Starter issue

[dnohe]

1996 Evinrude 112 SPL

My starter spins, but will not push up to engage the gear head to start the engine. I can manually push it up by hand freely. My battery is brand new and charged. I have jumpered from the battery directly to the red terminal on the starter and ground to isolate the issue and get the same results.

Is this a definitive test that the starter is bad and not the solenoid (or other issue). There are no fuses or anything in this loop? I'd much rather buy a new $20 solenoid than a $200 starter. Any suggestion on what in the starter may be the root cause

Such is life... Thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter issue

i have brand new batteries not have a full charge, and have also had new batteries have dead cells. also try a couple of drops of oil on the bendix shaft.

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

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Starter issue

Following on from what Tashasdaddy has said. If the starter spins at a good high speed then it is not likely to be the solenoid or the motor, or any other electrical trouble. If it only turns slowly then it is an electrical problem some where.

A bit of a shot in the dark but check that the pinion actually turns as you push it up the shaft and that it is not able to spin round on the shaft freely. In operation it is driven up the shaft by a worm drive. If that has stripped out then the starter will spin fine but the pinion wont go up the shaft and engage with the engine.

 

[dnohe]

Re: Starter issue

Thanks for the responses.... I did put the charger on the battery overnight til it read FULL on my charger - thinking that it may have drained low during some other repairs. And has started fine the last dozen times I have tried to start it.

I can spin the pinion clockwise and see it thread up the shaft to the flywheel gear. If I rotate counterclockwise it will go back down but wont tighten (IE I can still spin it counterclockwise rather freely - Is that normal). I disconnected the hot lead and I can hear the solenoid click when I turn the key. I'll take the clamp off the solenoid and clean the other connections. There doesn't appear to be any salt or corrosion or grease on any of the lugs that I have disconnected and cleaned (Starter, Battery, Top of the solenoid).

Lastly, I had to remove the block mounting bolts to loosen the lower engine cover which means the front left bolt with a ground wire attached was removed. Everything was put back together as best I can tell. Any chance that could be screwing me up?

Any other suggestions.. Thanks

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Starter issue

If the ground was a heavy wire that went to the block, it could very well be your problem. Both the hot leads and the grounds must be good for proper start motor operation. 99% of starter problems are wire/termination issues and not solenoid or starter problems at all, other than the lowered voltage resulting from bad connections. The grounds are every bit as important as the hot leads. A Bendix that spins up slowly or doesn't engage the flywheel is most often due to high resistance terminations or bad wire (green/black growth).

 

[jtexas]

Re: Starter issue

1996 Evinrude 112 SPL

My starter spins, but will not push up to engage the gear head to start the engine. I can manually push it up by hand freely. My battery is brand new and charged. I have jumpered from the battery directly to the red terminal on the starter and ground to isolate the issue and get the same results.

Is this a definitive test that the starter is bad and not the solenoid (or other issue). There are no fuses or anything in this loop? I'd much rather buy a new $20 solenoid than a $200 starter. Any suggestion on what in the starter may be the root cause

Such is life... Thanks

battery charger indication of "full charge" is misleading - it just means the battery won't accept more current. The charger doesn't know whether it has enough power to start a motor.

The reason no one has yet confirmed that your starter is bad, is because you haven't convinced us that the battery's good.

Measure the battery with a digital voltmeter about 4 or 5 hours after you take it off the charger. It has to be 12.65 volts or more to be considered 100% state of charge.

Even that doesn't mean it's good. Measure each cell with a hydrometer. Use the chart that comes with the instrument to determine whether there's a weak cell.

Even that doesn't mean it's good. A load test is the definitive test of whether a battery is good or not. Most car parts stores do 'em for free.

But, if you're convinced that the battery is good, and that you had a good ground for your tests, then the starter must be faulty.

You don't have to spend $200 for a new one, though - find a starter rebuild shop in your city, they'll fix it up for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Vic.S]

Re: Starter issue

I can still spin it counterclockwise rather freely - Is that normal

No I don't think that is right at all. If you can spin that pinion freely on the motor shaft when its down the worm drive is not going to pick it up when the starter operates is it.

I don't want to detract from what all the others are saying about the electrical stuff but I think you should look at that.

As I said earlier If the motor really spins at a good speed, like fairly whizzes round, i cant see that an electrical problem is the source of your troubles.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter issue

turning the gear in one direction will turn the starter shaft, turning the other way the gear should climb up the shaft to the flywheel. if it doesn't, the bendix is shot.

 

[dnohe]

Re: Starter issue

As I said earlier If the motor really spins at a good speed, like fairly whizzes round, i cant see that an electrical problem is the source of your troubles.

It does spin at a very good rate

turning the gear in one direction will turn the starter shaft, turning the other way the gear should climb up the shaft to the flywheel. if it doesn't, the bendix is shot.

It definitely climbs up the shaft in a counter clockwise direction - and back down the shaft clockwise.

Thanks all for the comments... will do my best to get out there this afternoon and try to isolate the issue

 

[GulfCoastNik]

Re: Starter issue

dnohe, did you get this issue resolved? If so, what was your outcome? I'm having a similar issue.

 

[NFA]

Re: Starter issue

I had a similar issue last year with my starting / starter. Cleaned the poles, connections, sanded them, filed them, made them all shiny and new, tightened them. Did everything I could. My starter was popping up, but not turning at a fast enough rate to fire the engine. It ended up being the brushes in the starter. Cost me $80 to rebuild the starter, and it's been fine ever since.

I would suggest at least getting the starter looked at.



SSS