2000 Mercury Marine 90 HP Starter Bendix wont engage flywheel

[phogfan]

Hey fellas,
Got another one...

Outboard Mercury Marine 90HP. Starter Bendix gear just spins and wont rise up and engage flywheel. Have replaced starter and solenoid. Same results. Even crossed the posts on the solenoid and still same thing. Looking for some other things to try before a trip to the repair shop.

Thanks!

 

[GA_Boater]

Battery and all connections clean enough to eat off of.

 

[phogfan]

Yep. Just cleaned all contacts last night and again this this morning. Strange that it's doing the same thing after starter and solenoid replacement. Obviously that makes me think it's outside of those two items but that's where my experience and knowledge kind of stop.
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[phogfan]

Okay I've got an update. I connect to the starter directly to the post on the starter. I don't know if that's the right way to go about it but the Bendix gear engaged into the flywheel. This tells me I don't have enough voltage going to the solenoid or it's not pushing enough to the starter. When I go to connect the charger / starter to the batteries it doesn't engage

 

[racerone]

You replaced the starter.---Yes , but with a factory new one , or something else ?----Did you inspect / test the old starter or just assumed it was bad ?----Did you load test your battery even if it was new ?----This should be an easy fix / exercise !

 

[phogfan]

OK. All good. Poor battery contacts and poor voltage (which is weird because they've been on charge). I connected 2 batteries in parallel and threw the charger on it. Fired right up.
May have a weak battery. Will need to load test next.
Thanks everyone!!
This round of stupidity only cost me $60 and 2 weeks of no boat.,

 

[GA_Boater]

I don't know if you have a meter to check battery voltage, but when you do always check the voltage on the post and the cable. That tells you if the voltage is different, the connection is poor. Also when hooking up a charger, most of us put the leads on the cable and with a poor connection between the posts and cables, the battery may or not charge or may take a longer time.

Shoulda asked 2 weeks ago. :smile: