Starter just spins and wont engage.

I bought this motor last week, I saw it start and run several times before I bought it( 1980s 70 evinrude). After I got it home and on the boat it wont start. The starter just spins and wont engage. I put a brand new starter on and the same thing. The battery is fully charged(although it is the battery from a 90 mercury). I have searched the forums and found several other people with the same problem and not one thread had the solution or said they got it fixed(beyond checking/cleaning the connections, but no one followed up and said if they got it running or not). I have been working on this boat all summer long and would like to someday take it out on the water. This starter thing is nearing the last straw, any help would be appreciated.

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

first of all make sure the battery [IS] good if so put some thin oil on the starter bendix shaft.

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

Do you have a voltmeter available?
If you do, check what the voltage is right at the starter positive lug when it's cranking.

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

You should be a able to move the pinion up manually and by turning the flyweel clockwise slightly, confirm that the gear will actually engage the flywheel.

If, so, the next step would be to confirm that there is no grease on the shaft that would slow down the starter pinion as it rises.

Then perform voltage drop tests, using a voltmeter to confirm that adequate voltage is reaching the starter.

You do have the positive battery cable on the starter solenoid?

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

Clean every cable connection, including the ground connections and the battery cable connections. Try a different battery, if you don't have a voltmeter to check voltage while the starter is running.

If you've put a new starter on, and it's still doing this, then it's either a weak battery or bad connections.

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

Well I replaced the battery cables with thicker ones and put new copper cable connectors on and that did the trick. It sucks I bought a new starter but I guess the old one will go on EBAY to make up for it. Thanks for the help.

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

Thanks for sharing the solution. I'm sure that it will help others.

Re: Starter just spins and wont engage.

Glad you got it sorted now when do you get on the water ????