"
8. I removed and cleaned the cable connection to starter motor - no
change


Does the battery cable connect directly to the starter, or is there a
relay (a.k.a. "solenoid") ??

Many marine engines use a relay, usually mounted higher on the engine.
The heavy cable from the battery runs to this relay, and then another cable
runs down to the starter.


I highly recommend that you get yourself either a volt meter or a 12v test
light, or both. The test light is often all you need and is much faster to
poke around with.

Next time this happens:

If you have the relay, test the starter side of the relay. With the key
off, the starter side should have no voltage (light off). With the key
turned to start, the starter side should have 12 volts on it. You should
also be able to hear this relay "click". If you hear the click, but don't
get the voltage, try shorting across the two LARGE terminals with a screw
driver. It should spark a little, and the starter should operate. If the
key is on, the engine should start. If the starter does operate this way,
then either the relay is bad or the connection from the key switch to the
relay is bad (or the neutral switch is bad). If you hear the click of the
relay it will tell you that the switch connection is okay, it is the relay
that is bad.

If shorting across the relay does nothing then the problem is most likely
the starter. Worn brushes or a burned spot on the commutator can cause a
problem like this. If you are not into do it yourself electric motor work,
replace the starter.


If you don't have the relay then you should have two wires going to the
starter motor: a big battery cable and a small wire from the key switch.
These wires should connect to the starter solenoid, which sort of looks like
a 1-1/2 diameter tube that is attached to the side of the main starter
motor. The battery cable attaches to one large terminal on the starter.
Right next to it should be a similar terminal, with a wire that disappears
into the starter motor itself. A small wire, often with a push on
connection, should be right above these two large connections.

Again, you can use the screwdriver to short across the terminals to bypass
the key switch. CAREFUL! Do NOT short the battery cable to the engine
block! You should also make sure that there aren't any gasoline fumes
lurking about, as the spark that is generated can ignite them. If you
short across the two large terminals the motor should spin, but the engine
won't crank because the starter gear didn't get shoved into the flywheel
teeth. That's the job of the solenoid. If you short across the battery
terminal to the small wire terminal, it should operate the starter and the
engine should start. Again, if the solenoid is doing its thing you should
hear it go "thunk" as it shoves the gear teeth into the flywheel. If
nothing happens, then the solenoid is probably bad. If you hear "Thunk" but
the motor doesn't run, then it could be the brushes in the motor.

Rod McInnis