1973 Evinrude 65hp "won't crank" - problem solved.

[fuzzynugget]

I was going to make a long post on here yesterday about my motor, but was fortunate enough to find the problem today. So, this thread is more or less just to help someone if they are experiencing the same issue that I was.

Problem - I had 2 1973 Evinrude "triumph" 65 hp identical outboards. One recently messed up, so I switched out the motors. As soon as I put the new one in and hooked it up, it would not crank the motor over. My key and controls were left from the old motor, so I knew they were good. I changed out neutral safety switch in the controller (and the other switch on the motor as well) the inline starter / key fuse on motor. I also switched out the starter and the solenoids. Still no go, no fire. I checked with meter (grounded to motor block) and was received 12v to the large input post and 12 v to the small "starter" pin on solenoid when the key was engaged. The starter would crank motor over if I jumped directly to it, but it would NOT turn over with the key. Things were really pointing towards the solenoid, even though I was reasonably sure that the solenoid was good. I even took the solenoid from the recently-running motor and put it on..no go. I purchased a new solenoid just to be sure and it still would not crank.

It was then that I had an epiphany, it dawned on me that 12+v on the solenoid doesn't mean much if there also isn't a good ground on the solenoid as well. There were NO other wires (other than hot) going to solenoid. My "old" solenoid had a metal strap on it where it touched the engine block, the new one did not. I quickly ran a wire from the engine block to the "other" small pin on the solenoid...voila, engine cranked over!!! Problem solved, was solenoid GROUND.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1973 Evinrude 65hp "won't crank" - problem solved.

The solenoid with the metal strap was likely a car solenoid. Marine ones get their coil ground through the other small post. The safety switches (if equipped) go into the ground side circuit to prevent cranking when the motor is in gear.
Using an auto solenoid in some motors causes the safety switch to burn up because the other small post is directly wired to first small post so there is no current limiting of the post through the solenoid coil.

 

[fuzzynugget]

Re: 1973 Evinrude 65hp "won't crank" - problem solved.

I do believe they were using an auto solenoid on the one motor. Here's the funny thing, I have two backup motors -the one I had pulled off, and then another for parts (same years, same motor) and neither of them had the grounded solenoid either. There were no wires running from the solenoids to ground, nor a metal grounding plate. I kept trying to use them to isolate the problem. I figured all three couldn't be wrong - apparently they were.

 

[F_R]

Re: 1973 Evinrude 65hp "won't crank" - problem solved.

You wrote: "It was then that I had an epiphany, it dawned on me that 12+v on the solenoid doesn't mean much if there also isn't a good ground on the solenoid as well. There were NO other wires (other than hot) going to solenoid. My "old" solenoid had a metal strap on it where it touched the engine block, the new one did not. I quickly ran a wire from the engine block to the "other" small pin on the solenoid...voila, engine cranked over!!! Problem solved, was solenoid GROUND. "

Your "old" one was the wrong one, if it grounded through the mounting strap. The new one is the correct one. The circuit is key switch to one small terminal -> through the magnet coil inside the solenoid -> out the other small terminal -> ground (or safety switch, if it has one). That's the way it is supposed to be.

There ARE car solenoids that look exactly like it, but are different inside. That confuses many people, including the guy at the parts store.