You have it right....

-W

wrote in message

Great info and many thanks! My plan of attack (cheapest to expensive):

1) Check all electrical connections to the solenoid, charge battery,
check all connections under the transom and tighten any thing that
looks loose...etc., wd-40 (dry) the connections, if failure then 2.

2) WD-40 the starter motor shaft and pinion gear; inspect for burrs or
wear, if clean of burrs and shaft well oiled, if failure then 3.

3) take out old solenoid and check the plunger / file - make sure the
contacts are clean - replace and test, if failure then 4.

4) replace the solinoid; swap out old one with new one ($36.00usd), if
failure then 5.

5) replace with refurbished (Johnson) bosch or prestolite starter motor
(approx $160.00usd for the refurbished part/ $225usd new) , if failure
then 6.

6) throw hands up; trailer the boat to the shop, at any point this
get's fixed - see you out on the lake fishin and water skiing! I'll
update when figured out. I'll keep the rec.boats updated on the fix
(may take a couple of weeks).

Bon Voyage and off to work on the 15' Crestliner (that boat jumps out
of the water with that 100hp Johonson on the back) I go - thanks
everyone; this one is nipped in the bud!

Clams Canino wrote:
You have it right....

-W


Well I tore up the solenoid trying to figure out the plunger deal. The
back plate was riveted (4) to the bakelight casing. Well I broke three
of the Solinoid bakelight thermoset plastic casing mounts to the back
plate, swung it open, and the plunger looks good to me - there is a
cork ring around the center base and aluminum mouting base plate. In
fact there's really not much you can do to this thing under the base
cover.

I'm looking at a round silver disc about the size of a silver dollar.
The center is cut away like it's a big washer in the center is a small
yellow piece of plastic with an electrical lead runing to it. Since
I've already busted the unit - I ain't messing with that small of a
electro magnetic plunger thingy - lookin for contacts etc. Way to
intricate if you ask me. Oh well on to the part store to pick up that
new solienoid.

wrote in message
ups.com...

.. Since
I've already busted the unit - I ain't messing with that small of a
electro magnetic plunger thingy - lookin for contacts etc. Way to
intricate if you ask me. Oh well on to the part store to pick up that
new solienoid.


For your safety and for the safety of your loved ones along with innocent
bystanders, buy the OEM solenoid from a Johnson-Evinrude dealer. Your
starter solenoid is mounted in an environment with gas fumes around it, and
the factory unit is designed for marine use and for containing any spark to
avoid "blowing up" the motor should the gasoline fumes reach a critical
concentration.

Automotive or "universal" solenoids may look similar but are not wired the
same internally as yours, besides being unsafe for marine applications.

Bill Grannis
service manager

For your safety and for the safety of your loved ones along with innocent
bystanders, buy the OEM solenoid from a Johnson-Evinrude dealer. Your
starter solenoid is mounted in an environment with gas fumes around it, and
the factory unit is designed for marine use and for containing any spark to
avoid "blowing up" the motor should the gasoline fumes reach a critical
concentration.

Automotive or "universal" solenoids may look similar but are not wired the
same internally as yours, besides being unsafe for marine applications.

Bill Grannis
service manager

Well I get the "money down the drain award." I ripped out the POWER
TRIM solenoid located under the transom inside electrical box, (not the
starter relay/solenoid) broke off the back of the Trim solenoid as in
thinking this was the STARTER solenoid to fix.

Now I'm picking up now two new solenoids to fix this cold hard start
issue. I now understand that the 'starter solenoid' is mounted next to
the starter motor on the motor. Thank Bill very good advice. Taking out
the Trim solenoid I did touch something to ground and there was a huge
blue spark - no fumes or fire but could've been serious if there were
fumes or gas floatin around in the back under the transom.

I guess I should have said that I'm a very cautious tedius person when
it comes to taking things appart. The problem with my solenoid was
that due to wear that large collar was not making contact inside. I
was very careful about drilling out those rivets and then when I put it
back together I sealed it up with RTV to make sure that it was
waterproof again. Bear in mind I was actually able to take appart and
repair the defective power lock motors in my suburban. I didn't really
intend to do that but my curiousity about "what the heck is failing"
paid off. But you do have to be pretty anal to fix things like that.

