Starter won't crank

[cobra 3.0]

Here's another problem with my OMC 3.0 Cobra 1986...My starter quit on me today while boating. Fortunately, I was only 300 yards from the marina when it happened. It won't crank and sounds like it's stuck. A few days ago I had noticed the starter was loose and I tightened up the bolts. It was sounding kind of funny when I started the engine...almost rough, but seemed to get it going through the whole weekend of boating and fishing.<br /><br />It seems common to have to change just the solenoid (as I see many are available on ebay). Is there a way to test and know that's its only the solenoid and not the whole starter?

 

[salty87]

Re: Starter won't crank

you can jump the terminals on the solenoid, if it turns over the solenoid is bad. be careful. <br /><br />you can also take the starter to the local starter shop, they'll bench test it and see if it's ok. i've never been charged for testing a good starter.<br /><br />if your starter was loose for some time it may have gotten wet internally. you said you heard some strange noises out of it...you can also manually move the bendix back and forth (with the starter removed) to see if it's binding up.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Starter won't crank

Thanks Salty!

 

[hoot]

Re: Starter won't crank

use a volt/ohm meter. put one wire to ground, other to various terminals in starter circuit (slave solenoid if equipted, starter solenoid, starter) set to DC volts and turn key. watch for voltage at terminals. you can disconnect starter wires and set meter to resistance check and check for continuity thru the starter motor. describe sound heard a little better. does the solenoid click, clunk, or does the starter try to spin and stop? starters can rust up inside and the brushes wear down.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Starter won't crank

I suppose it does a clunk...only after a few tries it does a click. I will take it off, it could very easily be rust as I forgot to put my plug in once before a launch and only noticed after water rose and touched the motor...and probably the starter and solenoid. I only noticed a few weeks later that the starter was loose on the engine...so water must have infiltrated.