CTFishTalk.com: boat won't start. starter question? - Connecticut Boat Repair, Electronics, and Motor Help ( CT Boat Repair, Electronics, and Motor Help ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

next level · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 223 Location: coventry,ct

i have a 1986 johnson 90 hp outboard motor on my boat. the motor has been running awesome and starting with 1 turn of the key everytime for the last 2 years. the last couple of times i took it out it has been making a really weird grinding noise when the starter engages. i took the hood off today and it looks as if the starter and solenoid are working properly. i jumped the positive terminals on the solenoid and the starter engaged and popped up and spun just fine. i then tried it with the key and it was the same result.

the problem is when the starter engages, the gear on the starter hits the underside of the flywheel. it doesn't line up thus making it grind on the bottom of the flywheel and not slide into the flywheel gears to start it. since it's been doing this for the last 2 trips it looks as if the stater gear is ground down and flat on the top now. there are only like 2 teeth that will actually fit into the flywheel teeth. when it does happen to line up and engage the motor runs perfect.

does anyone know if this just sounds like a problem with the gear and not the starter? i really don't want to spend the $ on a new starter when the gear is alot cheaper. also i popped the plastic cap off of the top of the starter shaft and saw the c-clip on the shaft. is that the only thing keeping the gear and springs on?

thanks in advance for anyone's assistance.

Quint's Revenge · Joined: 29 May 2007 Posts: 239 Location: West Haven

The shaft that the gear is on is probably corroded which keeps the shaft from coming up out of the starter and engaging the flywheel cleanly. Throw the starter out and buy a new one or the next issue could be chipped and broken flywheel teeth and a much bigger expense
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next level · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 223 Location: coventry,ct

i located an used starter gear that was in way better shape than mine was and installed it tonight. it seems to be starting on every turn now like it did before. i will be testing it for a full day tomorrow so we'll see if this really fixed it after that.

admin · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject:

nice job congrats... good luck man!
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~ Marc

Just one more cast...

chuckc · Forum Police Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 1440

Good luck!!!