1987 OMC 3.0L Stern Drive won't turn over

[onabender]

I have a 1987 Harris FloteBote 240 Classic with the 3.0L OMC Stern drive that I am going to be completely restoring. New seats, redecking, new helm, rewiring, new gauges, the works..... I'm wanting to get the motor running first. It ran when it came out of the water last year and I wanted to start it again but last week it would turn over but slow and hard. Yesterday it will just click and not turn over at all, once I saw some sparks fly down by the starter. My batteries are charged and the trim tilts up and down strongly so I didn't think my batteries were weak. Could it just be my starter motor is shot and needs to be rebuilt or replaced? I was wanting to make sure it still ran before I started doing a tune up on it.

 

[tommays]

Re: 1987 OMC 3.0L Stern Drive won't turn over

I would remove clean and sand the connections + and - FIRST before buying any parts


Tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: 1987 OMC 3.0L Stern Drive won't turn over

Did you winterize it or at least drain the engines cooling system before you let it set all winter?

 

[freddyray21]

Re: 1987 OMC 3.0L Stern Drive won't turn over

sparks by the starter? I would first check the connections as suggested. A loose connection will do exactly what you describe.

 

[onabender]

Re: 1987 OMC 3.0L Stern Drive won't turn over

I have a 1987 Harris FloteBote 240 Classic with the 3.0L OMC Stern drive that I am going to be completely restoring. New seats, redecking, new helm, rewiring, new gauges, the works..... I'm wanting to get the motor running first. It ran when it came out of the water last year and I wanted to start it again but last week it would turn over but slow and hard. Yesterday it will just click and not turn over at all, once I saw some sparks fly down by the starter. My batteries are charged and the trim tilts up and down strongly so I didn't think my batteries were weak. Could it just be my starter motor is shot and needs to be rebuilt or replaced? I was wanting to make sure it still ran before I started doing a tune up on it.

 

[onabender]

Re: 1987 OMC 3.0L Stern Drive won't turn over

I cleaned and checked the battery connections, just hadn't done that for the starter yet. I'll be sure to check that next. I did make sure to drain it when I winterized it.