Evinrude 175 HP Starter Gear Problem

[cionjay]

1994 V6 60 Deg. Evinrude 175 Hp.

The starter drive gear seems to spin free. this turns the driven gear that spins the pinion worm shaft and in turn should make the drive pinion assembly ride up the pinion worm shaft and engage the fly wheel.
my problem is that the drive pinion assembly just spins and will not ride up the shaft to engage the fly wheel. I've taken the assembly out and checked the moving parts and they seem to work ok in my hand and I also checked it against the shop manual drawing and everything seems to be there and working. but when i put it through the test with ignition switch every thing just spins without engaging.
I was wondering if anyone has any idea what can be causing this to happen. and if so what can i do to fix it.
I included 2 pics.
Thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Evinrude 175 HP Starter Gear Problem

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad

 

[cionjay]

Re: Evinrude 175 HP Starter Gear Problem

Checked the battery voltage at the starter and it was 12.67 VDC. I lubed the bendix gear with wd-40 and it spins up shaft with the touch of my finger. I checked the connections on the battery and solenoid/starter and they are clean with no corrotion at all. I also byepassed the solenoid to start and got the same results. How fast does the starter need to spin in order to make the bendix ride up the shaft?

 

[petryshyn]

Re: Evinrude 175 HP Starter Gear Problem

did you have the batteries cables off and switch them by accident?

stripped splines in the drive assembly can also occur.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Evinrude 175 HP Starter Gear Problem

"12.67 VDC" you have enough volts, but do you have enough AMPS. i do not know the rpms, the starter has to turn, but it is a bunch. it has to turn the flywheel +- 300 rpms for the motor to start.

 

[pdrayton]

Re: Evinrude 175 HP Starter Gear Problem

I have the same issue with a 90HP evinrude.

Any luck finding the problem?

I'm suspecting my battery. Like they said - amps is the issue. If you put a load on the battery and the voltage drops big time, I think below 10v with the starter turning the motor, then the battery is bad.

You can manually place the starter gear into the flywheel (then remove hands) and then crank it to test the voltage drop, and see how fast the starter turns the motor.