WTH is the starter solenoid.

brooksville_rebel

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Can anyone from the attached pick of the engine tell me were the starter solenoid is ? I have searched Mercury's Ezwebparts and youtube and the net and nothing. The ezweb makes it look like its on the front plate but that makes no sense and I have nothing there anyhow.
I am getting just the one click now and from searching I need to check the starter and solenoid but no clue were its at.
From the pics I see of new ones being sold I thought it was the one with the black/red wired on it to the left of the starter but not sure.
Thanks.
 

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Alumarine

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The picture quality doesn't really help.

The red wire from the battery should go to one side of the solenoid.
The yellow wire from the bottom of the starter should go to the other side of the solenoid.

That is if your motor matches my service manual.
 

fhhuber

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Follow the HEAVY + wire off the battery. It should end at the solenoid on one end and the battery on the other.

Not sure about yours... Some are mounted on the starter. Some are mounted separately with a heavy wire to the starter. The one on the starter typically just has the one heavy wire and 2 small wires. There may be added wires connected for convenience but they won't actually have anything to do with operating the starter.
 

mla2ofus

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Follow the heavy black cable from the bottom of the starter and it will lead you to the solenoid.
Mike
 

alldodge

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The large wires on top the starter are grounds, the one outlined in red is the main cable from the starter solenoid to the starter. Don't forget the grounds can also cause the starter not to engage
solenoid.jpg
 

Bondo

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Ayuh,..... AD is Right on it as usual,....
The 3 solenoids in a row are trim up at the top, trim down in the center, 'n the starter solenoid at the bottom,...
 

brooksville_rebel

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Okay thanks. Yea I didn't realize the quality of the pic got cut that bad. IT wouldn't let me upload it as it was. Said to big so I resampled it.
So following the fat black cable it goes to the one just above the fuse holder in the pic. Which is what I thought but the two above it look the same and no clue what they are. more connection joints ?
Thanks
Mark
 

brooksville_rebel

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The large wires on top the starter are grounds, the one outlined in red is the main cable from the starter solenoid to the starter. Don't forget the grounds can also cause the starter not to engage
Thanks for that. It helped A LOT. Is that cable also the + ? Cuz theres no "red" cable to it as you can see in that pic. I searched the net and found that I should read the volts by putting the red VM clamp on the starter + and negative VM clamp on the engine ground.
I replaced the solenoid and still same issue. I had the batteries load tested and one failed and one passed. I put the good battery back in and starter still doesn't turn it over. engages once then click. So figuring thats it but still not sure. So thought checking voltage would help determine the cause.
Thanks to Everyone also for the help
Mark
I seem to be having issues sometimes when I post. Says working put doesn't seem to post, then I try again and get the double post like above and sometimes seems to take forever.
 

Bondo

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So thought checking voltage would help determine the cause.

Ayuh,,,, With a known Good battery, 'n a set of jumper cables, attach the battery red on (+), 'n black on (-),.....

At the other end of the jumper cables, attach the black (-) clamp to the phillips screw that has a big wire, 'n 3 smaller wires under it, up near the top of the starter, on the starter,....
With the red (+) clamp, just touch the terminal on the starter's solenoid, the bottom solenoid, right at the tip of the blue star in AD's picture,....

If the starter don't spin the motor over, the starter is junk, or the motor is seized,...

If the motor is seized, the starter will make a Big Clunk sound, 'n probably start smokin' soon after,...
If the motor ain't seized,... Pull the starter, 'n replace or rebuild it,...
 

Fed

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I searched the net and found that I should read the volts by putting the red VM clamp on the starter + and negative VM clamp on the engine ground.
So how many Volts did you read?
 

brooksville_rebel

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Haven't had a chance yet. My son graduated from USF School of Engineering this weekend and with family in town and party haven't had the time. I hope to get to it tomorrow.
 

brooksville_rebel

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Tried it this morning. The starter went up and fly wheel moved just a little then no more. Tries to start turn it but doesn't.
 

alldodge

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Take a screw driver and jump across the two large contacts on the solenoid going to the starter. If it cranks over fine, then its the solenoid, if not, put a voltmeter on the starter cable post and try to crank. If the reading doesn't fall below 10V its the starter
 

brooksville_rebel

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Well got the old starter out and new one in and now it turns like it should. Yeah meeeeeee ! (only cuz I am dumbass when it comes to this stuff and normally end up at the hospital with a screw in my hand or a slash across the wrist from my incompetence lol)
Is there any procedure that needs to be done to sync the starter with the fly wheel ? I didn't see them do that in any video but want to cover all the bases.
I know they rebuild the starters so is there any were that buys them or trades in ? Was surprised was no core charge like for automotive.
Solenoid too ?
Thanks for all the help. !!!! Greatly appreciate it !!
Mark
 

Mohawkmtrs

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No procedure (or need) to sync starter/flywheel.

There may be a place locally where you can re-cycle electrics/electronics.
 
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