I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of death

[beatlesfan]

Hi I read many posts from this site. I still need help. I have a Mercury Kiekhaefer thunderbolt 650 the the range in serial # claims to be a 1971. Problem started friday with a slow cranking then just a click after.
It was running just fine before that. I assumed it was a bad battery even though I bought it that Monday. Load test proved me wrong. I read that if I continued to turn the key the solinoid may find a sweet spot and start. It would't. So I used my volt meter and check power to the soliniod, well above 12volts. Then to the starter hooking from the hot side of the starter to the ground off the starter. Same result well over 12v but under 13v. I then cleaned all my connections from battery to starter with wire brush and sandpaper. I still had the click of death. I call a few local marine shops and read posts from here. Maybe a bad soliniod. Purchased a new one and still having the click of death. Is the only thing left the starter? I have taken it out of the outboard now............ Wasn't easy to do... Hard to reach bolts on the brackets.. Getting ready to bench test it. Any suggestions for me to try? If the starter runs fine on the bench what should I do? If it doesn't? Any help at all will be great..... Also I failed to mention that I tested the power of the soliniod and starter with a partner turning/holding the key. The starter does not move at all, no engaging with the flywheel or cranking.

 

[merc850]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

You can take the starter apart and check that the brushes and armature are good at that age cleaning it is long overdue.

 

[beatlesfan]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Thank you so much for the diagram picture. I kept reading reading about taking the starter apart but never have. I will try it. I wouldn't have if I didn't have your diagram. THANKS

 

[merc850]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Noprob, if you have the type with the brushes facing upwards you can make this tool to make reassembly easy. I made one out of an old CD-ROM drive housing - it is strong enough to hold them and easy to cut and bend. If you have PowerTrim you might want to check and clean that motor too, mine died 'cause the brushes wore down to nothing.

 

[beatlesfan]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

I hooked up jumper cables to the starter on the bench and nothing. Is jumper cables the way to go. Is there enough power to move the starter.I will take it apart to check the brushes.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Your on the right track

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

The click you heard was prob the solenoid. Jumper cables do work. Hot to the stud and ground to the case. Time to check the brushes. If they are really worn the starter won't turn. Since you have it out, it isn't that hard a job. Good luck.

 

[beatlesfan]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

not sure if my brushes are bad..... Lots of black soot looking stuff came out. I will send pictures in a second.

 

[ufm82]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Even a bad starter may spin just fine on the bench but not be able to crank the engine. Wear of the bushings inside cause this. If the armature shaft is worn and is dragging, it may contact the magnets inside the case and stop or it may drag so hard against the bad bushing that it prevents it from turning. If brushes have worn down to nothing you'll have bad contact and loss of voltage to the armature.

 

[beatlesfan]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Lots of soot magnets and wire attached to them look ok. Dirty but attached tight to the magnet. Could you tell if the brushes are bad please? Thanks everyone for all your help! I would be very lost otherwise!

 

[merc850]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

I've seen alot worse. Clean the end cap with compressed air and the armature with contact cleaner, put the end cap back on the armature and check for play in the bearing, if it feels good
assemble it and you can check it on the bench with cables.

 

[beatlesfan]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Another picture hopefully helpful!

 

[ufm82]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Brushes look good to me from the pictures. Make sure you put some quality light grease on both ends of the shaft. In the end cap and at the other end. There is a white grease out there (can't remember the brand) that is the standard grease for electric motors. I'd scrub that thing down with contact cleaner, use some 600 grit sandpaper on the armature where the brushes ride to clean it up, make sure all touching parts are greased and slap her back together. Then give her a shot. If it STILL won't work, buy one. LOL Bear in mind- you can still have a dead spot in the armature and only a "growl" test will find it. That needs to be done at a shop with the test gear. Good luck.

 

[beatlesfan]

Re: I'm new. Need help please! Mercury Kiekhaefer 650. 1971 I think Having click of d

Cleaned up brushes, armature inside and outside casing. I put it back together greased. OH BROTHER!!!!!! Somehow I got the positive connection grounding out. I will try to see what is touching where. Once I get it not to ground out (Hopefully) I will try it again. If that doesn't work I will have to purchase a new starter. Thanks to everyone I made it this far.