25 hp Chrysler starter wont engage

eurolarva

eurolarva

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The starter gear that spins the flywheel rides up on a shaft called a bendix. This bendix can get dirty and the gear may not be able to travel all the way up. Take a liberal amount of WD 40 and clean the bendix then when all the WD40 has dried oil the bendix with a light weight oil like 3 and 1.

Make sure all contacts are tight, clean and shiny. This includes all wires to the battery, starter and starter solinoid. If you have a DC volt meter check your battery voltage 12 hours after you have charged the battery. The voltage should be around 12.65 volts. If it reads around 12.45 volts battery is at the end of its life and it is time to get a new one.

If none of this helps the next step is to take the starter apart, clean it and reassemble it. It is usually carbon particles mixed with water that cause a sludge and can be cleaned with WD40(do not use oil or any other lubrication inside the starter) When reassembling the starter some mono filiment fishing line works well to hold the brushes in place when you put the cover over it. then cut the line.

Good luck
 
eurolarva

eurolarva

Rear Admiral
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Joined
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Messages
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Re: 25 hp Chrysler starter wont engage

Seems to me the solinoid would not work if power is not applied. There is a wire going to what is called the neutral interlock switch which is located on the starboard side of the motor. There should be a black and yellow or just yellow wire going from that switch to the small lug on the starter solinoid. When key is turned all the way to the right where it is spring loaded 12 volts is applied to this yellow wire which energizes the solinoid and the starter begins to turn. My guess is the ignition switch is not removing the 12 volts to this solinoid and that is why the motor continues to turn over.

The smoke you saw from the solinoid is this. Your starter needs to be taken apart and cleaned. What is happening is that one of the brushes is either damaged or shorting out and the load on the solinoid is too high creating it to smoke. Taking these starters apart is simple. Two screws come off the casing and you raise the casing off the brushes. The only hard part is tying the brushes to the springs and holding them in place when you attempt to put it back together. My first was an alternator when I was 18 and I figured it out. Clean the insides with Qtips and WD40 or contact cleaner and put it back together. Once starter is running correctly we can work on the solinoid.
 
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