2003 Merc. 25 Electric start o.o.o.

I have a 2003 merc. 25 with electric start and when I hit the start button it drives the cog up to the fly wheel but the starter wont turn the motor over. The wire coming off the solenoid [I think that it is the solenoid were the pos. conncts to one stud and this yellow wire to the other goes to the bottom of the starter.] gets super hot. Checked the voltage= 12.25 removed starter cleaned and checked all connections tite. Could this be a bad solenoid? The starter turns freely by hand.

Re: 2003 Merc. 25 Electric start o.o.o.

If the starter spins enough to run the bendix up, I'd first check to make sure the engine isn't seized. Try turning the flywheel by hand. If you can't turn it by hand, neither can the starter. If the engine is ok, connect a jumper cable from the POS terminal on the battery, directly to the large terminal on the starter. If it now spins over, you have some bad cable connections. If it still doesn't go, connect the second jumper cable between the NEG battery terminal and a good ground on the engine block. Now repeat the POS cable test. If it now spins, check the ground cable connection. Checking means to disconnect, clean and reconnect both ends, If the starter doesn't spin when being jumpered, either the battery is bad or the starter is toast.