Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

matcor9925 · Apr 29, 2009

Has anyone installed an automobile starter successfully on a force outboard? I'm looking at older model car starters vs. marine starters and most cost less than half of their marine counterpart. My starter part no. is 50-F616955-1. Can anyone give me some pointers on which car make/model might work or if this is just a bad idea altogether? Thanks...

pnwboat · Apr 30, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Probably not worth the effort to adapt a car starter. Most of the automotive starters have a nose piece that supports one end of the pinion shaft. This would have to be removed, or major structural modifications done to the block to make it work with the nose piece. I've seen some out on the internet for reasonable prices. Less than $100.

capri1600 · Apr 30, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Totally not worth the effort tryiong to save that little bit of money. The outboatd starter is more compact and lighter and readily available from any number of sources. Purchase the correct starter for your engine and go enjoy your boat. Unless you have starting issues that one purchase should last for a long, long time. If you are wearing out starters you have other issues such as tuning, timing or ignition you are trying to make up for with excessive cranking.

matcor9925 · Apr 30, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

pnwboat,

You mentioned that you've seen some starters on the web for under $100. The cheapest I could find was around $140. Can you forward a link for the starters that you've found? Also, what starter manufacturers do you all prefer as far as value is concerned? Sierra? Arco? Thanks.

pnwboat · Apr 30, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Sent you a PM.

matcor9925 · May 6, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

I got the starter from DB electrical but the bendix gear dis-engages from the flywheel after about half a second and the starter shaft is still spinning quickly. I've checked for faulty connections and low battery voltage> I'm getting 12V at the battery and 12 V at the cable that connects the starter to the solenoid. The bendix drive is not sticking as it moves up/down the starter shaft but went ahead and lubed the bendix path anyway. I really think that the return spring is putting too much downward force on the bendix gear. Has anyone seen a similar issue with the return spring on a new starter? I'm thinking of putting the "broken in" spring from my old starter on the new one. Sound thinking?

CapCramer · May 7, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Some of the bendix being sold latley have been known to have sloppy clearances. Take the bendix up half way by hand and see if there is excessive slop in there between the start shaft and the bendix bushing. Sometimes this slop results in the bendix being released prematurely. HTH.

Silvertip · May 7, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Do not screw with the starter. You have other issues. Measuring 12 volts with no load means nothing. You need to measure voltage with the starter engaged. How old is the battery? Have it load tested. When was the engine tuned last. Starters have "overrun" protection built into them. This allows the bendix to be "kicked" out when the engine begins spinning faster than the bendix. What may be happening is the second the engine fires (usually too soon), it kicks out the bendix.

matcor9925 · May 7, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

I'll measure volts with the starter engaged tonight. The battery is less than a year old (store brand bought from Bass Pro Shop). Last tune up was a month ago.

Help me out with the load test: what are the parameters? How much load do i need to put on the battery? Am I measuring volts under load? Cold cranking amps? What would be out of spec?

The reason I'm leaning towards identifying this as only an issue with the new starter issue is because up until a week ago the motor was starting right up with no issues(with the old starter). The (old) starter eventually quit (the armature had so much rust that it was essentially frozen). So I don't think there is an issue with the timing or battery......

matcor9925 · May 14, 2009

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Load tested battery at two different locations, both tests passed.

Ran new battery and ground cables- still having same issue.

I removed the plug wires thinking there may be an issue with the ignition timing- still having same issue

I tried removing the spark plugs and the starter stayed engaged with the flywheel and spun it as long as I had the key turned. It seems to work when it doesn't have to deal with the cylinder compression.

As I turn the flywheel (with spark plugs connected) there is approx. 20 degrees of rotation that has a lot of drag, followed by approx. 20 degrees that rotates with relative ease and keeps repeating this pattern. Is this correct? I'm thinking that the bendix is dis-engaging when it gets to the 20 degrees that has less drag.

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this subject but could the starter be too "weak"?

Sincererly,
At wits END!

kywings · Jul 7, 2011

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

Dont know if you have found a solution but I also have this issue. If I tighten the nut on the top all the way, it exhibits the exact same problem. So I kept turning the nut out until it worked!?? So I put lock tight on it and only turned the nut to the depth it seemed to work. Has worked for 2 months. Please note I have a host of issues with this motor and am new to outboards but learning. For now I can start my boat. Battery is good. Motor takes work to start.

jerryjerry05 · Jul 8, 2011

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

First do a compression/spark test just in case.
Low compression can cause hard starting.J

fucawi · Jul 8, 2011

Re: Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

The sping refered to is not an return spring its an anti rattle spring so the pinion does not move up under vibration into the flywheel. You cannot use an auto Inertia starter as the pinion moves towards the starter not away from it like an outboard type... A pre engaged auto type would work fine if you could get it in and being pre engaged would hold in mesh .

Automobile starter for 1998 75HP Force outboard?

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