What is the voltage the starter should be receiving?

B

BackPayne

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Jun 17, 2010
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6
I have a 1987 Force 50 outboard on my Pontoon and am trying to get it ready to take out on the lake. The motor is having a problem, however.

When I try to start the motor, the starter engages and turns the flywheel but extremely slowly. If I take the spark plugs out it will turn it quite easily. The battery was at 11 volts when trying to start it, yet the starter was only receiving 4 volts. While I am absolutely clueless about boat motors, this sounds quite odd. Could the solenoid be faulty?

If this sounds normal, do you think the starter is weak and needs to be replaced?

Thank you in advance!
-Jeff
 
jerryjerry05

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
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May 7, 2008
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Re: What is the voltage the starter should be receiving?

Battery good? Possible bad cell.Remove the plugs and do a compression/ spark test.
The voltage will drop at the starter because of the draw to turn it over.
Usually the solenoid works or it doesn't.
These starters are easy to disasemble,take it apart and check the condition of the brushes and magnets.J
 
B

BackPayne

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Jun 17, 2010
Messages
6
Re: What is the voltage the starter should be receiving?

Thank you for the reply.

I let the battery charge overnight on a trickle charger and I was able to get the motor to turn over fast enough that I could hear the exhaust.

That's when I started to see smoke! The ground wire running from the starter solenoid to the distribution panel (where all of my wires connect) attached to the motor heated up enough to melt and smoke.

Any advice?
 
B

BackPayne

Cadet
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
6
Re: What is the voltage the starter should be receiving?

Also, could anyone tell me if I wired the negative battery cable incorrectly?
(took them off when redoing the deck)

It's attached where the starter solenoid attaches to the engine case.

I took pictures but cannot find them on my computer.
 
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