73 650 Mercury Starter/Solenoid diagnostic Help?

[Bow Guy]

I splashed the boat to do some fishing, Started the motor no problem, went about 3 miles and anchored and fished for about a hour. then went to start motor and turned the key and nothing... I turned the key again and pushed the choke button and the choke worked, so i checked some connections to the battery,took the cover off the motor and checked connections and nothing off or loose. so I wrapped a rope I had onboard around the flywheel and with the slightest pull it started right up. so I moved to a different spot fished and when I went to start it the starter spun but did not engage the flywheel umm! pulled it again and moved to another spot, then it started with the key, moved again, had to pull start, moved again started with the key... get the picture..lol suggestions??
Is the starter or solenoid bad ?

 

[MH Hawker]

right off hand it sounds more like a weak battery

 

[Bow Guy]

right off hand it sounds more like a weak battery

Battery is good 12.85 volts on fluke meter... Just turned the key after i checked the battery and it cranked.umm!

 

[merc850]

I think your next step is to disassemble the starter check the starter brushes and clean it if needed Brush dust can pile up at the bottom and cause problems.
Here is a Kiekhaefer starter

 

[MH Hawker]

the very first thing to do is polish the battery connections no mater how they look you can have a invisible layer of corrosion making poor contact thats a very common thing

 

[merc850]

If you are using the wing nuts that most batteries come with ditch them and replace with stainless steel Nylock nuts, they don't loosen or corrode.

 

[Bow Guy]

Ok cleaned all terminals one at a time so I would not cross wires, now I have nothing! no choke and can't even pull start the motor. if I jump the solenoid, the motor will start but as soon as I remove jumper the motor stops...

 

[Bow Guy]

Ok cleaned all terminals one at a time so I would not cross wires, now I have nothing! no choke and can't even pull start the motor. if I jump the solenoid, the motor will start but as soon as I remove jumper the motor stops...

Never mind...I'm a nucklehead....lol