All I get is "click".

[noahnsteph]

I'm in the process of trying to bring a 1973 Mercury 650 back to life and have run into a new problem. While trying to figure out why I have no spark yesterday the starter suddenly seemed super sluggish during one turn of the ignition then after that all I get is a loud click from the starter solenoid. I initially figured I'd just tired out the factory charge on my newly bought battery but after charging overnight I get the same results.

Any thoughts as to where to start troubleshooting this new unexpected problem?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: All I get is "click".

Battery cable ends need to be shiny clean and tight. And that means both ends. It also means looking at them is not good enough. Disconnect, clean and reconnect tightly. If using wing nuts, pitch them and replace with stainless hex nuts.

 

[noahnsteph]

Re: All I get is "click".

Could it be that simple? Lets hope that it is. Like I mentioned I have a brand new battery and the motor was turning over strong while I did a compression check on all 3 cylinders and several more times while I started the trouble shooting for spark then it just decided it was done. I was able to get it to turn over slowly again last night after wiggling some wires but then back to click so hopefully it is just a bad connection at one end or the other of the battery cable.

 

[Jugfisher]

Re: All I get is "click".

ALso don't rule the possibility of a cell in that brand new battery going bad. After you have cleaned you points as good as possible test you battery. If you dont have a tester take a known good battery and put it in place of the new one and see if that helps.

 

[mtb1981]

Re: All I get is "click".

Dare I suggest that it might be the starter solenoid? You might be looking at a new starter, which is a pretty easy albeit moderately costly fix.

 

[noahnsteph]

Re: All I get is "click".

Is there a way to test the solenoid to see if it's bad? Like I said it was turning over nice and strong on 5 or 6 previous attempts then a very sluggish turn over then just the click.

 

[bigbenrusky]

Re: All I get is "click".

you could try jumping the silinoid and see if it will turn over again..

 

[noahnsteph]

Re: All I get is "click".

Sounds like my plan tonight is to clean the living heck out of all the cable ends and terminals, then try to jumper the solenoid if the cleaning doesn't work. I need to get this sorted out so I can go back to troubleshooting why I have no spark.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: All I get is "click".

Check the battery cables and quick disconnect for corrosion. If that motor has a disributor then it likely also needs +12V on the switchbox white wire and red wire to create spark.

I once found my battery cable had rotted out under the gunwale, under it's insulation.

 

[noahnsteph]

Re: All I get is "click".

Well I finally got a chance to work on the motor again and sure enough the starter is toast. I tore it down and cleaned the brushes as well as I could and got all the moving parts moving again and put it back on. I was able to crank over the engine a couple of times before the starter froze up again. Anyone know if a rebuild kit can be found before I drop a bundle on a new starter?

 

[Seascout3]

Re: All I get is "click".

Take your starter to a shop that rebuilds automotive starters and altenators and let them rebuild it. Costs a third of a new one