93 40hp Starter Not Engaging-

Starter suddenly stopped engaging flywheel while in Lake. I wrapped a piece of rope around the flywheel and started it and brought it back to the dock. It then started fine. Tried starting it a few more times, now starter does not engage, just spins. Battery is new, connections are good. Tried to jumpstart motor with my truck, starter just spins. Tried a small amount of PB blaster on bendix shaft, starter still will not engage. I don't know everything about these things, but have read a lot of posts, and cannot figure out what's wrong with mine. Any ideas? Also, not sure if you are supposed to be able to, but I tried tapping/pushing starter up onto flywheel and it will not budge. Thanks!
It's a 93 Johnson short shaft, two stroke VRO

Re: 93 40hp Starter Not Engaging-

If you jumped a good battery directly to the starter motor and it doesn't work it seems to me that your starter needs work, boatdude.

Did you jump both the + and - with big cables?

An auto starter shop can rebuild your starter for a lot less than a new one.

Re: 93 40hp Starter Not Engaging-

Thanks for the reply.
UPDATE: Grabbed the gear on the starter with my hand (I know my terminology is slightly lacking) and pulled/twisted it up so it engaged the flywheel. Turned the motor over and it started right up, starter disengaged and now works properly (about 15 more starts with no failures). Looks like it really just needed lube/cleaning, I hope anyway.