starter always engaged (battery disconnected) turns freely Mariner 60 elpto

[LundTamer]

See picture... using a remote switch to jump battery power to the ignition connection at the starter solenoid, the motor would crank over just fine. I noticed however that the starter is not coming back down like it was before... normally it would lift up to engage the fly-wheel... now it just stays up. It does not seem to be mechanically jambed.. everything rotates free... no major binding. Just to be sure I disconnected all power from the battery, and checked voltage at the ignition port of the solenoid.... no voltage.
I tried rotating the flywheel clockwise (by hand) but the starter gear does not go down, I tapped on it and a metal to metal knock is heard inside the starter as if something is holding it up. I sprayed some wd-40 around the shaft to see if that will help.. the engine is not running right now due to an ignition fault... need to get this to drop down for when the motor is ready to spark... ...... any idea how to get it to drop back down? time for a new starter.....? I didn't want to hammer on it too hard if there is something else to check... thanks for any tips.

 

[GA_Boater]

Try turning the flywheel CCW. That is how the bendix is dropped when the motor starts and exceeds the starter speed. Then oil/grease the bendix, it looks like it's sticking.

 

[LundTamer]

thanks.... I can move it forward... backward, and I can jiggle it within the lash play with the flywheel... it doesn't go down... strange. I'm wondering if it needs more force or if there is something disslodged in the starter preventing it from retracting... I don't really know what the internals look like I think I may have to remove it and see how far I can tear it down to verify if it is fixable. I may just order a starter then use this one for a spare if I find I can fix it. Its just strange that it was working fine one day with no hint of an issue... now it doesn't go down at all...

 

[hotrod53]

Make sure that the shaft is lubed but NEVER turn your engine backwards! Your rubber impeller gets set in that one direction inside the impeller cup. Turning it backwards you run the risk of thrashing your impeller!

 

[LundTamer]

Thanks for the warning on the impeller I will be checking the water flow on start-up to be safe!!! another item to add to the list! well the wd-40 didn't seem to do anything... looks like many new starters are $58-65 range shipped... I'll likely go that route....
not sure how far the current one will come apart without special tools or processes... i.e. to check the internals and lube something but I will check that out a bit later... so now I'm up to a new switch box enroute (159$ ebay), new voltage regulator enroute ($35 bux from amazon)... and new starter.


Who said fishing is cheap..?! j/king... given its a 1995 going on 20 years old and I don't really know but it is possible some of these are original parts.... hopefully it it is good to go for many years to come.

 

[enginepower]

You shouldn't need a new starter unless you break it. Lightly tap on gear to get it unstuck then lube it up. If it doesn't want to go, have somebody turn flywheel slowly by hand while you try. Mine did this and a little lube has been working fine for a year now.

 

[LundTamer]

Well mysteriously it fixed itself... after it started working I discovered one simple fact... the rod does not move up and down... only the gear moves up and down on the helical splines on the rod.... doh... my first outboard. If I had realized that I might have been able to focus directly on the gear and tap on that to free it up... in any case I lubed the area between the shaft and the gear now so those helical splines should be good to go for next time... just seems to be enough play in there that with some friction it can bind. Just posting this in case it helps someone else (no need to tap on the end of the rod or jamb nuts!!! lol)

 

[gm280]

LundTamer, there is usually a spring there to assist in returning the starter gear back to its original place. Maybe that spring is broken...

 

[LundTamer]

its there and intact but doesn't look that strong and probably wouldn't hurt to replace it. its probably done more than its duty.

 

[Silvertip]

This is a common issue on Mercs. Clean the groves in the shaft and lubricate it with a silicone spray. No grease. It collects dirt and you will have the same problem again. After you clean those grooves, check carefully for burs that may cause the sticking problem. If this happens repeatedly, simply replace the bendix as the nubs that ride in the grooves in the shaft may be worn which can cause the sticking as well.