'98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

[sixstring531]

Hello fellow boaters -- question here. Was going to buy a boat (98 Tracker Pro Team 185 with Merc 90hp outboard - carbs) and we could not get the starter to engage. It would spin in its seat, but not push up to turn the motor. The starting battery, which was new in Nov, 2011 - the last time the boat was run by his mechanic, reads full of juice when we put the chargers on it.

Needless to say, I did not buy the boat (but it is still available) Everything looks clean, low hours (engine looks new and untouched) and we did get it pull started because I had to see if it ran.

My main questions:
1. Is it the starter? (we did the ole taparooski on it - nothing)
2. Is it the battery cables?
3. Is it the wrong size battery - ie, not enough juice to properly function the starter?

This is the only thing keeping me from buying this boat as it is already at the ceiling of my budget.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[MercMan82]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

Put a little motor oil on the Bendix. Prob just needs some lube. If not that, check the cables and connections.

Ps. If the motor runs, a starter shouldn't be a deal breaker. They're not that much.

 

[sixstring531]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

Bedix? That'd be the shaft at the top? Put motor oil on it, you say?

 

[MercMan82]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

The Bendix is the piece with the teeth that rotates upward and engages the flywheel. Just a little oil, no matter what kind, should do the job.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

The threaded shaft of the starter and the drive should be clean and dry, grease and oils tend to collect dirt and over a period of time cause more problems.

Dry lubes are acceptable.

Battery cable connections are most important, all must be clean bright and tight, including the solenoid to starter cable AND the starter mount, which is often the ground connection.

An aging connection will not carry the large current necessary for the starter to snap to full speed in an instant, which is necessary for the drive to work correctly.

As the starter motor ages, brush connections dirty requiring the commutator to be cleaned.

Lastly, grab your trustly jumper cables, connect one end directly to the battery and jump directly to the starter motor, if the starter now turn normally then you KNOW there is a poor connection.

 

[sixstring531]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

which terminal on the battery and where on the starter? There are several connections on it.

 

[MercMan82]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

The threaded shaft of the starter and the drive should be clean and dry, grease and oils tend to collect dirt and over a period of time cause more problems.

Any lube is better than no lube and they all collect dirt.

 

[sixstring531]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

http://www.smalloutboards.com/m9096.htm

Here is the exact model (minus decal colors) - so would I attach the grounded battery jumper to the larger outside lug in the pic showing the starter?

 

[MercMan82]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

The lower bolt is the positive, the top is ground. Attach the positive to the bottom and the neg to the top.

 

[sixstring531]

Re: '98 90HP Merc, Starter spinning, not engaging - starter, battery, cables?

Well, bought a different boat. I found the same boat, one year newer with a Merc 75 (I prefer the smaller outboard) and it ran great - so I bought it. Had the seller actually tried to start the thing before someone buying it (and fixed it) he would have sold his boat.