I have a 2002 40 hp mercury outboard. This morning we tried to waste some fossil fuel and take a run on the river, but the dang thing didn’t start. At first it cranked, but didn’t catch- just the starter motor. This motor has been a little stubborn, but not too bad over the years. (I finally figured out that it starts & runs better on non-ethanol fuel, which can be hard to find in Iowa.) After a bunch of tries, the starter motor wouldn’t go- just the ‘click’ of the choke, and maybe a solenoid clicking.
We pulled it out of the river and came home. We checked fuses and cleaned/dielectric greased as many contacts as we could and put the charger on the battery… and while we were working, I noticed that the gear on the starter motor was still engaged with the flywheel. I tapped on it and it didn’t drop and disengage. My son wrapped the emergency starter rope and pulled while I tapped the gear with a hammer handle and the gear disengaged and dropped down. We tried the key again and nothing.
1) Is my starter motor dead?
2) Are starter motors repairable?
3) Or just replace it?
4) Can I replace it? Or take it to a marina?
5) Could it be the solenoid?
6) …and what about Naomi?
(This post was last modified: 07-29-2023, 04:07 PM by srjdsmith.)
We pulled it out of the river and came home. We checked fuses and cleaned/dielectric greased as many contacts as we could and put the charger on the battery… and while we were working, I noticed that the gear on the starter motor was still engaged with the flywheel. I tapped on it and it didn’t drop and disengage. My son wrapped the emergency starter rope and pulled while I tapped the gear with a hammer handle and the gear disengaged and dropped down. We tried the key again and nothing.
1) Is my starter motor dead?
2) Are starter motors repairable?
3) Or just replace it?
4) Can I replace it? Or take it to a marina?
5) Could it be the solenoid?
6) …and what about Naomi?
