Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

[2wings]

I have a problem with my starter on a 1977 75hp Johnson motor. I just had it rebuilt and it will sometimes spins and not engage the flywheel when the ignition is turned on. Only on an occasion will will engage and crank but most of the time if it engages it will lock in place and not turn the flywheel; I then have to pry it free. Is this a problem with the starter or the solenoid? Thanks for any help.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

Have you checked the battery, and all connections'?

 

[2wings]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

My battery is charged 100% and all of the connectors are clean.

 

[R.Johnson]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

Jump the battery direct to the starter. If that don't work, you may want to have the battery load tested.

 

[bankerjohn]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

I have a problem with my starter on a 1977 75hp Johnson motor. I just had it rebuilt and it will sometimes spins and not engage the flywheel when the ignition is turned on. Only on an occasion will will engage and crank but most of the time if it engages it will lock in place and not turn the flywheel; I then have to pry it free. Is this a problem with the starter or the solenoid? Thanks for any help.

You say you have 2 problems:

Bendix won't engage the flywheel - possible causes: not enough voltage (low battery, bad connections), gear not sliding freely on armature shaft.

Bendix won't disengage from flywheel - possible causes: wrong bendix gear, damaged teeth in bendix gear or flywheel, starter not mounted correctly, gear not sliding freely on armature shaft.

Did the person who rebuilt your starter bench test it after rebuild? Did you see him test it, or did you just assume he tested it?

You might try putting a very small amount of light weight oil on the shaft. If that fails to help, I'd pull the starter back off the motor and test its operation with jumper cables.

 

[2wings]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

You say you have 2 problems:

Bendix won't engage the flywheel - possible causes: not enough voltage (low battery, bad connections), gear not sliding freely on armature shaft.

Bendix won't disengage from flywheel - possible causes: wrong bendix gear, damaged teeth in bendix gear or flywheel, starter not mounted correctly, gear not sliding freely on armature shaft.

Did the person who rebuilt your starter bench test it after rebuild? Did you see him test it, or did you just assume he tested it?

You might try putting a very small amount of light weight oil on the shaft. If that fails to help, I'd pull the starter back off the motor and test its operation with jumper cables.

I assumed that since it was rebuilt by the mechanic's shop that it had been tested. I will try all of the above recommendation and see if the problem can be determined.

 

[oldrudedude]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

Are you sure your battery is good. The event that you describe is exactly what happened to me when I let my battery run low. A bad battery can kill a starter. Low voltage from the battery will cause the starter to draw more amps to produce the same amount of power. This means lots of extra heat in the starter windings --> cooked starter. Why did you have the starter rebuilt? Was it because it did the same thing before? If you are sure the battery is good, suspect the solenoid. Try jumping across the solenoid with a good cable.

Good luck.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

Battery condition, cables or connections.
They may look good but a lot of the time they are not. Did you jump it direct as suggested ???

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

99% replace the battery cables.
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

 

[2wings]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

Are you sure your battery is good. The event that you describe is exactly what happened to me when I let my battery run low. A bad battery can kill a starter. Low voltage from the battery will cause the starter to draw more amps to produce the same amount of power. This means lots of extra heat in the starter windings --> cooked starter. Why did you have the starter rebuilt? Was it because it did the same thing before? If you are sure the battery is good, suspect the solenoid. Try jumping across the solenoid with a good cable.

Good luck.

I am at this point because the starter would not crank the motor - having the the battery fully charged and even with a boost from another fully charged battery. The starter at one point began to smoke a little and was hot to the touch. I was told that the starter was the culprit and it should be replaced or rebuilt. After installing the rebuilt starter, the motor cranked and started fine. I immediately shut the engine down and attempted to start it again but the starter just spinned and would not engage the flywheel. On another occasion it engaged the flywheel but would not turn it and became stuck. I had to pry it free.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

again sounds like dirty. loose connections, or old cables. all of these cause resistance in the power getting to the starter. it causes the cables and starter to get hot, which will eventually burn up the starter, and the cables. Cables deteriorate from the INSIDE out. i have cut cables open, that only had 3 or 4 wires still connected.

 

[oldrudedude]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

Agree with TD. The cables, connections, etc may look good and test ok with a volt/ohm meter but fail under load. Bad, corroded, loose connection = 90% of electrical failure (not only because the system will not work properly when not getting enough current, but also because the heat produced by faulty connections will destroy electrical components). (eg. melt shielding on stator or armature wire).

Make sure you battery is good (sitting on the charger over night does not ensure the battery is good and fully charged (a crapped out battery is still a crapped out battery regardless of how long it sits on the charger). Ensure that your connections are good (shiny tight connections). Ensure the ground connection to the engine is clean and solid. Then jump the starter directly from the battery. If you starter engages the motor and spins well, suspect and check the the solenoid.

 

[2wings]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

again sounds like dirty. loose connections, or old cables. all of these cause resistance in the power getting to the starter. it causes the cables and starter to get hot, which will eventually burn up the starter, and the cables. Cables deteriorate from the INSIDE out. i have cut cables open, that only had 3 or 4 wires still connected.

I cleaned all of the connectors and went to NAPA and bought a solenoid. After connecting everything the starter just spun without engaging the flywheel. It seems like the starter is defective. I am going to bypass the positve and negatives wires from the battery to see if they might be defective.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

couple of drops of oil on bendix, then turn bendix by hand so it rises up.

there again, that is a sign of low amperage. the bendix moves up by centrifugal force.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

I'm still with the cables and connections thing being the issue.
Remove starter and bench test it direct.

 

[2wings]

Re: Starter Problem/75hp Johnson

I cleaned all of the connections and put a new solenoid on the motor but nothing helped. I took the starter off and found that one of the long bolts was loose and the bottom of the starter had partially seperated. This was causing the starter to bind and not fully engage the flywheel. I took it back to the repairman and he advised that the threads where the bolt fastens was stripped. He repaired it and all seems well so far. Thanks to all the forum members for help.