1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

[mcdgary]

Problem found! The ground cable, which is about 8 feet long, had a nick in the insulation where it ran in the transom well from battery to motor. Over the years corrosion began to eat the copper wires in the cable and eventually got me to the point of my post. Whiffs of smoke that I observed were coming from the bad spot in the cable and not from the motor as I thought. New #4 gauge cable I built installed and bingo -- no starter problem.

 

[reeldutch]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

i had the same problem this week i just went to a marina and bought a good used starter.<br />i spended 76 dollars and i have a 30 day warantee on it.<br />i checked the brushes and all cables i couldn;t figure it out either.<br /><br />good luck<br /><br />reeldutch

 

[JB]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

Check the electrical connection between the starter case and the engine block. Also double check the ground cable where it connects to the block.<br /><br />"Outboard wont start" in FAQ gives voltage readings for troubleshooting the starter circuit.

 

[OBJ]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

^

 

[OBJ]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

mc.....when you brushed the commutator (that's the place the brushes set) did you shine it up? Or...is it still really really dark. You may have real poor contact between the brushes and the commutator. What I have found effective is to chuck the stator up in a high speed drill, use lite emory paper to get the heavy off and polish with crocise cloth. Make sure the grooves between the bars are clean.<br /><br />If this does not work, you may have a bad winding or two in the stator. The only way to find this out is with a "growler".<br /><br />New brushes wouldn't hurt.

 

[mcdgary]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

^

 

[mcdgary]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

 

[DJ]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

"well greased on shaft"? That may be your problem. Clean off all the grease with WD-40.

 

[Solittle]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

How old are the cables? Sometimes they will look good & clean on the outside & be heavily corroded on the inside.

 

[mcdgary]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

Originally posted by SoLittle:<br /> How old are the cables? Sometimes they will look good & clean on the outside & be heavily corroded on the inside.

Good point, which I have learned over the years, but this was iliminated early in the prognosis.

 

[mcdgary]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

Originally posted by DJ:<br /> "well greased on shaft"? That may be your problem. Clean off all the grease with WD-40.

Good and reasonable response, but maybe I should have stated at first, "Well oil and clean on the shaft."

 

[mcdgary]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

Originally posted by OBJ:<br /> mc.....when you brushed the commutator (that's the place the brushes set) did you shine it up? Or...is it still really really dark. You may have real poor contact between the brushes and the commutator. What I have found effective is to chuck the stator up in a high speed drill, use lite emory paper to get the heavy off and polish with crocise cloth. Make sure the grooves between the bars are clean.<br /><br />If this does not work, you may have a bad winding or two in the stator. The only way to find this out is with a "growler".<br /><br />New brushes wouldn't hurt.

Good response, you are probably hitting the nail on the head. Not familiar with crocise cloth. Since I have seen excessive soot that indicates something is burning, however, starter case does not seem to be getting hot after I clean and retry. On the first disassembly and remount I believe a whiff of smoke was observed, which maybe indicates problem in the stator.

 

[mcdgary]

Re: 1976 115HP Evinrude Starter Problem - Solved

Originally posted by SoLittle:<br /> How old are the cables? Sometimes they will look good & clean on the outside & be heavily corroded on the inside.

^ You were right. I had a badly corroded battery ground cable midway between battery and motor that I failed to find, although, I had said that I had eliminated that problem. Thanks.