Solenoid?? Starter??

[grover777]

Hi,<br /><br />Just got my rebuilt starter on my Johnson 1959 50hp Super Seahorse. Battery is charged. Before the starter went bad, the motor would crank. Now all it does is make a really bad popping sound coming from the electric/fuse box. I think it might be the solenoid, but i am not sure what that looks like. I took the cover off the electric box and isolated the noise to what I think is the solenoid.<br /><br />Could I have hooked the starter up wrong?? It only had one red wire on it and I hooked that up/<br /><br />Thanks!!<br /><br />Daron <br />Mahomet, IL

 

[gibletts]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Do the rest of the electrical gadgets function correctly? I had some un explained electrical failure after a repair, turned out to be some crud \ electrolysis building up on the battery leads while battery disconnect and out of boat.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Grover yours will look something like this. This one is on a 1964 so it doesn't have the voltage regulator in it but the solenoid is at the top of the box with the two big red wires and the two little ones. <br />

 

[ezeke]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

The solenoid is the cylinder at the top of the junction box. Positive battery cable connects to the large post on the right, Positive starter cable to large post on left. The two smaller posts are for the ignition switch.<br /><br />Gibletts is right, clean all of the terminals and make sure the battery cables are in good shape.<br /><br />Part number of the solenoid was 378444 but there is probably a newer number. <br /><br />Good luck.

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Yes, it is the solenoid that is making the noise. Thanks for the diagram. Has it gone bad, or can something else be making it do that. <br /><br />As i said before, it was cranking fine before the starter died. Now starter has been rebuilt and installed and now solenoid makes the noise.<br /><br />Thanks!!<br /><br />Daron<br /><br />1959 Johnson 50 Hp Super Seahorse<br />1959 Glasspar Trident

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

If it is making a vibrating sound or popping sound it could be a bad connection.

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

More like a popping/buzzing sound.

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

That is a good indication of low voltage getting to it. Clean all your connections from the battery to it. make sure all connections are tight after cleaning. Also make sure the battery is fully charged. You might want to hook up a set of jumper cables to it and this will tell you if your battery is strong enough.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

that ground cable there on the lower left gave lots of corrosion problems. clean and tighten all battery cable connections.<br /> good luck and keep posting

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Ok, Just checked the sound again, more like a loud rapid clicking...., Battery seems charged, charger been on it all day, lights, horn work fine.<br /><br />What should I clean the terminals with??<br /><br />Just another thought...........is there a special way the lead attaches to the starter, now there is plastic (i think) washer against the starter, then a brass nut, then i have the lead followed by another nut. Is this right?? Since this problem was not here before i removed the starter, i am wondering if somehow i did not re install it right..<br /><br /><br />Thanks!!<br /><br /><br />Daron

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

A good wire brush or sand paper or a file. Get them bright and shiny. Like rod-bolt said don't forget the ground it is as important as the hot wire. It takes a lot of juice to turn one of those old war horses over.

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Just another thought...........is there a special way the lead attaches to the starter, now there is plastic (i think) washer against the starter, then a brass nut, then i have the lead followed by another nut. Is this right?? Since this problem was not here before i removed the starter, i am wondering if somehow i did not re install it right..<br /><br /><br />Thanks!!<br /><br /><br />Daron

 

[bubbakat]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Sounds like you have it right.<br />The purpose of the plastic washer is to keep it from arcing against the starter housing

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Thanks Bubbakat!<br /><br />I will clean the terminals tomorrow and try bypassing the solenoid to see if the starter engages.

 

[Dan Beisel]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

I just went through the same thing with my '70 115. <br /><br />First I would make sure the battery is charged to at least 13 volts with a voltage tester before continuing (gee, I wish I had done this before needlessly replacing the solenoid and key switch). <br /><br />If that doesn't do it, test to see that you are getting full voltage at the starter cable end (with it disconnected from the starter). I assume you have a start button to depress to check this. If you are not getting voltage, then I would think solenoid.<br /><br />Good luck!<br />Dan

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

I will get a voltage tester today and let you all know what I find out.<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Daron

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Just bypassed solenoid and hooked starter up to battery and grounded to block. Starter just buzzes/hums, does not spin...Any thoughts??<br /><br />thanks for all of your advice!<br /><br />Daron

 

[oldgreybeard]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Check the voltage at the starter connections as you try to energize the starter. If it has less than 10 volts or so you have too much resistance some where. Either the ground or positive cable. I had to replace the cables on a motor just a week ago. They looked fine, clean connectors and all. Just had too much resistance to spin the starter fast enough. If there is high resistance the voltage will drop. Use a pair of jumper cables and connect directly from the battery to the starter motor (positive) and to the block (negative) and see if the starter will work. That will tell you if the starter is in fact good. It will remove the solenoid, cables etc from the equation. You can work back from there to eliminate the offending problem.

 

[grover777]

Re: Solenoid?? Starter??

Ok I got it!! Checked all of the "hard" things and realized my battery was not taking a charge, got a new battery on it and it cranks!!! New battery is not fully charged and only cranked a few times. Got charger on it now. <br /><br />Thanks for all of your help, this forum is great. I hope someday I will be able to help someone here.<br /><br />Now off to the next step, seeing if she fires. Im sure I will be back on the boards soon.<br /><br />Thanks Again!!<br /><br />Daron