Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

[Wyndenwood]

2001 Johnson 115 .First day of our vacation in Florida.After a nice day at the beach the starter decided it was a good time to break/malfunction.I can hear it spin but the Bendix will not engage.Batteries are up.Any ideas ? Also how is the starter removed from this motor .My manual is back home. Thanks in advance

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

where are you in FL? move the bendix up with your fingers, 2 drops of oil.

90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.

also have the battery load tested at the auto parts store, free, i've had new batteries go bad

 

[Wyndenwood]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

I am in St James City south end of Pine Island.

 

[bankerjohn]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

Here's a parts diagram if you need it:

Have you pulled the cover and watched the bendix for movement when you spin the starter? If so, is the gear moving up, just not far enough?

When is the last time the starter worked as it should? If it was recently, and some oil on the bendix shaft didn't help, then insufficient amperage is likely the problem as tashasdaddy already said.

Good luck ... a broken boat sure can screw up a vacation!

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

I am in St James City south end of Pine Island.

I think there is an iboats member, Pine Island Fred , that is down there.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

i dropped a note to Fred, if he is around today.

 

[Wyndenwood]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

Hi again. Pulled the cover to check the Bendix. I can freely move the Bendix up to the proper position with my fingers.When the starter is engaged it just sits there while the starter spins.Cleaned all lead connections to starter and on the batteries.I am assuming now that it is the starter.Any thoughts?

 

[bankerjohn]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

I know this is going to sound like a dumb question, but another poster had a similar problem with his bendix not engaging the flywheel ... and after lubing the shaft, cleaning up all connections, charging the battery, etc. ... he finally discovered that his battery cable was hook up backwards ... + to ground, - to starter. His starter was spinning backwards!

So my question ... have you removed and re-connected any of your battery cables since the last time your starter worked correctly?

 

[Wyndenwood]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

After reading the last post I decided to have a complete look at the connections.Problem solved. My fault or not I do not know.When the AAA of the sea arrived to help the immediate thought was to sell me a new battery that he had on board.When the Bad battery was removed and replaced the second ground wire was left behind in a black hole.The new battery was attached to the live well and acc. ground.which somehow provides limited voltage to the motor. When rechecking the connections I found the disconnected engine ground reconnected and it started right up. I will now triple check the simple things first. Thanks for help you guys.

 

[bankerjohn]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

Glad you're back in business ... hopefully, it didn't screw up your entire vacation!

 

[pine island fred]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

OOPS, missed the whole episode. Could have tried to help. Been rebuilding dock, opening up a shared septic system which my neighbor pored a nice concrete patio over the tank years ago, pulled a 115 of a absent neighbors rotted boat before it fell in the canal, verified a bad rod on another neighbors YAMAHA when his friend from KY. came down to use it. When it rains it pores.
Probably bumped into me at FROGGIES or the RAGGED AZZ. Hope this GD wind did not spoil your trip. regards FRED

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Please help save my vacation Johnson starter issue

Enjoy the rest of your vacation.