Starter issues. I can turn the motor by hand with the plugs in...

[studioq]

So my question would be - shouldn't a healthy starter be able to do the same?

Seems mine has lost its torque and won't turn the motor any more. It will engage - but not make it through a full revolution - and just stops, hums and in general sounds unhappy. I've already hit it directly with current, bypassing the other components and gotten the same result. I pulled it apart and aside from being kind of dirty - the brushes are not worn away - or hardly worn at all. The twisted copper wiring of the armature is covered with a brown, hardened, plastic spooge of some sort - which may be normal.. Don't know.. First one I've ever looked at...

I'm just wondering if it's worth trying to rebuild... I'm sure pictures would help... But I'm not certain if a new brush set is all I'm going to need... I've read it needs to be cleaned and occasionally hit with an emery cloth here and there...

 

[Fed]

Make sure the bendix isn't slipping, watch the nut on the top so see if it's spinning while the starter motor appears to be stalled.

 

[racerone]

Model # of your motor ??----They are not all the same.

 

[boobie]

Take it to a rebuild shop where they would have the proper equipment to repair it.

 

[F_R]

Maybe it is the starter and maybe it isn't. You know the battery and cables are good, right (???) How about a dead cell in the battery?

 

[Fed]

I can't recall ever hearing a DC motor humming while it was stalled, my gut is telling me humming is an AC thing which you don't have or a slipping bendix.

 

[oldboat1]

Might take it apart again and spray it thoroughly with electrical cleaner -- see if it helps.

 

[boobie]

If you have a shorted or grounded armature, spraying it with electrical cleaner won't help it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

clean all the battery cable connections, including the back of the starter to block connections.

 

[studioq]

Model # of your motor ??----They are not all the same.

1998 Johnson j50tslecc.

 

[studioq]

clean all the battery cable connections, including the back of the starter to block connections.

This has been done...

 

[studioq]

Maybe it is the starter and maybe it isn't. You know the battery and cables are good, right (???) How about a dead cell in the battery?

The results are the same across two known to be good batteries - fully charged - whether or not you follow the installed electrical system or jump the starter directly, bypassing the solenoid and additional wiring.

 

[studioq]

Make sure the bendix isn't slipping, watch the nut on the top so see if it's spinning while the starter motor appears to be stalled.

This could possibly explain why it's making noise when it's completely stalled..

 

[Chinewalker]

If you take the motor apart, worn brushes will be apparent. They'll be worn down to nubs. If that's the case, a cleanup and new brushes will likely get you going.

 

[studioq]

If you take the motor apart, worn brushes will be apparent. They'll be worn down to nubs. If that's the case, a cleanup and new brushes will likely get you going.

I pulled it apart yesterday and the brushes aren't even worn to a point where you can get them to recess in their housings when you push them in... It looks strangely very good inside... Other than being a little dirty...

 

[racerone]

When the starter was apart did you take an ohm reading from the little shaft to the commutator ?----Should read infinity with a digital meter.-----These armatures can not take long cranking.---I see them shorted out a lot !!!

 

[studioq]

So I disassembled the starter today and blew the whole thing out with electric cleaner - wiped the carbon off the magnet - removed the brushes and gave them a good cleaning too. Blew the crud out of the bendix and reassembled and installed... Here's what I found.

The starter motor will spin up and engage the flywheel - at which point it bogs down and the bendix begins to spin, labored and slow. On a hunch I removed the plugs from the block to relieve the compression and the starter would engage the flywheel and spin it at what would seem to be a serviceable rpm without the added resistance of the plugs being in.

I ran the starter for a while this way just to get it to spin a bit and see what that did - if anything. Replaced the plugs and tried again.
The starter engaged and bogged again - but this time rotated the flywheel once or twice and then it would bog down and the bendix would spin again.

We tried this a few times - having to manually disengage the gear from the flywheel most of the time. Then - after a few cranks it began to drop on its own. Then after several tries the starter, while moaning in agony would eventually turn the motor over. We tried and tried and eventually the motor coughed a few times and came to life.

We shut it off - rested it for a few minutes and tried again with about the same success/ failure rate - and the starter smoked a bit - but between the fighting and the bendix slipping it would eventually turn the motor over and start it... But not with any great reliability...

So that's where we stand... I'm hoping someone can clue me into what the slipping bendix is all about...

 

[studioq]

No Title

A look inside...

 

[Fed]

The smoke could have come from the bendix, I'd replace it they seem to be about $30 & an easy job.
OMC Part # 0586101 Drive Kit.
You could order a pull rope while your at it for just a couple of bucks, everyone should own a pull rope.

 

[racerone]

Have you taken the ohm reading , yes or no ?----Or do you think that is a meaningless test ?