40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

[dcunningham]

When I turn the key the motor makes one click and thats it. I swithched the batteries around and tried to start it with the battery for the trolling motor but still the same thing. Trolling motor ran on the motors battery. I looked at all the wires nothing seemed damaged.

It ran fine last week any help would be appreciated

2000 40hp merc tracker

Thanks Derek

 

[JB]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

Ahoy, Derek.

Classical symptoms of a bad (low resistance) connection in the starter high current circuit.

Disconnect all big wires from the battery to the engine, thoroughly clean all connectors and reconnect. That includes the terminals on the battery itself.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

 

[dcunningham]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

Thanks for the reply JB

I will try to clean the connections although they didn't seem to coroded.

Another bit of info about the problem a few days ago I pulled the drain plug to let the rain water out and the water had a foul odor sulfur like smell. does that signal anything?

thanks DEREK

 

[TommyA]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

Thanks for the reply JB

I will try to clean the connections although they didn't seem to coroded.

Another bit of info about the problem a few days ago I pulled the drain plug to let the rain water out and the water had a foul odor sulfur like smell. does that signal anything?

thanks DEREK

Really shouldn't have anything to do with the starting problem. Your problem lies in the electrical connection between the battery and the starter. Sometimes what looks like a clean connection isn't so give all connections a thorough cleaning.

 

[jarand82]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

with the battery hooked up try running a jumper from the hot wire on the noid to the starter. if the starter spins then the noid is bad.

 

[dcunningham]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

So I cleaned connections between battery starter and solenoid still not starting

the starting motor and the flywheel gears are locked even when not trying to start That doesnt seem right to me I thaught the starting motor moved up to start then back down after starting?

So the starting motor is trying to turn the flywheel but not. Could the crankshaft be stuck/frozen/locked or is it a bad starting motor

any help would be appreciated
THANKS DEREK

 

[dcunningham]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

So I got the bendix drive unstuck and is in the proper position hooked it back up and it doesn't turn at all.

I'm getting a spark and a bit of smoke at the connections so I assume power if flowing to the starter

Is this a bad starter?

Thanks DEREK

 

[TommyA]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

You may have a bad starter if the drive wheel isn't engaging the flywheel. Get someone to turn the key and check the voltage at the starter cable connection. If you are getting 12+volts then the starter will need to be checked.

 

[dcunningham]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

I hooked the starter up to jumper cables to the battery it engages the starter but wont turn the fly wheel when its not hooked to the cables it doesn't engage the starter at all just smokes at the connections
thanks for the response tommy a

 

[JB]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

Yup. That sounds like a dead starter.

 

[dcunningham]

Re: 40hp merc won't start ran fine last week

well it turns out the flywheel was stuck I loosened it connected the starter to the battery with jumper cables the flywheel was spinning fine. Thaught the problem was fixed

I hooked the starter back up to the boat connections tried to start it it got so hot so fast it melted the connection right off of the battery

Now what any ideas please help

Thanks DEREK