ChicagoDave
Cadet
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Messages
- 12
New to it all - boat ownership, mechanics, this forum, etc. - but not afraid to get my hands dirty. 88 Bayliner Capri, Force 85hp. When the motor starts, it runs great. Problem is, frequently it just won't start. Prior owner claimed it was a poor connection to the battery, and indeed there was some corrosion on the terminal and wires, but I cleaned both until they were pretty shiny, and it's no better. When the problem occurs, I was hearing a relatively quiet clicking in the engine. I removed the motor cover to see what was happening, and the starter is spinning (source of clicking), but the gear on top is spinning free, and it appears to be doing nothing. This gear is very close to, but not actually meshed with a much larger gear (12 inches diameter?). If I had to guess, I would think the starter gear should be lifting as well as spinning when the key is turned, to engage the larger gear and crank it, and then dropping back down when the key is released. Is this simply a matter of insufficient electric power?
Any help would be much appreciated - thanks!
Any help would be much appreciated - thanks!