flywheel is locked.

pnwboat

Rear Admiral
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Oct 8, 2007
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4,251
Bad battery, bad/corroded connections on the battery cables, or bad starter. Those are the things that I would look at.
 

liusigou

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May 11, 2015
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Thank pnwboat. Now a mechanic has checked the boat. He said flywheel is locked up. But he is going to be vacation. Can I do it by myself?
 

kbh121956

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Jun 30, 2013
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474
pnwboat is correct. Check the connections that he stated. also check the connection on the starter solenoid, With the battery disconnected try turning the flywheel by hand. A person can easily turn it with two hands.
 

gm280

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Jun 26, 2011
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I too would check the battery and all the battery to engine connections. And that include both positive and negative wire at the battery AND the engine. Too many times people forget about the ground wire on the engine and fight problems not understanding that it take both positive and negative connections to work. So clean all the wires to bright shiny metal and re-tighten and try it. Of course the battery needs to be fully charged as well. JMHO
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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It looked like the starter was weak? or the battery was dead? or the connections were bad?

You should start with removing the plugs and see if it turns over then???
​Don't use the key to turn it over. Jump the solenoid or you can damage the ignition system.
​If it turns over without the plugs?? then do a compression test.

I see a deep cycle battery in the boat.
Do NOT use a deep cycle as a starting battery
It's not meant for that purpose.
It can damage the ignition/charging system.

​Deep cycle are used for trolling motors.


Who ever said the flywheel is locked up?? Is full of crap.
It's turning over so there is another problem.
​The movie shows a weak battery or a motor with low compression or bad starter.
 

pantaloonz

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Nov 28, 2014
Messages
237
Good Morning!

I'm going to chime in support for a weak battery or failed starter too: specifically because this is EXACTLY what my force outboard was doing two weeks ago.

Unfortunately my fix took a bit of time and considerable money: New Battery 85$, new starter $113, new plugs $11, and new Solenoid $48

Another posts suggests removing the plugs and trying, again another good idea; if the starter rotates the flywheel without plugs, it either not getting enough juice, or the starter is failed/failing.

I also had a bad ground in my console circuit board causing me electrical inconsitency at the key; so for real troublshooting you'll want bypass all that and jump straight to the starter (as suggested)

Good luck, I also agree that the flywheel is NOT locked.I had originally thought that, but I listened to the people posting here, and it turned out the suggestions were quite correct.

I have an excellent battery attached now too and it's cranking like a champ.

Compression test is fairly easy to do as well a decent gauge for the process can be bought at any hardware store for under $50

all the best!
-Pantz
 

gm280

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Jun 26, 2011
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Thank kbh121956, gm280, jerryjerry05, pantaloonz. I think the flywheel can rotate because rotating can be seen. I will have another test with original fully charged. What should I do if it fail with a fully recharged battery?

Then I would look at the starter or even the starter solenoid. If the battery AND wires check out great, then you have to move to the starter and/or solenoid for the next test. When you trouble-shoot things, you go through a systematic procedure to eliminate things after they test good. Even the lower foot section can cause similar situations. But don't go there just yet until you see how the battery and wires check out first. Never jump all over the place to figure out any problem. I mainly just confuses the situation and takes longer to find the problem. JMHO
 

Jiggz

Captain
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Messages
3,817
As previously mentioned, disconnect both battery cable terminals, wire brush and sandpaper them down until fully clean. Apply a film of dielectric grease on both battery terminals and cable terminals, reconnect.

Next, disconnect the black ground cable terminal from the engine block. Wire brush, sandpaper and also mating surface on engine block. Apply a film of dielectric grease, reconnect tight.

Test again and post results.
 

jerryjerry05

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May 7, 2008
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Did you pull the plugs and then turn it over?
Did you do a compression test??
Take the starter apart?
Gotta follow the suggestions???

Low compression?
Bad starter?

If you don't follow the suggestions and report the results then you might not ever find what's wrong.
 

liusigou

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May 11, 2015
Messages
456
Now I take yhe lower unit down. Lower unit looks goof. Can I try to start without lower unit.?
 

liusigou

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May 11, 2015
Messages
456
Also I can not move the flywheel by hands while battery is off and plugs are out.
 

liusigou

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May 11, 2015
Messages
456
Also I have done the testing of using my own auto battery, the same as before., Flywheel can move a little bit.. need i apply the new starter?
 

gm280

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Also I have done the testing of using my own auto battery, the same as before., Flywheel can move a little bit.. need i apply the new starter?

If you removed the plugs and can't turn the flywheel by hand, there is something else going on there. Are you absolutely sure you have the engine in neutral? You could have issues in the lower section as well. At this point it is hard to tell. But with a fully charged battery, wires all cleaned and checked out, and the plugs removed, it should turn over like a top. So you may have internal issues. And those internal issues can be in the power head section OR the lower foot section.
 

gm280

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Jun 26, 2011
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Help.What should I do next?

Personally, I would unbolt the lower section to see if the powerhead would turn freely with the plugs out. If it still turns hard, or not at all, you will have to go into the powerhead to find the answer. If however the engine turns freely after dropping the lower foot section, then you found your problem being the foot section. Either way that would be my next decision.

And either way, I would also install a new water pump impeller when the foot section was off. JMHO
 
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