When the solenoid does not click and starter does not turn

[Frank Acampora]

This question is repeatedly asked in different ways. For the larger 3 and 4 cylinder Chrysler and earlier Force engines:

When you turn the key and nothing happens the first thing to do is to center the contols by cycling from forward to reverse, and then back to neutral. There is enough compliance in the cables that sometimes the handle will be in neutral position while the shift linkage is not quite there.

First photo shows correct positioning of the neutral interlock cam: Control handle is in upright neutral position, cam is centered on white button of interlock switch, and starter will crank.

Second photo shows control handle in upright neutral, but cam has not quite set to the button. Although the control is in neutral and the lower unit is in neutral, the switch is not depressed and the engine will not crank.

Third photo shows the engine in forward gear. The cam is moved fully to the left, the button is not depressed and the engine can not crank, as the design and Coast Guard regulations require. For reverse, the linkage would, of course, move the other way but no photos are needed

Note that the cam is positioned on a slot by two screws. In extreme cases it can be moved to center it in neutral.

Early 1970s Chrysler engines had the interlock switch attached on the distributor mount with a bent metal cam on the movable part of the dist. because of the size of the cam, these almost never went out of adjustment. However, the Coast Guard did not like this arrangement and Chrysler was asked to change the design

As a bonus, note in the upper left corner of the first photo the idle stop screw. This is used to set the idle speed to 700-750 RPM in forward gear, in the water. Note at the right upper corner the throttle cam. Mine has two hash marks on it. The hash marks are used to set the carbs at link 'n synch. At first setting with the carbs completely closed they would contact the roller between the lines. Note that on my engine, with the idle speed set correctly, they are slightly below the black roller. This is correct!