1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

Ketron10

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I bought the engine from a friend of mine who used it as early as last summer. He said that it ran well but ran out of gas while out on the lake. He put it up and hasn't used it since. I thought it would start immediately, but it didn't. With all the controls in place and the wires put back the way he had them, nothing happens. When i turn the key w/out the choke engaged there is a click but nothing happens. When i engage the choke, it seems to work fine, but the same click happens and the engine still doesn't start. The piece that engages with the flywheel seems to be stuck in the up position. I can't get it down unless i use a mallet to put it down. I grounded the the starter and hit it with the jumper cables and it turned the flywheel but that piece remained up and it would not turn over. I am not sure where to go from here and i am in need of some help. Any troubleshooting tips would be much appreciated.
micah
 

JB

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

First, you need to clean all of the connections in battery-to-engine cables and carefully inspect those cables for weak spots. That should get your starter responding to the starter switch.

If the Bendix gear still wants to stick in the flywheel check the starter mount for looseness, throwing the alignment of the starter out from the flywheel.

Good luck, let us know what you find. :)
 

john from md

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

How old is the battery? If you can, try a different battery. Next, pull the plugs and see if the starter will turn the flywheel with no load on it. Make sure you ground the spark plug leads when doing this so you don't damage the CDI units (if this engine has them. I seem to remember it may have points)

If the starter turns the flywheel with no plugs, and you have already ruled out the battery, then I would change the starter. The chances are that it was built in '75 like the engine.

Make sure you rule out the battery first as a worn out battery can give the same indications as a bad starter.

There is also the possiblility that the starter solinoid is pitted and not passing enough amperage to the starter. This can be rulled out by using jumping wires directly to the starter.

Let us know,

John
 

Ketron10

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

Thanks for the quick responses.
I have ruled out the battery. I hooked the battery up with the battery charges which has a engine start position. That should have been enough juice to power up the starter, it didn't. Also, i hooked the starter up with the jumper cables and it did fire and the flywheel did turn but the bendix remained up and engaged with the flywheel. What does that mean?

One thing i left out from the orginal post was that i did take the motor to the local boat shop. When i turned the key the guy heard that clicking noise i was talking about and he seemed to think that there may be a short. Is that possible and what are your thoughts on that.
I plan on trying anything to troubleshoot, before i spend anymore money. Would cleaning the starting be worth doing?
thanks
micah
 

john from md

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

There is a spring on the Bendix that should help push it down. The Bendix on old engines get loaded up with grease and dirt. You can try spraying it with WD40 and working it up and down by hand. Blowing it out with compressed air will help.

The only short that fellow at the boat shop has is between his ears! The clicking noise is the noise that a solinoid makes when the contact bar is going up and down trying to make the circuit. It is also sparking on the contacts and will pit them if done too much. This pitting will prevent full amperage from getting to the starter even though the solinoid has pulled.

If you jumped the starter and it spun, then your solinoid is bad or the wires or terminal ends are bad. By jumping directly to the starter, you by pass the solinoid.

Regards,

John
 

Frank Acampora

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

Could not have described the short better myself, John. made my night. LOL

I actually cringe when I hear that someone has taken an old engine to the "shop." Unless you get a crusty old geezer that has been around for a century and knows his a** from his elbow, you usually end up with a wanna-be mechanic.

Mind you, I do know there are good ones out there and I respect them, But there are so many bad ones.
 

Ketron10

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

I am not sure exactly where the solinoid for the starter is. Is it a separate piece away from the starter or will i have to take the starter off and apart?
 

john from md

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

Follow the thick red wire coming from the starter to a small usually black plastic unit with two big wire connections on top. That is the solinoid.

If you look in your book, there should be a picture somewhere that will included the side of the engine showing the starter and solinoid.

John
 

Ketron10

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

i am not showing any resistance on my ohm meter from the solenoid. does this mean it is bad? Can you read it if it is taken off the motor? Also, i found a solenoid made by Ford at the tractor supply. it looks, feels and is built just like the one off the boat. Will it work or should i order one from somewhere else?
 

john from md

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

Depending on the scale of the meter, you may not be able to measure the resistance of the coil.

A better way to check is to apply 12v accross the two small terminals and listen for the solinoid to pull (it will click) When doing this, put your ohmeter accross the big terminals and look for continuity when energized and infinity when de-energized.

As to the tractor solinoid, as long as it is 12v, it will work. We have put radio shack, snowmobile and airplane parts in these engines and in most cases they work better than original.

John
 

Ketron10

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

is there a certain cranking amp needed to run this engine or will any marine battery do?
 

john from md

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

Anything about 550 will probably be ok if you don't have alot of electronics you run when the engine is off.

Many of us use Walmart MAXX batteries as they are inexpensive and have lots of power (850 MCA).

Regards,

John
 

Ketron10

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

I cleaned all the wire terminals and checked all the wires. I have taken the starter off and fixed the bendix. Last night i bypassed the solenoid and the starter turned over. I think that is no longer an issue. BUT, when i put the new solenoid on it still did not crank. it would not turn over. i am running out of ideas. Please help. Could it be a wiring problem or a short of some sort.
 

john from md

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

There are two small wires on the solinoid. One is grounded at the case, the other goes to the ignition switch. If you turn the switch, you should get 12volts at the one wire.

Grounds are more likely to fail rather than wires or switches. Check the ground for the solinoid and make sure that it is in good condition. Next check the wire between the switch and solinoid for continuity. If you don't have it, you have a broken wire or bad terminal.

John
 

xmos

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

I paid a Boat Mechanic\Fiber Glass repair guy $50\hr for 4 hours ($200) as he tried to get my 1984 75hp Chrysler running that has sat for about 2 years when I purchased it. He tells me the 6 prong ignition switch is dead. So I went and got a 4 prong (all I can find from the automotive store). He said the 3 spark plugs are no good. Off I went and got 2 (store only had 2- so I salvage the best of the 3 that we took out). He hooked up the wires and engine still would not start. He tells me the sequence in which the ignition switch turns will fire each component in order that is critical to firing up your motor. Therefore - battery, starter, choke, etc....After 4 hours, he tells me my COIL is dead. Its not sending sparks to the spark plugs. It'll be $15 for the part and it?s a special order. 3-5 days. I pay and he leaves.

I scratched my head for a bit...then went over his work. The wire hook up to the ignition switch was all messed up. So I reseated the wires according to the Terminal Block replacement diagram on the motor, cleaned all the positive\negative lead and turned on the Ignition switch. ROOOAAAMM...the engine kicked on and turned over and idled beautifully.

SO, double check all connections, clean, and replace the little things as needed. If it?s clicking...your are close. Mine was doing the same thing.
 

bofromarkansas

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

hi guys just registered. I found this thread online and I knew this is where I needed to come. I just recently purchased a boat trailer and motor which happened to be a 75 Chrysler. and like the original poster my motor is clicking. what I'm not sure of after reading this thread, is that there is a 9 post block for wiring across from the starter. I can't figure out if the wires are connected correctly because I don't have a book. again like the original poster any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Nordin

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Re: 1975 Chrysler 75 hp Won't start

bofromarkansas Please start your own thread. This one is 4,5 years old.

Colorcode terminalblock

Yellow-start
Purple-generator
White-tacho
Green-choke
Orange-heatindicate
Red-battery
Blue-ignition
Black-ground
 
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