90 hp Force won't engage starter

[kc8369]

I have a 1991 Bayliner 1800 Capri Bowrider with a 1991 90 HP Force outboard. The boat had been sitting for 5 years. When I got it this spring (for $100), I replaced gear grease, drained fuel tank, replaced fuel filter, spark plugs, sprayed sea foam cleaner in carb. Motor ran after some minor carb adjustments. Began having starter problems after a few weeks. Replaced starter with new starter not rebuilt. The boat started and ran. We used the boat a few times with no problems. Last time out, the starter would engage the flywheel, but would not turn over the motor. Checked battery connection and noticed the negative battery cable was so hot that I could not touch it. Disconnected the battery cable and reconnected and the boat started and ran fine the rest of the day. We tried to start the boat about a month later and the starter again would engage the flywheel, but would not turn it. Negative wire red hot again. Disconnected battery cable again, but it didn't help this time. Flywheel will turn by hand. Took new starter off and reinstalled. Now starter won't spin at all! Sorry for the long post. I know just enough about boats to be dangerous! Please help.

 

[john from md]

Re: 90 hp Force won't engage starter

Take the starter off, and using jumper cables, connect it to a battery and see if it spins. If it does not, it is bad, get a new one. If it does, then check the condition of the boat cables and their grounds. You will need to cut a little insulation away near the ends of the cable to see if it is corroded.

It appears you have either high resistance or a bad starter.

John

 

[kc8369]

Re: 90 hp Force won't engage starter

Thanks for replying John from MD. Checked starter and it seems to spin as it should. Took jumper cables straight from battery to starter bypassing the battery cables in the boat. Negative cable on jumper got hot and starter would engage flywheel but still not spin motor. I even put a charger on the battery to make sure there was enough volts. I was going to replace battery cables since they are the original, but since the jumper cable got hot, I'm not sure what is going on. Any thoughts?

 

[john from md]

Re: 90 hp Force won't engage starter

I think your starter is drawing too much amperage. I can play with my starter half a day in the yard before anything starts to get warm.

The cranking amperage for these starters is 80 to 165 amps and the voltage should never drop below 10 volts.

Since it is new, I would return it and get another. Even the new parts are made in china or some other third world country with the assoiciated lack of reliability and quality control.

John