I'm sure everyone has watched Jeremiah Johnson before, but it was the first time for me. I was almost1/2 way through it before I figured it out that it was based on Liver eating Johnson. It is somewhat local history for me, I know the area fairly well. Anyway, I enjoyed it thoroughly, especially the part where he and his Flathead bride got used to each other.
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?
I made a decent dinner. Smoked shrimp. Zucchini. Peppers and onions. I didn’t snap a picture of the sweet corn (which we of course had because Iowa) as I was much too hungry to waste more time on inexpert food photography.
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