Starting/starter Issues

Ok i'm having a weird issue with starting my motor. Is a 82 2 cyl 2 stroke 40hp.
I'm new to bigger outboards.... I'm fine with cars, but never dealt with a permanent magnet starter.


To start, the battery is sitting at 12.78 V after sitting for 24 hours after running. So I don't think its a bad battery.

Turn the key, get a weird "grinding" noise, doesn't really sound like grinding, but more the starter motor is having trouble turning. try a few times all with the same result.

Now disconnect the battery and leave it disconnected for 30 seconds, hook it back it and usually it cranks right over. Sometimes need to repeat the disconnecting, but usually it starts right up. Go out on the lake, I can turn it off, swim and it starts right up an hour later. It once didn't start on the lake, but it had been sitting more like 3 hours that time, disconnect, reconnect and it good to go.

All the connections at the starter, battery and whatnot are tight and appear in good condition.

Any ideas?

Bad starter? Bad contactor/solenoid? (it almost looks like the PO replaced the contactor/solenoid recently, its nice and clean without the 2 stroke grime on it yet, I bought the boat a couple months ago)

Re: Starting/starter Issues

No one huh? Guess its as weird to everyone else as it is to me....

Re: Starting/starter Issues

Try lubricating the starter bendix and shaft.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

bendix is well lubed. Ill check the shaft tonight.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

One of the standard trouble shooting things is to take apart ever connection no matter how good it may look and polish and tighten it. That is 70 % of starter problems.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

MH Hawker said:

One of the standard trouble shooting things is to take apart ever connection no matter how good it may look and polish and tighten it. That is 70 % of starter problems.

Click to expand...

I didn't polish, but i visually checked and tightened every connection. However i don't think its a bad connection since it will crank over just fine after disconnecting it from the battery.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

You may well be right but again its a extremely common problem and the 70 % would of sworn the same thing. MY self included. And if that isnt the problem then you have eliminated one very common cause and it dosnt cost you any thing but a bit of time and go over the pos and neg wires.

I had a problem with mine earlier this year. It would cold start fine, then after a 30 minute plus run up the lake it would not hit a lick unless you turned the key about 10 times. That turned out to be the solenoid with a heat soak problem. Once the motor got warm the solenoid would not work right.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

Assuming clean tight, corrosion free positives and grounds everywhere...........

You either have a:

A)Starter with a shorted armature or a bunch of debris blocking contact on the brushes.

Or

B)A solenoid with corrosion on its contact bridge (not likely in this case).

You say you?re fine with cars? So you should have a 12 volt probe tester. If not, it?s the best $5 tool you can own. When the starter isn?t engaging, see if your test light will light up when probed to the positive lead bolted to the bottom of the starter. If you can?t reach the key switch and motor at the same time, get a helper. If no one?s around, turn the key to the crank position and tape it there. Power to the starter but no engagement, then the starter is bad. No power to the starter, then probe the ?in? and ?out? side of the solenoid. There?s not much to a starter circuit. If this is beyond your abilities, any reputable repair shop can diagnose it for you.

The battery disconnect is circumstantial. That?s the way those Mercury starters on 40?s (2 cylinder) start to die.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

Anchor Marine Repair LLC said:

Assuming clean tight, corrosion free positives and grounds everywhere...........

You either have a:

A)Starter with a shorted armature or a bunch of debris blocking contact on the brushes.

Or

B)A solenoid with corrosion on its contact bridge (not likely in this case).

You say you’re fine with cars? So you should have a 12 volt probe tester. If not, it’s the best $5 tool you can own. When the starter isn’t engaging, see if your test light will light up when probed to the positive lead bolted to the bottom of the starter. If you can’t reach the key switch and motor at the same time, get a helper. If no one’s around, turn the key to the crank position and tape it there. Power to the starter but no engagement, then the starter is bad. No power to the starter, then probe the ‘in’ and ‘out’ side of the solenoid. There’s not much to a starter circuit. If this is beyond your abilities, any reputable repair shop can diagnose it for you.

The battery disconnect is circumstantial. That’s the way those Mercury starters on 40’s (2 cylinder) start to die.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll be see if I can get a my wife to help tomorrow. I have a probe and multimeter, Should be no problem to check.

So does it just sound like a dieing starter to you?

Re: Starting/starter Issues

Yep, a dieing starter. This motor has one of the rare ones that will die slow. Most outboards are good or bad.

Here's a helpful manual for you.I realize it's not for your particular vintage, but all starters work the same. Give it some time to load, it's a lot of information.

Boatinfo - Mercury Service Manual for 30-40hp 2 cylinder

Re: Starting/starter Issues

Arrr.. Guess it's time for a new one... Now to find one....

Re: Starting/starter Issues

MH Hawker said:

One of the standard trouble shooting things is to take apart ever connection no matter how good it may look and polish and tighten it. That is 70 % of starter problems.

Click to expand...

Hawker gets a gold star. I was thinking about why removing the positive connection would do anything, and my head went 'moving a loose connection' I replaced the connector on that lead and its been starting since! Its still a little slow at times though.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

Also, just because you have 12.7 volts, doesnt mean the battery is good. You need to hold the volt meter on the battery while cranking, its all about amps not volts (volts are of course needed as well). I had a battery i thought was good, 12.8 volts on it after sitting for 6 months, once the starter engaged, dropped down to 4 or 5 volts because the battery was toast and could not handle any kind of load...

Re: Starting/starter Issues

snowbrd84 said:

Also, just because you have 12.7 volts, doesnt mean the battery is good. You need to hold the volt meter on the battery while cranking, its all about amps not volts (volts are of course needed as well). I had a battery i thought was good, 12.8 volts on it after sitting for 6 months, once the starter engaged, dropped down to 4 or 5 volts because the battery was toast and could not handle any kind of load...

Click to expand...

Ill try that tonight. But running the stereo for a couple hours doesn't seem to effect starting afterwards.

Re: Starting/starter Issues

I've had my starter rebuilt twice, they only charge $50.00 at a local shop and they guarantee it for 12 months, it's less than half the price of a new one for my motor. Sounds like your brushes could be going on yours.