Have you taken out a line of credit for boat repairs yet?

Rob

Nice jab there. Well no I have not regarding that LOC.

DAY6 - Well low and behold - you do push the key in, the motor chokes,
and then the motor STARTS every time. Thanks everyone for that info I'm
in the water now!

Power Trim Update: I filled the reservior with the correct trim fluid
and STILL the power trim failed to go up or down. I then took it to the
local Marina mechanic and $85 and 7d later, appearently there were
loose electrical connections back under transom box where the solenoide
is. The mechanic was doing the initial electrical checks to the power
trim and found "loose connection" which returned the power trim back to
normal use. All were tightened and the motor tilts just like new now.

DAY 7 - NEW PROBLEM starts on 100HP Johnson Javlin with "starting the
motor." - HELP!

Well after the mechanic fixed the power trim, now the motor does this
every time it's 1st time in the water cold, it "turning on the key, the
starter motor just clicks, turn the key again and it clicks again,
after about 20-30 clicks on the key to start, the starter motor starts
to spin catching the top gear to crank" sometimes I have to manually
spin the starter motor to the "catch" position then hit the key to
start, sometimes it'll just click, but the more agressive you get with
clicking juice to the starter motor by turning the key to the on
position, the more it becomes "alive" and starts to crank normally.

I've managed to get the motor to start every time but it's very
annoying to have to sit there at the boat dock (with everyone watching)
while I click, click, click, click, (take motor cover off), click,
(spin the starter motor by hand), click, click, (starter motor starts
to move), click, click, and then finally the starter motor "clicks in"
and cranks and starts, pushing the key to choke (of course).

I'm thinking now I either have a potential circuit problem to the
starter motor or a bad starter motor is there any way I can
troubleshoot this prior to taking the boat back to the marina for
another look?

I'd appreciate any insight on diagnosing if this a circuit problem,
juice to the starter problem (need voltage numbers and how to check),
or if I have a bad starter motor (intermittently failing - how do you
check that - other than swap in a new part?)...etc. Has anyone
experienced this type of clicking behavior from the starter motor?

Thanks!