1986 Sleekcraft Mercruiser I/O 260HP engine- solenoid clicks, engine wont turn

[eside61]

Hi,

Gauges work, solenoid clicks when I turn the key but the engine won't turn. Taken the boat out and it ran fine. When I docked, I noticed my out drive wouldn't lift up. I tried to start engine and the solenoid just clicked. Ended up unbolting the lifts and roped the outdrive up. Any leads? thanks.

 

[bigdaddypt]

This should be posted in the Mercruiser I/O section. This section is for Mercury/Mariner outboards.

First thing I would do is check to make sure your battery is fully charged. If it has lost charge, it is possible that electrical components requiring little power might seem to work fine but components needing a fully charged battery won't work. Powering the starter and the trim/tilt pump certainly qualify as electrical components needing a fully charged battery.

Besides that, it could be 2 separate things. As far as the starter. Take a screwdriver and jump the two large bolts on the solenoid to see if that turns the motor. If it does, your solenoid is junk. If it doesn't, your starter is junk.