Relay clicks but outboard won't start

[JerryV17l]

Took the boat out for its first run yesterday... Went perfect ran smooth and no problems!
This morning trying to start the out board and all I hear is the relay click and the starter motor doesn't engage! When I short the yellow/red to the positive feed with a screwdriver I get the starter motor going....

Any suggestions? Will it more than likely be the solenoid? Or keys witch? It's a 1997 Johno 130hp v4 looper

[gazza2006au]

Make sure your lanyard is attached, if the solenoid is ticking its getting power if u jump the solenoid and motor starts than its either dirty solenoid terminals or its faulty could possibly be a starter fuse too

[Dirtyfuzz]

Took the boat out for its first run yesterday... Went perfect ran smooth and no problems!
This morning trying to start the out board and all I hear is the relay click and the starter motor doesn't engage! When I short the yellow/red to the positive feed with a screwdriver I get the starter motor going....

Any suggestions? Will it more than likely be the solenoid? Or keys witch? It's a 1997 Johno 130hp v4 looper

Assuming you have removed and cleaned the battery connections! Is the starter actually engaging or spinning when bridged? I had a similar issue, spins fine when bridged but not enough power to engage flywheel, had the starter rebuilt for $100 and now works fine! Luckily I have two motors so could swap and change parts to diagnose the issue!


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[littlejim]

My old evinrude did this.I replaced the solenoid.
When I pulled the solenoid to bits found the huge copper washer that gets pulled across the full power contacts was corroded to billyo.
When I cleaned all the crap off it the solenoid worked fine, the crud stopped enough power getting across it. Now sitting on the shelf as a spare.
You might be able to clean yours up and re-use it.

[Paul071978]

Yep it’s the solenoid for sure

[tunaticer]

Check the current supply not the voltage at your solenoid, that will determine if the solenoid or the power supply is at fault.

[BM]

Dismantle the solenoid and clean the contacts and reassemble. Carbon builds up on the contact surfaces. Otherwise replace the solenoid.

[JerryV17l]

I think you are right about the current supply.... I only had one battery hooked up and tried to start the motor - funny thing is when I shorted the solenoid the starter worked and turned the engine over.... When I put the second battery back in the boat and tried again the solenoid started to function properly! Amateur mistake... But from my understanding wouldn't the starter motor require more current to turn the engine over than to activate the coil??

[scottar]

Short of guessing, you really should be actually testing for voltage drop with a meter. Yes the starter will draw more current - but effectively it runs off a different circuit - that's the whole point of the solenoid. If the solenoid is clicking in and you have normal battery voltage on one side but nothing or a really low voltage on the other side - it's the solenoid and most likely burnt contacts as mentioned - not uncommon and can be intermittant. If there is battery voltage on both sides when it clicks in but no go - it's starter motor. If you have normal voltage before it clicks in on one side and then low voltage on both sides once it clicks in and no go - you have a buggered battery or a high resistance connection on a battery terminal or in a battery switch or other connection somewhere or your starter is drawing way too much current (other possible causes for what you have seen). The engine should start off one battery. I would go back to the single battery and actually run some tests - anything else is an educated guess at best.