1977 70 hp Evinrude starter

[dragula]

Hey everyone, long time reader-first time posting. I’ve got a 1977 70 hp evinrude motor that won’t start. It
turned over when I bought it a month ago and has been sitting underneath a car port since. Battery is good, battery cables are good, starter is not getting any power or anything on my multi meter.

When i I try to crank the starter attempts to move the flywheel followed by an ominous ”grrrrr” sound

 

[racerone]

Perhaps there is / was water on the bearings.------Not good at all.------Perhaps the lower unit is the issue.-----Remove sparkplugs and see if it turns with the emergency starter cord provided in those years.

 

[dragula]

When I flush it with muffs on I can see a small amount of fuel mixed with the water...does that indicate water can get into the gear case? Previous owner didn’t give me a emergency starter cord but I will improvise and get back to you

 

[racerone]

That is not an indication of water getting into the gearcase.----But if this 40 year old motor still has original seals it is best to install a seal kit.----Certainly cheaper than gears and bearings.

 

[dragula]

Ok...I just ran a load test on my battery now and it read 12.34 before I started it then 2.something as it was trying to turn over. Battery is toast right?

 

[hardwater fisherman]

Are you saying the battery drops down to under 3 volts while the engine is turning over?

 

[dragula]

Correct multimeter reads less than three when turning the key

 

[dragula]

Just seems weird because battery is fairly new and I have no electronics on the boat other than the electric start

 

[hardwater fisherman]

I have limited outboard experience compared to most people here..... But it sounds like either the battery is not good or as with many times the cables are not tight/clean or in poor shape.... If you have some good booster cables you can put the ground to the starter BRACKET and touch the positive to the positive LUG on the starter and see if it turns faster... And if it does turn the starter faster then inspect the cables further...

 

[dragula]

Yeah I did that when I took the starter off and it spun like a top. Just don’t know what the battery is supposed to read when it delivers the power to the solenoid. Apparently it’s 9.5+ cause that’s what the solenoid is supposed to read so definitely battery or cabels

 

[Fed]

Did you measure the battery cranking voltage right at the battery posts or somewhere else like the lugs?

 

[David Young]

If your car is close enough to your boat, use jumper cables and see if it will turn over.

 

[dragula]

I tested the voltage drop right at battery posts.

Car wont reach unless I move the boat.

Rope start with spark plugs: hard to move flywheel...quit after it jumped on my transom

Rope start without spark plugs: flywheel made full rotation just fine

Working on getting a fresh battery but I guess I still have a problem with my flywheel turning...

 

[dragula]

Should I hook cables directly to their respected positions on my starter and try to get more power that way?

 

[Fed]

3 Volts at the battery posts while cranking is not enough, recharge the battery.

 

[racerone]

Well, ----I would take the starter apart for inspection.-----Nothing to it and costs no coins.------You will be surprised at how easy this is .----You will have a definite answer after this inspection.-----Guessing does not work.-----And starter will spin easily on the workbench because it does not have to " work " to turn itself !!