Starter solenoid crapped out?

[mikeyzx2]

I took my old runabout to the river today to give it a whirl and when I got in and turned the key I got zilch. I double checked my battery connections and figured the keyswitch must've bit the dust.

I picked up a new switch on the way home and put it in and still I get nothing. I swapped out batteries just in case and checked all my connections again, still nothing happens.

I don't know if it's possible to test, but I put 12V to the pos post of the solenoid and tried to ground it to see if I got a sound from it. Nothing happened. Don't they usually make a sound when they actuate?

The motor in question is a 1967 Evinrude Lark 40hp, with the generator and electric shift. Last time I had it on the water is started up and ran just fine, but I had ignition problems.

 

[JB]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

"Outboard won't start" in Engine FAQs.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

One small 3/8" nut terminal connected to negative terminal of battery.

Positive 12v of battery connected to remaining small 3/8" nut terminal.

Solenoid should click and engage firmly.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

I jumped the solenoid, nothing happens. Looks like the solenoid's gone south. I could engage the starter upstream of the solenoid so cables and battery are good.

I shoulda checked the "Outboard won't start" thread like JB said. It covered everything I needed to know.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Alright, here's what I have......

I thought the solenoid was bad, it's fine I just checked it wrong.

I thought the keyswitch was bad, I replaced it which I'm okay with because now I have a spare key and confidence that it's wired correctly.

I still don't get anything, the battery reads 13+ volts and I can jump the starter.

Okay.......I get 13+ volts when I probe the pos cable at the solenoid. There's a 10 gauge green wire that's also connected there and runs through the harness to the amp gauge in the panel. I only get 3 volts or so when tested there, so 10 volts are lost. I really hate the fact that I'll have to tear the covering off of the harness so check out the wires, but looks like it has to be done.

If the wire in question is shot, will I get high resistance if I check it?

Can I replace the rubber harness sheath also? I haven't looked online yet.

 

[quackaddict1]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Have you looked at the grounding of the solenoid? I had an issue almost exactly like yours and I had a bad ground for the solenoid. Try grounding one of the poles to the motor and see what that does for you.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Did you check the power fuse that's located in one of the smaller wires leading from that starter solenoid?

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Did you check the power fuse that's located in one of the smaller wires leading from that starter solenoid?

Hey Joe,

Funny you ask that....there's not a single fuse on that wiring harness anywhere.

Here's what I checked out today after talking to electrician at work:

I bought a length of wire to bypass what I suspected as a faulty wire. When I hooked it up to solenoid (battery side) and ran it to key switch I still don't get a single thing. I went ahead and probed it with volt meter and only get around 5 volts, but that's using bare aluminum of boat as ground. If I use battery as ground I get 13.1 volts.

The key switch doesn't have a ground connection, the only grounds I know of are the battery to powerhead ground and regulator ground.

I've double checked but I still don't have a clue what's going on. It has to be something just plain simple but I'm stumped.

Thanks for the advice so far. By the way, I'm using a 1969 Lark manual for reference, it seems pretty much the same as my 1967.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Problem solved.........but not quite! (I think)

I believe the safety switch is either bad or out of adjustment.

I turned the key and moved the throttle lever back and forth, and the starter would occasionally hit. I messed with the switch, but still had just random hits from the starter when messing with the lever.

It hit once, and the dadgum starter just kept cranking the motor even after I turned off the key and pulled it out of switch. I had to hurry and unhook a battery cable in case the motor dry started.

Hmmmmmm.........

 

[F_R]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Use a bit of logic here. All voltage tests should be done with the battery (-) negative as a ground..not the boat.

OK, the 10 GA green wire at the solenoid should have full battery voltage because it is connected to the battery (+) through the red cable.

That green wire goes to the ignition switch and when key in the start position, back to one of the 3/8" nuts (via a white wire) on the solenoid. So, when key in start postion, there should be full battery voltage at that 3/8" nut also.

Now, that isn't enough. the other 3/8" nut needs to be grounded....NOT to ground but to the starting safety switch on the powerhead. The safety switch completes the ground. So...how to check that? With key in start position, there should be battery voltage at the one 3/8 nut as previously verified, AND there should be Zero volts at the other 3/8" nut. If you have battery voltage there on that one, the safety switch is open (throttle position) or burned up, or there is a broken wire between the safety switch and solenoid.

If those voltages at the nuts check out, 12V & 0V, the solenoid should click and the starter should run.

OR, you did like most people and ran out and bought a car solenoid. That won't work. Unless you modify the wiring and that causes other issues that will bug you later. Just don't do that, get a correct solenoid. They look alike but aren't. Or put your old one back in, it may be ok. At least it is till you do the tests that I just mentioned.

Also. don't neglect the ground cable, motor to battery.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Heard enough about not using automotive solenoids, I have the real deal. Or should I say, a spare one most likely.

Now I was being a bit of a DA, thinking that I could use the boat as a ground, like you can a car. Not quite, I figured that out.

Just to be on the right page, when the safety switch button is pressed in, it opens the circuit allowing starting. If that's so, then I think the switch may be going out.

Is this Frank?

 

[F_R]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Um, let me think about that. Actually I have to look at a motor to refresh my brain cells, and I don't have a motor handy. But I'm thinking that pushing the button in closes the switch. Anyway, whichever way it is, when the throttle is at a "slow" setting the switch is closed. That is to say that it grounds the white wire at slow throttle. Grounding the white wire allows starting. A grounded white wire is the reason for the zero volts reading at the solenoid nut because you can't have voltage at ground.

Grounding the white wire also permits operation of the vacuum cut-out switch, which you don't want operating at high throttle settings. That is why you shouldn't merely attach the wire to ground instead of using the safety switch.

Yep, you got me.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: Starter solenoid crapped out?

Yep, I can always rely on you, Garry, Joe Reeves, and the other OMC gurus. I'm sorta electric start motor stupid as I like to stick with the manual start small kicker motors like my old Mercs, Elgin, and 1940 LT-10. Much easier to diagnose.

I'm glad you mentioned not just grounding the wire, bypassing the switch. I did read in the book that it ties in the vacuum cutout switch so best to fix it right and not take shortcuts.

Thanks for the help, I'll have it worked out soon. Can't get out and check out the girls on the water when it's sitting at the dock, dead as a doornail.