Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

[HQS]

Hello Folks...


Last year I had a hard time starting my motor and overcranked the starter motor. I had another guy remove the starter and re was going to rebuild it for me but it would cost more on the rebuild then getting an aftermarket one. I have the after market starter installed and not really sure on the wire configuration, but I think it is correct. The battery is fully charged and when I turn the key I get a click sound. I can operate the tilt and trim function no problem but the starter will not engage. I tried to follow the checklist with a trouble light and I think everything checks out fine.Can you guys think of anything else it may be?. I was going to make up a test lead and jump the two terminals to see if it is the solenoid, but I'm not sure where the solenoid is located. I don't want to fry anything.

I will take some pics and upload them showing the wire config.





Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

HQS

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

To locate the solenoid, put your finger on the BIG RED battery cable on the POSITIVE terminal of the battery. Walk your finger up that cable to where it connects in the engine. That's the solenoid. It has two large posts on it. The battery cable hooks onto one post and the other has a large cable going directly to the starter. The small terminal on the solenoid is the wire from the START position ("S" terminal) on the ignition switch. Using any piece of wire, touch one end to that terminal. Touch the other end to the terminal that has the red positive battery cable connected. The starter should engage. This process is bypassing the ignition switch. If the starter spins, there is a wiring problem. If not, check and clean all battery and starter cable connections and make sure they are tight. LOOKING is not a check. Remove, clean, install tightly -- on both ends of each cable.

 

[HQS]

Re: Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

Thanks very much.

In my pics I have the one big red wire from the battery going to the solenoid and the other black wire going to the starter. I'll have a look for the small terminal on the solenoid and place the jumper wire to it and to the large red wire coming from the battery. If it engages the starter then it's a wire issue?. Is that correct?. If it does not engage the starter, then it's a solenoid issue?.



Thanks again!

 

[HQS]

Re: Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

Thanks very much.

In my pics I have the one big red wire from the battery going to the solenoid and the other black wire going to the starter. I'll have a look for the small terminal on the solenoid and place the jumper wire to it and to the large red wire coming from the battery. If it engages the starter then it's a wire issue?. Is that correct?. If it does not engage the starter, then it's a solenoid issue?.


View attachment 192816
Thanks again!

O.k.. So Here is what I did. I mange to follow the large wire with the red end from my battery to the solenoid. From the solenoid, there was a large black wire which hooks to the positive end of the starter. I used a test wire from the + re large wire and touch the positive terminal at the starter. The starter spun. Does this mean that the solenoid is defective?. IN looking at this motor, is appears to have 3 solenoids. Is this correct?.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

O.k.. So Here is what I did. I mange to follow the large wire with the red end from my battery to the solenoid. From the solenoid, there was a large black wire which hooks to the positive end of the starter. I used a test wire from the + re large wire and touch the positive terminal at the starter. The starter spun. Does this mean that the solenoid is defective?. IN looking at this motor, is appears to have 3 solenoids. Is this correct?.


View attachment 192828

No, it means the solenoid is working fine. What you did is "jump" the solenoid emulating the same action the key switch does when you turn it to START. So you either have a bad ignition switch (test to follow), bad wiring from the +12 volt feed at the engine to the "B" (battery) terminal on the ignition switch, or bad wiring from the "S" (start) terminal on the ignition switch back to the little terminal you just jumped. Use your test light or voltmeter to check for power at the "S" terminal while someone turns the key to START. If you have power at that terminal, repeat the test at the small terminal on the solenoid. If there is no power (or low voltage) the wire or connections at the ignition switch or solenoid are bad. If there is no power at the "S" terminal on the switch but you have power on the "B" terminal on the switch, then the ignition switch is bad. So you see -- follow the juice is how you troubleshoot. When you lose power you identified the component.

 

[HQS]

Re: Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

Very much appreciate the reply. I'm going to check it out in the morning.
When the starter was removed, there was three cables that were left loose. One was the Ground Wire in which one end attaches to the the top of the starter and the other to the bolt holding the starter in place. The other was the thick black wire which was coming from the other side of the solenoid which I attached to the positive post at the bottom of the starter and the other was the thick black cable which is coming from the battery which I attached to one of the mounting bolts for the starter. Is the black ground cable coming from the battery suppose to mount on the bolt used to hold the starter in place?. This was one of the cables I was unsure of..

Tomorrow, I'm going to remove the cables from the starter and the solenoid and clean them up and try again. If no go , then using a test light..

Thanks!
Thanks

 

[HQS]

Re: Clicking will turning key with no Start on 1988 Mercury 70HP ELPTO

O.k....

I was able to use the test light and found that my problem lies with the Solenoid. Purchased a new Solenoid for about 50 bucks, hooked it up and BAM, the motor turns over and runs perfect. Only problem I have now is I need to replace the oil injector hose as it's dried up and cracked. That's an easy fix though and I will be back on the water.

Thanks again for all your help. This forum rocks!!


Cheers!!

HQS