Good news is that I suspect that those solenoids are pretty cheap. The
other obvious test is just to take a car jumper cable and jumper around
that solenoid and if everything else is ok the starter should fire
right up.

Keep going. Worst case you will just damage something else but you
will have learned a lot and saved yourself from watching TV.

Good luck

Don


wrote:
For your safety and for the safety of your loved ones along with innocent
bystanders, buy the OEM solenoid from a Johnson-Evinrude dealer. Your
starter solenoid is mounted in an environment with gas fumes around it, and
the factory unit is designed for marine use and for containing any spark to
avoid "blowing up" the motor should the gasoline fumes reach a critical
concentration.

Automotive or "universal" solenoids may look similar but are not wired the
same internally as yours, besides being unsafe for marine applications.

Bill Grannis
service manager

Well I get the "money down the drain award." I ripped out the POWER
TRIM solenoid located under the transom inside electrical box, (not the
starter relay/solenoid) broke off the back of the Trim solenoid as in
thinking this was the STARTER solenoid to fix.

Now I'm picking up now two new solenoids to fix this cold hard start
issue. I now understand that the 'starter solenoid' is mounted next to
the starter motor on the motor. Thank Bill very good advice. Taking out
the Trim solenoid I did touch something to ground and there was a huge
blue spark - no fumes or fire but could've been serious if there were
fumes or gas floatin around in the back under the transom.

Keep going. Worst case you will just damage something else but you
will have learned a lot and saved yourself from watching TV.

Good luck

Don

Thanks Don and the Rec.Boat crew (all who contributed), I'm am up and
running with out problems now. Yes it was the starter motor solenoid
that failed. I replaced it and on the first test - (the 1979 100hp
Johnson) she was cranking over as if brand new. No more click,
click,click,click...etc to get the mammer jammer cranking.

Regarding solenoid repair you definitely need the right tools and
know-how. All I had was a dremmel tool and power drill and I could not
drill out the rivets adequately and busted the corners off in my
adventures. Make sure you're working on the starter motor solenoid too
(not the power trim solenoid located under the transom in the
electrical box).

Took the boat of fishin Saturday on Whitmore Lake and caught about 30
little nippers (small blue gill) using wax worms and a bobber. Trolled
the deep spot in the lake (40' max) with a silver flat fish and a
silver spoon - no tiger muskie, walley, or pike luck (yet)! I'm gonna
try a night crawler harness and trolling the drop offs to the deep next
for the big ones. I do have a fish finder too - anyone know how to
catch the big ones in a freshwater (semi med-large) Michigan lake - as
in bait and the approach? Should I find a reef?

This case is closed. Much appreciated on all the help!

Hey Robert,
I came out to Port Oconnor this week. Launched the boat and guess
what, click, click, click, vroom. Its my new to me 99 merc 90hp.


Right away I knew so I put a jumper cable in the boat and left. I did
need to use it so I lifted the cover and jumped over the soleniod and
it started immediately. Odd thing is that when you turn the key you
can see the starter start to move but not much.

I made it thru the week ok but it will be interesting to see how the
soleniod looks when I take it appart.


wrote:
Keep going. Worst case you will just damage something else but you
will have learned a lot and saved yourself from watching TV.

Good luck

Don

Thanks Don and the Rec.Boat crew (all who contributed), I'm am up and
running with out problems now. Yes it was the starter motor solenoid
that failed. I replaced it and on the first test - (the 1979 100hp
Johnson) she was cranking over as if brand new. No more click,
click,click,click...etc to get the mammer jammer cranking.

Regarding solenoid repair you definitely need the right tools and
know-how. All I had was a dremmel tool and power drill and I could not
drill out the rivets adequately and busted the corners off in my
adventures. Make sure you're working on the starter motor solenoid too
(not the power trim solenoid located under the transom in the
electrical box).

Took the boat of fishin Saturday on Whitmore Lake and caught about 30
little nippers (small blue gill) using wax worms and a bobber. Trolled
the deep spot in the lake (40' max) with a silver flat fish and a
silver spoon - no tiger muskie, walley, or pike luck (yet)! I'm gonna
try a night crawler harness and trolling the drop offs to the deep next
for the big ones. I do have a fish finder too - anyone know how to
catch the big ones in a freshwater (semi med-large) Michigan lake - as
in bait and the approach? Should I find a reef?

This case is closed. Much appreciated on all the help!