back to the new bolt once you put it back together. i do not have a piston stop tool. I am afraid I'll mess something up with the timing if I remove the cover and the linkage to get to the bendix. How hard is it to remove the cover and timing stuff and reassemble properly? I do not want to have to take this to a shop when I can do this stuff on my car all day long. If its easy and not bad I'll do it. I just don't want to make turn a 5 dollar problem into a 500 dollar problem.

Thanks guys

Sid

 

[boobie]

This will be a real dumb question and don't take offense, but is the battery installed correctly ??

 

[cityjack]

You know sir, I began to think the same thing. I have two batteries installed in parallel. Negatives tied together and the positives going to the 3 position switch. i was going to tomorrow pull a battery and stick it right to the starter solenoid. Negative of the battery right to ground. Positive right to the starter side of the solenoid and see what I get. then I 'll know. Can I do that do you think?

Sid

 

[cityjack]

Sir Boobie, if you were closer I'd give you a fat ole sloppy kiss. On the forehead of course. You calling me out with the battery hookup yesterday stirred some thought on my part. Yes I know, imagine that at this stage of the game.
I thought to myself last night while in the bathtub. I do my best thinking in there and on the lawnmower. I hook both the negatives together with a short large gauge cable tighten those. Hook the fuel tank pick up to the negative also. Hook up another fused red and black wire that I believe helps the trim motor. Tighten those. Lastly hook hoop each of the large gauge reds that go back to the 3 position power switch. Did it like 20 times this way since I took it down a year and a half ago. I then thought to myself how are any of these batteries' negatives getting back to ground. There was no large gauge black tying either battery back to ground. There must certainly be another black large gauge wire.
Just went out there in my pjs. Uncovered the boat and pulled back the battery cover. Fished down in there and there it was. I must have tucked it back in there a bit to far a year and a half ago. It was green and corroded of course. Cleaned it up. Hook it up. I now have a motor that turns over.

Once again, I was the problem. I cannot thank you enough for calling out my stupidity, but even more........................to stop me before I went into the flywheel cover and bendix sir.

I owe you a biscuit and a cup of coffee at least sir.

Have a great day.

Sid

 

[boobie]

Glad you found it ! I drink Miller Lite. :joyous: