Help Evinrude motor wont turn over

[rodeorock98]

I have a 73 evinrude 85 hp. I used it last summer and it ran great. I tried to start it today and it wont turn over.
I checked the battery and it was fine. I hooked up a battery charger to the starter and it turns over but wont engage the flywheel. I am very new to owning a boat so i dont know what to do. :whazzup:

[Orca]

Post deleted by Orca

[sturgn]

I had the same thing happen on a honda, I sprayed a little penetrating oil on the shaft that the starter gear rides on and worked it loose, keep it cleaned and lubed and it shouldnt happen again.

[Starfish]

Your battery charger won't put out enough amperage to engage the starter gear-- it's inertial and needs a good fast spin to throw it up into the flywheel. So if you want to check the starter itself (vs. the ignition system) you'll need to hit it with jumper cables to a starter battery instead of just a charger.

When you turn the key do you get nothing at all, or does it spin the starter without engaging, or does it engage but not turn the flywheel? If the first, wiggle your shift lever back and forth to make sure the neutral switch is engaged. If the starter spins without engaging, try the penetrating oil or manually (with power off) try to raise and lower the starter gear to the flywheel. If it engages but can't turn the flywheel, try pulling the plugs and spraying some fogging oil into the cylinders and turn over the motor with the plugs out to reduce compression and get things moving.

[rodeorock98]

Thanks for the help guys. Yes when i turn the key nothing happens. I will try all of the sugggestions. It's just aggravating when i parked it ran now it don't.

[rodeorock98]

Is there a way to bypass the solenoid to at least get the motor going?

[Starfish]

There's not really a solenoid-- it's an inertial gear that slides up into the flywheel when the starter spins. Since nothing is happening when you turn the key, it sounds like either your ignition switch is bad, or the shift lever lockout is failing to "notice" that your motor is in neutral. First thing I'd try is to hold the key in the start position and rattle the shift lever forward and backward to see if the switch is just balky. Next I'd pull the ignition key switch and use a multimeter to figure out whether the switch is working. If it's working, then I'd tear into the shift lever box and see if I could replace the microswitch. You could jumper it out temporarily but it wouldn't be safe to leave it that way-- you could accidentally start it in gear.

I used to run a 1973 Evinrude many years ago but I don't have the book anymore and don't remember how the shift box comes apart.

[rodeorock98]

I've tried holding the key in the start position and moved the shift lever back and forth to no avail. I will try and take the ignition switch apart. thank you

[yankemnbankem]

I just had the same thing happen to me this weekend. This is all great advise. Mine makes the click noise when you turn the key....like a solnoid is engaging. Im almost 90% sure if I lube up the starter gear shaft mine will work great. Im gonna take it in anyways for some other adjustments but cant wait to try the lube thing when I get home.

[rodeorock98]

I finally got it running. It turned out to be a fuse that was corroded. It runs good now. I'll take it out tomorrow and see how well it goes. Thanks again for the advise.

[rodeorock98]

i finally got the boat out on the water today. It was a little cold blooded but it ran great. Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it.

[Starfish]

:applause:

Kind of a nice sense of accomplishment when you fix it yourself! Way to go.


:cheers: