steve anchors reach

i have a mariner 75 1990's 3 cylinder.
the engine has been winterised as in fresh water run through it, i have bought a new battery and all i get when trying to start is a click at the starter area.I've tried for loose connections and cleaned all terminals but no joy.
has anyone got any ideas.

Steve

Re: steve anchors reach

Can you see if the little gear on the starter motor is engaged in the flywheel teeth?

Can you turn the motor over by hand.

If the gear is not engaged and it turns over by hand you may have a bad starter solonoid

Re: steve anchors reach

yea i have taken the covers off and the little gear engages sometimes and not others, then it sometimes just spins.
the motor turns over with a socket on the fly wheel so its not seized.
where is the soilenoid fitted?

Re: steve anchors reach

On my mercury there is a large electrical panel and the solonoid is inside there. You will need to remove the cover.

Put a drop of oil on the starter shaft the little gear is on. When you hit the starter the gear should jump up and engage the teeth on the flywheel.

Re: steve anchors reach

You are experiencing weak current to the starter. First thing I would do is to REMOVE and clean (the surfaces that touch each other, not just skim over the outside of the existing connections) every terminal in the loop from the battery red terminal to the engine (usually attaches to one of the solenoid leads on the port side of most engines.....answers that question on location) on to the other solenoid terminal and off to the starter.

Then clean where the starter mounts to the engine block (ground connection if there isn't a dedicated ground terminal on the starter as some engines have). Go back to the battery and do the same on the ground wiring at the battery and back to the engine. While doing that, check the crimp on terminals on the power leads ensuring that they aren't corroded up and if so, replace them......Then...... think about taking a pair of common pliers and jumping across the solenoid terminals to see if it is the problem. Usually they aren't unless the engine has had a lot of starts. The internal terminals arc over when operated and after awhile the arcing pits the terminals thus reducing the surface area of the connection. They touch, but can't carry enough current to start the engine.

Last, it takes from 100 to 200 amperes to start most engines and that takes a battery in good condition and good current carrying conductors. I assume the new battery is fully charged (by you after you got it home) and is equivalent to at least a size 24 having adequate capacity to do the job.

HTH,

Mark