Flywheel worn?

[Bearskin9898]

When I turn the key you can hear the starter revving up but it's not engaging with the flywheel at all. No grinding noise. Took starter off had it tested at autozone and it pushes out just fine like it should. Is my flywheel or the gears on the starter bad? Purchased a new starter should be here tomorrow.
1972 120hp mercruiser


https://ibb.co/eeCNBo
https://ibb.co/djQLxT
https://ibb.co/iYBFWo
https://ibb.co/b6RhBo
https://ibb.co/dRAyj8
https://ibb.co/hoLaWo

 

[Scott Danforth]

Look at your ring gear. $15 fix if its the ring gear

 

[Bearskin9898]

Look at your ring gear. $15 fix if its the ring gear

Sorry but what is the ring gear? On the starter or the engine itself ? Engine is still in boat.
Just got the boat used from a guy last night. Said something about having to jump the starter with a hot wire for it to work right.. Tried that and still couldn't get it to engage. He had sent a video of the Motor running just fine and revving up But I can't get it to engage the flywheel at all.

 

[Bt Doctur]

the teeth on the flywheel are worn away, the ring gear (the teeth) can be removed and replaced

 

[Bearskin9898]

How would the guy have gotten it to start then? And does replacing that ring require pulling the motor out of the boat? Thanks

 

[Bt Doctur]

remove the drive, remove the motor or lift it up enough to remove the flywheel . Place on a 5 gal bucket, drive off the old ring gear.
Heat new ring gear in oven, place flywheel in freezer . Slip ring gear on flywheel , Once it cools, install it
Option 2
place ring gear on flywheel, heat with Oxy/Acet torch till hot and it just slips onto flywheel, let cool , install

 

[Bearskin9898]

Is there any other way I could try and get it to start without replacing the flywheel yet? Is it possible a new starter with better teeth will be enough to bite it? Don't really have the time right now. Still don't know how the guy I purchased it from was able to get it started.
Kinda thinking there might be a wiring problem on the boat that's not engaging the solenoid or something?

 

[Bt Doctur]

try to rotate the flywheel until you see good teeth either by screwdriver at the flywheel or removing the plugs and rotating it by the front waterpump pully bolts

 

[Bearskin9898]

If the starter was hooked up on the boat and the ignition activated the starter but not the solenoid what kind of wiring issue would that be.? Ground issue?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Sorry but what is the ring gear? On the starter or the engine itself ? Engine is still in boat.
Just got the boat used from a guy last night. Said something about having to jump the starter with a hot wire for it to work right.. Tried that and still couldn't get it to engage. He had sent a video of the Motor running just fine and revving up But I can't get it to engage the flywheel at all.

if thats the case, could be simply bad battery cable connections somewhere.

inspect the ring gear teeth like GA stated. if they are all good, then remove and clean every battery connection. when you think its clean, clean it again. they need to be shiny metal that is clean enough your kids can eat off it. that includes the connections at the battery, at the starter, at the block