90 HP Mercury 2-stoke troubleshooting starter

[djpmilfordnh]

I’m sure I’ll have more posts but I’m trying to help a neighbor out. She has a this boat with the 90HP Mercury on it and it’s been sitting for 6 years and she said for what ever reason she can’t get anyone to look at it. So I figured I’d help out.
First thing I did was spray some Marvel Mystery oil in to each cylinder and let it sit and then made sure the pistons weren’t seized up. Then I hooked up a battery and I was able to get a click at the starter, but then nothing. So I pulled off the cowell cover over the flywheel and noticed the starter pinion gear is thrown and it’s not going back in. Now the starter won’t even click. Will the starter not engage if the pinion gear is in the outboard position and engaged with the flywheel? The motor and the starter pinion gear move just fine. And then how does one get the starter gear to disengage?
Plan is now see if it will start, but without the starter working properly, I’m stuck there.

Thanks in advance!!!

Dave

 

[racerone]

Charge the battery and have the battery LOAD TESTED first.----A 3 cylinder or inline 6 cylinder ?

 

[djpmilfordnh]

Charge the battery and have the battery LOAD TESTED first.----A 3 cylinder or inline 6 cylinder ?

3 cylinder - but the bendix gear is not dropping back down. Would the fact that it’s stuck in that position impede the starter from engaging with key? The motor spins freely when I turn the flywheel.
Thanks

 

[guitarplaya39]

It'll still spin while engaged. Mine got stuck in the flywheel and I thought I needed a new starter until I realized the positive terminal on the battery was just slightly loose. Make sure all power connections are solid - it needs a lot of current.

 

[Texasmark]

The spinning starter drives the gear up the shaft. When you remove power to the starter the spring is supposed to return the gear to the motor end of the shaft. Probably rusted and just stuck.

With the gear engaged in the flywheel, the starter motor will either turn the flywheel or the flywheel will turn the starter when the engine is running. With you saying that its stuck in the flywheel, I don't see a battery, power or starter internal motor problem.......power drives the gear up the shaft, not down it! I see you needing some penetrating oil on the gear/shaft and some light tapping with a 2 oz ball peen hammer to loosen it and hopefully it slides down the shaft to the rest position.

Once unstuck take some steel wool and clean the rust out of the starter shaft and apply some lubricating oil to the shaft, moving the gear up and down the shaft with your hand. Once you get things all cleaned up. manually (with your fingers) push the gear up the shaft toward the flywheel and release it. If the spring is functioning, it will return the gear to the rest position...if not, still rust and or weak spring.

 

[djpmilfordnh]

The spinning starter drives the gear up the shaft. When you remove power to the starter the spring is supposed to return the gear to the motor end of the shaft. Probably rusted and just stuck.

With the gear engaged in the flywheel, the starter motor will either turn the flywheel or the flywheel will turn the starter when the engine is running. With you saying that its stuck in the flywheel, I don't see a battery, power or starter internal motor problem.......power drives the gear up the shaft, not down it! I see you needing some penetrating oil on the gear/shaft and some light tapping with a 2 oz ball peen hammer to loosen it and hopefully it slides down the shaft to the rest position.

Once unstuck take some steel wool and clean the rust out of the starter shaft and apply some lubricating oil to the shaft, moving the gear up and down the shaft with your hand. Once you get things all cleaned up. manually (with your fingers) push the gear up the shaft toward the flywheel and release it. If the spring is functioning, it will return the gear to the rest position...if not, still rust and or weak spring.

Thanks TexasMark!!! Very helpful!!!

 

[Silvertip]

Lubricate the shaft with a a silicone lube that resists moisture. Merc starters do tend to stick if not lubricated.