Starting Issues....please help

[raven1978]

hi all....i have a problem that i think i know what the problem is but need help/insight....i have a 1988 evinrude 50hp model e50tlccs w/omc controls. I went to start the boat at the launch this morning, and the engine was turning over slow...really slow. Eventually it did start but not being happy about it i loaded back up and drove home. Testing in the driveway i have 12.6 v on the battery, & no voltage drop on the starter. I tried to start it again and it did the same thing slow to turn over, but this time i saw smoke coming from the wiring from the battery to the ignition switch/key. I checked the battery terminals and the negative side was very warm and positive was cool to the touch. I placed my hand on the shell of the starter and it too was really warm. I opened the starter and it's full of black crud from what im guessing is the brushes in it. My question is, would a bad starter behave like this (slow turning over), and cause too much current being applied and cause the wiring to melt? Everything else checks out ok for wiring and fuses. Oh and btw to eliminate the battery as the root cause i swapped it out with another one that i have and it did the same thing. I believe the starter is the issue, but i would like some other people to chime in as i am not very mechanically inclined.

Please help i wanna go fishing

if this is not in the right area i do apologize.

thanx
rAven

 

[DJ]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

1. Disconnect the battery.

2. Remove the negative battery terminal form the engine block and clean thoroughly.

3. Reconnect and reconnect battery.​

 

[Monte1961]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

The black crud sounds like brush material. If you pay close attention, you can clean and reinstall to see if it works. I caution you, be searching for a replacement starter soon!

 

[wifisher]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

x2 DJ. Slow cranking is usually not the starter. More often than not, it is a bad connection.

 

[jgregory01]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

I am not a mechanic but have had my share of battery/starter issues. I have found that if the connection is not good the terminal will get very hot. Mine too was the negative side and after a thorough cleaning it was good. Make sure all connections are clean and good. Sounds basic...but worked out for me. By the way...I learned all of this because my motor was not starting well and the starter was sticking. A thorough cleaning solved all.

 

[raven1978]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

Ok...i have cleaned all connection on the motor and battery side. After cleaning all cables and wires i checked resistance on main battery cables...positive side came out with 0.003 Ohms as did the negative side. connected ground to the motor and checked resistance there ... 0.03 ohms as well. hooked up starter directly to battery thru jumper cables and it spins but makes a gawd awful squealing noise. I have heard the same noise last season and wrote it off as a starter on its way out. At this point i have no other ideas as to where to look,other than the starter being shot. I f anyone has any other ideas as to where to look im open to suggestions.

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

What you have now is a bad starter, replace it and check your connections to be sure they are good and tight.

 

[wifisher]

Re: Starting Issues....please help

Yep, bad starter. Remember though, checking resistance on the starter cable with your ohm meter will not tell you anything. Think about the ohm meter reading on a piece of 24 ga wire. It will read 0 ohms. Try to use that same piece of 24ga. to hook up your starter, and you can probably guess what will happen.