1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

[bonelessi]

Hey guys, so this Lark thing on the back of the boat won't turn over. When you turn the ignition key on it looks like it get's power but when you go to crank it nothing happens. No clicking no sounds whatsoever. The starter solenoid has been replaced. I'm looking through the posts in the FAQs and found the "Outboard won't start" thread which has some great info but I'm just wondering if anyone can add anything as I'm sure this is a common problem.

Any thoughts?

Dan

 

[chipster427]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Sounds like you may want to get a voltage meter and make sure that juice is getting where it is suppost to be going, if you haven't tried all ready.

 

[CoffeeHound]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

I assume you have somekind of boat hooked to the lark thingy !
[deleted ]

 

[jimmbo]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

neutral interlock, defective ignition switch(key), are two items that can keep power from the soliniod.

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

neutral interlock, defective ignition switch(key), are two items that can keep power from the soliniod.

I thought about that. How do I check the neutral interlock?



I have it connected to a 72 Geneva, err ... a hole with no bottom that I will keep throwing money in to

 

[Will Bark]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Do you have a fuse in a holder next to the starter solenoid on that Lark thingy; might be blown.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Hey guys, so this Lark thing on the back of the boat won't turn over. When you turn the ignition key on it looks like it get's power but when you go to crank it nothing happens. No clicking no sounds whatsoever. The starter solenoid has been replaced. I'm looking through the posts in the FAQs and found the "Outboard won't start" thread which has some great info but I'm just wondering if anyone can add anything as I'm sure this is a common problem.

Any thoughts?

Dan

When was the solenoid replaced and why?

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

When was the solenoid replaced and why?

It's what the guy said when the boat was sold to us. After testing the old solenoid and finding it in working order I started reading the service manual. Something us guys hate to do. After spending a little bit of time tracing all the connections from the starter motor back to the ignition switch I found that is was a faulty wire between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid. I grabbed some coax cable (I had nothing else laying around I could use )and jumped the connection, turned the key, and it turned over! Unfortunately I think there wasn't much charge left in in the battery so it didn't have enough just to spin the starter fast enough to connect to the fly wheel.

Hopefully tonight we'll get this thing going because I really want to hear it turn over.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Unfortunately I think there wasn't much charge left in in the battery so it didn't have enough just to spin the starter fast enough to connect to the fly wheel.

There are many solenoids bought and installed....followed by a good slow-rate charge of the battery, to a SG > 1.20 :facepalm:
Save that old solenoid, probably still OK.

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

There are many solenoids bought and installed....followed by a good slow-rate charge of the battery, to a SG > 1.20 :facepalm:
Save that old solenoid, probably still OK.

Yes the old solenoid tested ok also. I ran the new wire today and after all was said and done we turned the ignition switch, the solenoid clicked and nothing happened. Yesterday when I jumped the ignition to solenoid I got the starter to spin, just not a lot. Today nothing happened and I'm reading 12 volts at the starter. Does this mean the starter is bad?

Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

:facepalm: This is frustrating. Everything points to the starter. When I turn the key I get 12 volts at the starter. If it's truly bad, do I replace it or rebuild it?

I wonder if it's a load thing ...

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Have you had the battery load tested?
A dead battery still (usually) reads 12 volts.
That is step 1.

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Have you had the battery load tested?
A dead battery still (usually) reads 12 volts.
That is step 1.

The battery was tested yesterday and had an 86% charge.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Do this:
1) Connect one end of a jumper cable (not a piece of wire -- a genuine jumper cable) to the POS terminal of the battery.
2) Touch the other end DIRECTLY to the large post on the starter solenoid that feeds the starter.
3) If the starter spins, you have wiring issues. If not - you have a bad starter.

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Do this:
1) Connect one end of a jumper cable (not a piece of wire -- a genuine jumper cable) to the POS terminal of the battery.
2) Touch the other end DIRECTLY to the large post on the starter solenoid that feeds the starter.
3) If the starter spins, you have wiring issues. If not - you have a bad starter.

Thanks. I will try that when I get home. If it's bad do I replace it or have this one fixed? Can I fix it myself?

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

The battery was tested yesterday and had an 86% charge.

How was it tested? With a hydrometer?
It needs to be load tested.

Is this a new battery or did it come with the boat?
Are the terminals clean and tight?

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

How was it tested? With a hydrometer?
It needs to be load tested.

Is this a new battery or did it come with the boat?
Are the terminals clean and tight?

It's a brand spanken new battery. It was taken to the local auto parts store and tested yesterday because when I jumped the original (suspected faulty) wire from the ignition to the starter solenoid I got the starter to spin, but it didn't seem to spin fast enough to connect to the fly wheel and I didn't want to hold the connection together for very long. I assumed the battery was low because I had been messing with the boat all day and that's why the starter didn't spin up right away (it spun for about three seconds and then I stopped). I asked the girl to grab a battery charger from her dad, she ended up not seeing her dad and took the battery up to the store to get it checked. On her own. She's a keeper

Anyway, I replaced the suspected faulty ignition wire with 10 gauge THHN gas and oil proof wire. I left the original wire in tact because I didn't want to have to tear apart the conduit to get it out but I taped up both ends and tucked it away. I crimped and shrink wrapped the ends of the new wire, connected it up and nothing. Starter solenoid clicks, 12 volts shows up at the starter, but the starter doesn't spin.

I hope this helps shed some light on whats going on. I'm kind of enjoying doing this and I really appreciate the help. Thanks!

 

[bonelessi]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Alright so I went over there today and turned the key. The starter spun, slow at first, and then faster as we held it. Then I put the jumper cable from the positive lead on the battery directly to the starter and nothing happened. Then, removing the jumper from the battery directly to the starter and turning the ignition nothing happened. While we were holding the ignition on waiting for something to happen I tapped the top bolt on the starter and said "I think this is bad" and the starter motor spun slightly. So I tapped it with a wrench and it started spinning. I'm stumped, it seems like that would indicate the starter motor is bad but maybe it is a load issue and it's not getting enough juice although, when I test that power connection right at the starter with the meter it reads 12 volts.

The other thing I found odd is the gear on the starter was spinning counter clockwise. It seems if I manually spin it clockwise with my fingers the gear moves up and would engage with the fly wheel. Is that working as intended?

 

[Will Bark]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

Sounds like sticking or bad brushes in the starter; try tapping the starter on the side and see if a brush is sticking. The starter is supposed to spin counter clockwise so that it will spin the flywheel and engine clockwise; it will spin the bendix gear up correctly. Good luck

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: 1971 Evinrude 50 Lark Won't Turn Over

If you have cleaned the connections to the starter well, you have isolated the problem to the starter.
If you are comfortable dismantling the starter to check the brushes and to clean and lube, that would be my next suggestion.
Otherwise take it to a starter specialist for maintenance.
If they can exchange it for a rebuilt, that might also be a good option.