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Author Topic:   70 hp omc need help

HookedOnHer posted 02-07-2003 09:33 PM ET (US)
I am having trouble starting it. I just get that clicking sound. I think it is the cylinoid but would like to know before I go buy one that this will fix it. I don't have a volt meter, and the way it is built I am not sure how to cross it with a screw driver to buy-pass to start. I am all ears. Just so you know the battery has been checked out and the terminals are clean.
Tom W Clark posted 02-07-2003 09:50 PM ET (US)
What does "checked out" mean? I suspect a dead or weak battery.
simonmeridew posted 02-07-2003 10:01 PM ET (US)
Hooked...
Forgive my audacity. That clicking sound is the "solenoid" working properly. What you have is either a bad battery...(I know you had it "checked out", but they often look like they took a charge but really have a bad cell) or your cables are bad, as in corrosion creeps up from the connectors and rots the copper conductor.
First thing to do is get a battery hydrometer...it has a float/series of floats that measures specific gravity of each cell. Auto parts store has 'em. Make sure every cell tests well up in the green sector. I'll bet you dollars to donuts you have a bad cell.
Or take your car battery, and try to start the outboard with it. To do this you might need to buy wingnut type adapters to assure a good electrical connection. If you do this, I'll bet it starts.
If not, cut the connector off the positive cable on the battery end, back about 2 inches and crimp or otherwise fasten an new high quality connector onto the cable.
Don't buy a new solenoid.
simonmeridew
JBCornwell posted 02-07-2003 11:20 PM ET (US)
Howdy, HOH.
Use jumper cables and first your boat battery, then, if needed, your car battery.
Connect the negative to the engine block. touch the positive lead to the large terminal on your starter. If the starter turns over with the boat battery it is a good battery and a good starter.
If the starter turns over with the car battery but not the boat battery you have a bad battery.
If the starter does not turn over you have a bad starter.
My guess is that the starter and boat battery are okay.
Now repeat, but instead of the starter terminal, connect the positive lead to the input (from the battery) terminal on the solenoid. Then hit your starter switch. If the starter turns over your solenoid. is good.
That leaves what I think is wrong, because it is the most common cause of your symptoms. Remove the negative lead from battery and engine block. Thoroughly clean both ends and the areas where they attach.
Most important! DO NOT buy or replace anything until after you have proven that "thing" bad. More money is spent replacing good parts than bad parts.
Red sky at night. . .
JB
Cicada posted 02-08-2003 08:27 AM ET (US)
Hooked-
Had the same problem with mine last year, a '78. New battery and I kept thumpin my Johnson to no avail. Problem was the small gear that slides on the starter shaft that engages the large gear on the flywheel. It didn't have enough lubrication so it was stuck up. Aside from talking to it about its attitude I enlisted the help of a retired gentleman that was familiar with outboards. He looked at it applied a little WD40 and gently pried the gear to release. It started. Just something else to check.
Paul
HookedOnHer posted 02-08-2003 09:07 AM ET (US)
Thanks to all the advice. I belive I am going to start trouble shooting today...since going fishing is not a option,plus it is raining here. Agian thanks to all the good advice, I will keep you posted on my findings.
TightPenny posted 02-08-2003 05:56 PM ET (US)
Had that problem on my old 50 hp.
The gear got stuck (out in the Ocean), but fortunately that engine was designed to be pull started.
WD40 back in the yard freed it right up. I use the white lubriplate on all starter drives now.
HookedOnHer posted 02-11-2003 09:22 PM ET (US)
JB this note is for you. The step by step instructions were great. I went through each step and finally came back to the solenoid. It was bad,but the steps you provided gave me the piece of mind that all else had been checked out. Thanks agian!
simonmeridew posted 02-12-2003 06:14 PM ET (US)
Hooked...
Glad you were able to isolate the problem. And you didn't lose a lot of money looking into it either!!
simonmeridew

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Author	Topic: 70 hp omc need help
HookedOnHer	posted 02-07-2003 09:33 PM ET (US) I am having trouble starting it. I just get that clicking sound. I think it is the cylinoid but would like to know before I go buy one that this will fix it. I don't have a volt meter, and the way it is built I am not sure how to cross it with a screw driver to buy-pass to start. I am all ears. Just so you know the battery has been checked out and the terminals are clean.
Tom W Clark	posted 02-07-2003 09:50 PM ET (US) What does "checked out" mean? I suspect a dead or weak battery.
simonmeridew	posted 02-07-2003 10:01 PM ET (US) Hooked... Forgive my audacity. That clicking sound is the "solenoid" working properly. What you have is either a bad battery...(I know you had it "checked out", but they often look like they took a charge but really have a bad cell) or your cables are bad, as in corrosion creeps up from the connectors and rots the copper conductor. First thing to do is get a battery hydrometer...it has a float/series of floats that measures specific gravity of each cell. Auto parts store has 'em. Make sure every cell tests well up in the green sector. I'll bet you dollars to donuts you have a bad cell. Or take your car battery, and try to start the outboard with it. To do this you might need to buy wingnut type adapters to assure a good electrical connection. If you do this, I'll bet it starts. If not, cut the connector off the positive cable on the battery end, back about 2 inches and crimp or otherwise fasten an new high quality connector onto the cable. Don't buy a new solenoid. simonmeridew
JBCornwell	posted 02-07-2003 11:20 PM ET (US) Howdy, HOH. Use jumper cables and first your boat battery, then, if needed, your car battery. Connect the negative to the engine block. touch the positive lead to the large terminal on your starter. If the starter turns over with the boat battery it is a good battery and a good starter. If the starter turns over with the car battery but not the boat battery you have a bad battery. If the starter does not turn over you have a bad starter. My guess is that the starter and boat battery are okay. Now repeat, but instead of the starter terminal, connect the positive lead to the input (from the battery) terminal on the solenoid. Then hit your starter switch. If the starter turns over your solenoid. is good. That leaves what I think is wrong, because it is the most common cause of your symptoms. Remove the negative lead from battery and engine block. Thoroughly clean both ends and the areas where they attach. Most important! DO NOT buy or replace anything until after you have proven that "thing" bad. More money is spent replacing good parts than bad parts. Red sky at night. . . JB
Cicada	posted 02-08-2003 08:27 AM ET (US) Hooked- Had the same problem with mine last year, a '78. New battery and I kept thumpin my Johnson to no avail. Problem was the small gear that slides on the starter shaft that engages the large gear on the flywheel. It didn't have enough lubrication so it was stuck up. Aside from talking to it about its attitude I enlisted the help of a retired gentleman that was familiar with outboards. He looked at it applied a little WD40 and gently pried the gear to release. It started. Just something else to check. Paul
HookedOnHer	posted 02-08-2003 09:07 AM ET (US) Thanks to all the advice. I belive I am going to start trouble shooting today...since going fishing is not a option,plus it is raining here. Agian thanks to all the good advice, I will keep you posted on my findings.
TightPenny	posted 02-08-2003 05:56 PM ET (US) Had that problem on my old 50 hp. The gear got stuck (out in the Ocean), but fortunately that engine was designed to be pull started. WD40 back in the yard freed it right up. I use the white lubriplate on all starter drives now.
HookedOnHer	posted 02-11-2003 09:22 PM ET (US) JB this note is for you. The step by step instructions were great. I went through each step and finally came back to the solenoid. It was bad,but the steps you provided gave me the piece of mind that all else had been checked out. Thanks agian!
simonmeridew	posted 02-12-2003 06:14 PM ET (US) Hooked... Glad you were able to isolate the problem. And you didn't lose a lot of money looking into it either!! simonmeridew