No Start situation

[henryb]

I was out this morning in my 2000 Challenger 1800 (Mercury M2 210HP carbed engine). And all I get when turning the key to the start position is a single click.

Engine was been running great yesterday and has been all season... I tested the voltage at the solenoid, key off... solid 12.8v on the red cable coming directly from the battery main on/off switch. Turn key to the start position and I get the click sound and a momentary 12.8v on the black cable that goes from the solenoid to the starter. But starter does not turn.

Not sure if the solenoid was supposed to provide a constant feed of 12v while the key was in the start position or not... so I tried applying a jumper cable between the battery positive lead directly to the starter. Starter made a humming sound, but did not turn.

My guess is that the starter is shot?

Is there anything else I should be testing before I order parts?

 

[henryb]

Well, isn't life funny... I checked the Mercury Service Manual, removal of the starter looked pretty straight forward: 4 bolts and 2 electrical connections. So I started by disconnecting the battery, then tried to crack those 4 bolts loose. Used liquid wrench first... First one came off easy... but the next 3 all broke off inside... with not very much torque I might add!

So now it's a machine shop job! Ugh.

 

[henryb]

So here is how the saga ended up... arranged with a local Mercury Marina to extract the broken bolts last week. Took a day off to tow the boat to a ramp and trailer it into the Marina. Of course it was raining that day!

Once at the Marina, we find out that they are short one tech this week and can't get to my boat until next week! But they suggested trying one of the other 2 Mercury shops in town! Fortunately one of them took the job and guaranteed they could get to it by Thursday.

Priced out a new OEM Mercury starter... a whopping $819 + tax. Ouch! The new shop recommended that I get the existing starter rebuilt.

So that was the plan, and all was going to schedule by Thursday at 4pm, they had the bolts extracted and the starter delivered to the rebuilder (who promised to work on it Friday morning).

Friday rolled around, I dropped in on the rebuilder and to my surprise, it was done at 10am! New bearings, new brushes, new bendix, cleaned the inside of the casing and repainted! All for $185.

Back to the Marina, where I find the don't have replacement bolts and can't get any from Mercury for 2 weeks! OMG... and they won't use aftermarket bolts!! So I hooked up the boat, paid the bill... $125.

On my way over to FastenAll (bolt specialty shop)... to get 4 bolts, stainless and hardness grade-8... matching threads and length. $10.

Picked up a new solenoid along the way at yet another Marina, just in case... a good spare part to have handy! $32

Back up to the cottage and re-install the rebuilt starter, and viola... it cranks over with new life... faster then ever!

 

[Lumps]

Good work! As I read I kept expecting you to say "and I turned the key and it only went click"

 

[henryb]

LOL... and you don't think I was thinking the same thing??? It was a huge relief when it cranked over!!!