35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

[mvortex1]

I just bought at auction an 89 Troller fiberglass fishing boat that came with a 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start (35852r) E0002091 S/N - it's set up for a remote but the boat was used only as a tiller steer. The battery leads that come out of the engine housing connection right up to the battery leads. To save time, I'll include what I've done so far that has isolated anything else that wouldn't be a root cause.

> I connected the battery leads DIRECTLY to a fresh, deep-cycle marine battery.
> I pushed the starter button with absolutely no response.
> I threw my charger in "start" 10amp mode and placed it on the leads, still not response.
> I grounded my charger to the battery/starter lead engine ground, put the charger in start/10amp mode and touched the RED/positive side of the starter motor - the starter kicked in and cranks the engine.
> I connected the battery leads back up and manually bridged a connection on the solenoid at the contact points where the push button start is wired to and no response.

What I noticed (after the fact)

> Looking at the Terminal Block, I see the red wire is fried.
> Connecting the starter leads directly to the deep-cycle battery and touching the exposed copper wire back onto the terminal block (where it was originally connected) results in the wire sparking and melting.
> The battery leads are correctly connected.
> There is nothing else connected to the starter
>This leads me to believe that something may be shorting out that wire for some reason.



So with that said, what does everyone think? Is it a bad solenoid?

 

[mvortex1]

Re: 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

Hey - also, does anyone know how to get my "whites their whitest"? I put a buffer to the fiberglass with a mix of abrasive cleanser and cleaning wax and it still doesn't come up brightly.

 

[jlh42581]

Re: 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

You wont bring paint that old back from the dead. Shoot it with a cheap epoxy based paint and be done.

Replace all your wires that even look remotely bad. The fact the starter will jump when you have it connected tells me you have a problem elsewhere. Make sure the kill lanyard is in.

 

[Will Bark]

Re: 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

Agree on the lanyard; also look for a fuse in a holder close to the starter solenoid could corroded or blown. Good luck

 

[mvortex1]

Re: 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

Now I'm just totally confused. So when my wife got home I grabbed the jumper cables out of the sedan and jumped the battery directly to ground/positive on the starter and it cranked like hell. I hooked up the water mits and pressured in some 40:1 and it started IMMEDIATELY. Revs, shifts, idles perfectly. I didn't press my luck with the forward/revers until I have a chance to replace the lower end oil and eventually the water pump (even though it works). So I read your replies, thank you for posting. I went back out with the intention of jumping the solenoid with the high amperage connection but before that, I pushed the starter button on a whim. It now starts right up with the starter button. I am not sure how running the engine fixed the starter button but it did. Who knows for how long?

Regardless, for what I paid for this outfit I cannot believe how well that engine runs, not a skip or a bump. Thanks again.

 

[Will Bark]

Re: 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

You could have had a stuck brush in the starter or they may be worn down and need to be replaced, you can DIY or any generator/ starter shop can do it. Good luck

 

[jlh42581]

Re: 35 HP Evinrude w/electric push button start will not crank

hope you changed that wire at minimum