70hp mercury clicking when trying to start

I just bought this project boat with 70hp merc. It needs a new stator told by seller. When I touched the wires to the battery it turned over once and sparked. I then fastened the wires good and it only clicks. I tryed jumping the solenoid and nothing at all. The worm gear in the starter does nothing. The choke ingages. Could this be related to the stator? Bad starter, solenoid? It did blow the 5amp fuse when first cranked, after replacing the fuse, just clicking? please help

Re: 70hp mercury clicking when trying to start

Are the battery terminals nice and clean or maybe a tightening the cables to the battery

Re: 70hp mercury clicking when trying to start

Weak battery.....since we now know it's not terminal corrosion.

When you hit the start switch, it puts 12v across the starter solenoid and it energizes. Then your battery attempts to send 150 amperes (give or take 50 amperes depending upon hp) to spin the starter and crank the engine. With a weak battery, when it's time to send the 150 amps, it sends what it can and in the process the terminal voltage falls below the holding voltage of the starting solenoid and it disengages. This pulls the current load off the battery and the terminal voltage rises enough to re-engage the solenoid and the process repeats. The clicking rate is determined by system voltage and components.

Mark

Re: 70hp mercury clicking when trying to start

I have just gone through a similar problem, found it was the battery cables, renewed them now the starter motor turns the engine fine.

regards

macca123