Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

[displaced47]

hi there,

I had the motor running and it seemed fine - never heard the starter miss a beat - tried to start it today and it just clicks and makes a strange electrical sound... when I took off the cowling and tried to kick it over the starter did not appear to spin.

I figure the starter needs rebuild or replace but is there anything else that could be causing this problem that I could/should try first?

the connections appear clean and the battery has lots of charge - I am NOT an electrical or mechanical whiz but I'm game

Any links to starter repair/rebuild guides would be helpful or any kind of troubleshooting sequence.

It is a 1983 motor, blue band, made in the US but I am in Australia.

thanks in advance

Gen

 

[kazek]

Re: Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

hello.if you havent inspected wires condition..do it.try jumping starter with battery cables directly.see what happens.if no responce then turn starter by hand(power off!!!!)and try again.the reason for that is that armature might be rusted in spot and prevent "juice"flow.hth

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

Probably 5 reasons for starter failure to turn:

1. Open wire inside starter including brushes worn out
2. Starter solenoid not able to conduct current adequately
3. Dirty contacts, not outside, but inside where metal touches metal. This is all contacts including the lead to lead terminal contact on 24 and 27 series batteries. It includes the black wire from the starter case to the engine block...all connections associated with the starting current path.
4. Low battery voltage
5. Power not getting to starter solenoid control winding to energize it.

You have some of the bases already covered. Kazek covered some too. If you do as he said and put your jumper wires directly on the starter studs, expect a spark, and if the starter spins, you have some of the other problems I mentioned, some of which you and he addressed. Don't expect the jumper wires to spin the starter fast enough to start the engine. If they do fine, but if they spin the starter but not fast enough to start you have accomplished the goal. If the starter doesn't respond at all to the jumpers it needs to be replaced.

Why don't you do the jumper cable test and get back on here with the results. If it did move, we can direct you from there and help you work through the probable causes I listed.

Mark

 

[displaced47]

Re: Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

Thanks Mark and Kazek - I will do as you recommend and report back!

cheers
Gen

 

[displaced47]

Re: Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

hey guys - well I had to wait for yesterday to get some jump leads (I had a good set when I lived in the US but I'm rebuilding my tool kit here) and attacked it today. I ended up pulling it apart and rebuilding it and you can see the whole saga on this video! It kicks like a mule now!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p21M4A8JyVk&feature=plcp

thanks for the help

Gen

 

[kazek]

Re: Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

good job.

 

[ShowMeGuy]

Re: Merc 50 hp ignition problems - starter?

hey guys - well I had to wait for yesterday to get some jump leads (I had a good set when I lived in the US but I'm rebuilding my tool kit here) and attacked it today. I ended up pulling it apart and rebuilding it and you can see the whole saga on this video! It kicks like a mule now!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p21M4A8JyVk&feature=plcp

thanks for the help

Gen

Awesome! Love any zero cost fixes!