Re: 1991 Force 120 starter ??
I had a similar problem with a starter on my 1990 force 90. If you can afford it, a new starter. IF not you may be able to rebuild it. If you choose to rebuild it, here are some things to check.<br /><br />1) Before you take it apart, scribe a line on the case and each end housing, so you can realine the ends when you put it back together. Mine had factory scribe marks. If you need parts, they may be available for your local Force dealer, if you don't know where he is,
www.mercurymarine.com can help you find him.<br /><br />2) Check to see if the armature has been scraping on the magnets that are mounted in the housing. If they have, you will need to test each segment of the comentator seperatly, verifing none of them are shorted. This would also indicate you may need to replace the upper bushing, the one in the end cap on the bendix end. <br /><br />3) If the armature has not been scraping on the magnets, you may be able to just clean and lube to get it back in service. I would still check the bushing for wear. A little wear is OK, but too much will can cause alighment problems.<br /><br />4) Check the brushes make sure the are long enough to reach the commentator with out any problems of binding. I looked for a factory wear line indicator on mine, but did not find one.<br /><br />5) Make sure none of the brush wires contact the housing.<br /><br />6) I lightly sanded the commentator where the brushes meet with 400 grit sandpaper. A good cleaning lube and a little sanding fixed my problem.<br /><br />7)If you can afford it, buy a new starter.