Starter will not engage

[maldoro]

1995 Evinrude 90HP CV4. Ran boat last weekend, no issues. Tried to start this weekend, starter turns but will not engage. Tried two brand new batteries(needed them anyway). I can turn gear by hand and it will lift correctly but here is the weird part, starter spins the opposite direction with the key on. I got it to crank one time, no idea what I did.

 

[fireman 757]

Re: Starter will not engage

Believe it or not you have your battery hooked up backward. If this sounds wierd try reversing your cables on your battery.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Starter will not engage

Absolutely check the battery polarity before doing anything else. Red to positive, Black to negative. (The starter may in fact be turning in the correct direction to turn the flywheel clockwise.) If you indeed reversed the wires, you will need to be sure that the charging system was not damaged (can burn out a rectifier very quickly).<br /><br />The starter gear can fail to lock in place because of a weak battery, but it can also fail for other reasons -- dirty shaft, for example.

 

[maldoro]

Re: Starter will not engage

Thanks for the replies, but I am positive that the battery polarity is correct. As a matter of fact it did turn over 1 time in the course of the day. I did grease the starter gear with triple guard, maybe that is what is preventing it from raising.<br /><br />You know what I did though, it was morning and when I original connected my batteries, I forgot to connect the motor ground cable, although the starter spun anyway. Wonder if I could have done any damage to the starter.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Starter will not engage

must be getting ground somehow or the starter wouldn't crank. But if the starter won't engage properly with the fully charged battery correctly connected and all connections perfectly polished and tight, it might be a mechanical problem with the bendix gear/starter gear. You should use only light oil to lubricate the shaft, so if you greased the shaft I think I would clean that up first. If it is not the starter gear, you may be looking at a starter rebuild -- not enough power to force the gear up into the flywheel.

 

[maldoro]

Re: Starter will not engage

Does the solinoid force the gear up? The gear turns counter-clockwise which would spin the flywheel clockwise. Is this correct. I was talking to a buddy that said the solinoid is what throws the gear into the flywheel. I don't think this is correct.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Starter will not engage

Solenoid switch can be a factor in that the switch channels current to the starter -- which in turn kicks the gear up into the flywheel. I believe the switch either works or it doesn't, however. (That is, it would not reduce the current to the starter.) Electrical connections at the solenoid could be a factor. If dirty or carroded, they could reduce -- but not completely interrupt -- current flow. I would remove and clean all wire connections in the starter circuit. Start with the starter connection and work backwards. Use sandpaper or something abrasive to clean the wire ends. The starter direction is OK (flywheel must be spun clockwise).

 

[maldoro]

Re: Starter will not engage

Thanks Oldboat<br />I will try your recommendations. I am also going to troubleshoot voltage. I didn't have a meter on hand.<br /><br />Thanks again.

 

[maldoro]

Re: Starter will not engage

Thanks Oldboat<br />I will try your recommendations. I am also going to troubleshoot voltage. I didn't have a meter on hand.<br /><br />Thanks again.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Starter will not engage

You're welcome. <br /><br />Good luck.

 

[91formula]

Re: Starter will not engage

Anytime you have a starter problem I would remove it and take it to a shop to get tested, next if there is a problem, example (mine-92/120 force would turn over really slow, also had a delay after I turned the key over, but it finally cranked, slowly, not like new so I had it rebuilt once, it was the bushing, 2 seasons later the same thing, not engaging the fly wheel, plus slow turning, and the key delay, the 1st thing I check was always the batteries, nothing wrong, it was the same thing, bushing, I've learned the hard way, 2 tow ins, I went to US Marine a picked up a new starter, not rebuilt, thats what I recommend, took me 10 minutes to install, starts better than new, I'd do the same,

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Starter will not engage

Robert, there's a simple way to check the solenoid (or its connections) put a jumper cable on the battery (+) and touch the other end to the hot (+) post on the starter. If the starter motor operatates normally engages the ring gear on the flywheel and cranks the motor, you know the starter is OK. Then start checking the wire connections for clean and tight. By the way, don't forget the ground connections. If all that is OK and it still doesn't crank, you've got a bad solenoid or ignition switch.

 

[maldoro]

Re: Starter will not engage

Thanks WildeOne, I will try that this weekend.