Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

[fulltilt01]

I have a 1990 evinrude 150 and the problem with it is the starter just spins real slow and will not engage the flywheel. If I bring it up and make it engage it will barely spin the motor over. I have replaced the battery with a new one no luck. I replaced the solenoid no luck. I replaced the key switch no luck. I replaced the starter no luck. I put new battery cables on no luck!!!!!!!!! If I hook up direct power to the start and bypass the solenoid the starter works perfect and turns over perfect. If I run a voltmeter to the solenoid i get 12 volts and if I disconnect it from the starter I get 12 volts out of the solenoid but if it is connected it to the starter and turn the key I get 6 volts. Any Help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks Brandon

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

First thought is the new selonoid is bad or the connections to it are bad. Did you replace the ground wire and clean the connection at the engine? Also, you should read higher than 12 volts at the battery...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

You have a bad connection somewhere. Since you only get six volts out of the solenoid when engaged, also check INTO the solenoid and I'll bet you get six volts there as well. One of your battery cables is not making a firm connection -- either at the battery or at the engine. When taking voltage measurements you will not detect a problem such as yours with the load (starter) out of the circuit. You always test a circuit with its normal load.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

Voltage drop test for your cables & connections:

Use a digital volt meter that measures 1/10 of a volt.

Positive Battery Cable
1. Connect the red lead on the meter to the positive battery post.
2. Connect the black lead on the meter to the starter solenoid terminal where the positive battery cable is connected.
3. Have someone engage the starter. A reading above 0.6V indicates a bad cable or bad connection.
(a) If the meter reads above 0.6V, move the black lead on the meter to the positive cable terminal at the solenoid and retest. If the reading drops to below 0.6V, the connection is bad.
(b) If the meter still reads above 0.6V, move the black lead on the meter to the positive cable terminal
at the battery and retest. If the reading drops to below 0.6V, the cable is bad or undersized.
(c) If the reading is still above 0.6V, the connection at the battery is bad.

Negative Battery Cable
1. Connect the black lead on the meter to the negative battery post.
2. Connect the red lead on the meter to the engine block where the negative battery cable is connected.
3. Have someone engage the starter. A reading above 0.6V indicates a bad cable or bad connection. A reading above 0.6V is an indicator of a bad cable or bad connection.
(a) If the meter reads above 0.6V, move the red lead on the meter to the negative battery cable terminal at the
engine block and retest. If the reading drops to below 0.6V, the cable connection is bad.
(b) If the meter still reads above 0.6V, move the red lead on the meter to the negative battery cable terminal
at the battery and retest. If the reading drops to below 0.6V, the cable is bad or undersized.
(c) If the reading is still above 0.6V, the connection at the battery is bad.

 

[fulltilt01]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

I replaced both battery cables and used a wire brush to clean the terminals. Could one of the two small wires going into the terminal be bad? are they both positive wires or is one a ground. How would I check them.
Thanks Brandon

 

[fulltilt01]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

instead of terminal I ment solenoid. The two small wires going into the solenoid.

 

[Walker]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

One is ground. The other, marked I, is from the ignition switch.

 

[fulltilt01]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

Let me ask you this. one wire is yellow and red and it is positive and the other is black with a jumper that goes from it too the starter side of the lead how could that be negative. Is there something wrong there with the wiring.
Thanks Brandon

 

[Walker]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

The black goes only to a ground.

 

[fulltilt01]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

Then what is the black jumper from the terminal to the post that goes to the starter. I took the jumper off and hooked the black wire to ground and it blew a fuse.

 

[Walker]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

You have 4 terminals, 2 large, 2 small. One large has positive battery cable and 1 or 2 electrical system red wires. Other large terminal has heavy short cable to the starter. Small terminal marked "I" has orange with red stripe wire from ignition switch, other small terminal has black wire that grounds to the enging block. Nothing else on any of the terminals.

 

[Seasport]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

You need to be systematic in your tests to identify the problem. Here's a set of tests that should allow you to identify the problem.

Starter problems can be hard to diagnose. It doesn't take much voltage drop to upset correct operation.

During cranking the starter motor current flows from the battery +ve terminal through the battery switch, solenoid (& connecting cables obviously) to the starter motor and then back to the battery –ve terminal through the ground connections and –ve battery cable. There is a lot of current flowing so any poor connection in the whole circuit will lead to excessive voltage drop there (& heat build up) and poor starter motor performance. This includes the ground connections from the starter motor body back to the -ve battery terminal. You will get voltage drop here too which takes away volts from the starter motor.

I assume you have access to a voltmeter. If so, I suggest you start by measuring the DC voltage directly across the starter motor as it is trying to turn the motor over (with the key in the start position), i.e. with the red probe of the meter on the starter motor +ve terminal and the black probe on the case of the starter motor. If this reading is greater than about 9.5V suspect a starter motor problem. Easiest if you have someone else to turn the key for you while you take the measurements.

If the voltage is less than 9.5V you are dropping volts somewhere else. Check and clean all of the connections from the +ve battery terminal to the starter solenoid (including the battery switch if fitted) and from the solenoid to the starter motor. (As a clue, any bad connection should get warm when cranking).

Check & clean also the -ve battery terminal & powerhead ground connection and also the ground connection from the starter motor to the engine. On some motors the -ve battery terminal is connected directly to the starter motor body and on others it is bolted elsewhere to the powerhead.

If this doesn't fix the problem, you may have bad cables or a bad solenoid. If you have access to a voltmeter you can use the following tests to isolate the problem. You need to measure the voltage drop across each part of the circuit while operating the starter motor under load (i.e with the spark plugs in). Start by measuring the voltage from the battery +ve terminal to the battery side of the starter solenoid (large terminal), i.e. meter red probe to +ve battery terminal and meter black probe to the large solenoid terminal that is connected back to the battery. This voltage should not be more than about 0.3V – 0.5V. If it is suspect a bad cable or connection here somewhere.

Next measure the voltage directly across the solenoid when the starter motor is cranking, i.e. meter red probe to battery side of the solenoid and meter black probe to the starter motor side. This voltage should not be more than about 0.2V.

Next measure the voltage between the solenoid (starter motor side) and starter motor +ve terminal. This should not be more than about 0.3V. If it is too high check the cables and connections here.

Finally measure the voltage between the starter motor case and the battery –ve terminal. This shouldn’t be more than about 0.3V. If it is check for a good solid and clean ground connection between the battery –ve cable and powerhead or –ve battery cable problems.

Make sure your battery is in good shape. Battery voltage when cranking will also vary with condition of the battery. The battery voltage shouldn't drop below about 10V when cranking.

The voltages mentioned above are indicative. They will vary a bit with starting system. What you are looking for is an excessive voltage drop. The voltage readings may well go up and down a bit as the motor turns over slowly but just try to choose a consistent set of readings. The key is that the starter motor needs at least 9.5V to operate properly.

 

[fulltilt01]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

Thank you all for your help. The problem is fixed. It ended up being the new solenoid. It needed to be wired differently than the old one. The way you all described !!

Thanks again Brandon

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

ain't iboats great, congratulations, Brandon

 

[GP760Sean]

Re: Starter not spinning fast enough!!!!

I have the same slow starter motor problem.

My understanding is that if the Starter motor turns than the Solenoid works.

If it does not than it is dead.

I was not aware that a bad solenoid can cause a slow starter motor.

So was it a bad starter solenoid?

Can a bad solenoid not provide enough juice to the starter motor so that it spins slowly?

Thanks