starter question

[buckage]

I recently put new motors on my boat, I pulled off a 'rude 255 and was planning to sell it. It took about a month for me to build a stand for it and rewire up the harness and key switch. When I turn the key t ostart, the starter spins and the gear starts to rise to engage the flywhell, but wont reach it to engage. I checked the solenoid and it was ok so I removed the starter. When I connect a fully charger brand new battery to the posts on the starter motor, it spins but still does not push the engage gear all the way up the post....same result as on the motor before I took it off. COuld sitting for a month have caused this or is it now just a weak starter motor...shouldn't it stil go all the way up with no load and just the starter turning? Why would you have to have a starter solenoid to run the starter motor anyway. seems all it does is allow the satrter motor to have voltage only when you turn the key switch to start and would have nothing to do with how high the pinion gear rises...

 

[multimech]

Re: starter question

Jump the solenoid across the main leads, from where the battery cable goes to the solenoid, across to the post that has the large wire going to the starter. Be careful, use a screwdriver or a piece of wire #4 guage. If it jumps up, then you have loss in the solenoid and it needs to be replaced. If it doesn't then check for a good load at the battery post on the solenoid, with a good load tester. Check your grounds.

The solenoid allows you to activate the starter without having huge wires going to your key switch.

 

[buckage]

Re: starter question

well jumped it as you said and same result...starter spins and the gear jups up, just not high enough to engage...this is with a brand new battery, and brand new cables and tight connections....