2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP Starter Motor

Electrical and electronic topics for small boats
Don SSDD
Posts: 313
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:58 am
Location: Nova Scotia

2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP Starter Motor

Postby Don SSDD » Sat Sep 25, 2021 7:15 am

Our volunteer fire department has a 1994 Guardian 25 with twin 2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP outboard engines. The Port engine had the starter motor dragging. The starter motor was removed and had checked by a good starter motor repair shop.

After reinstalling the starter motor, all we get is a click.

We switched the solenoid from one outboard to the other: both solenoids work fine on the starboard outboard, but on the port outboard, both work the same—just a click. The starter spins freely when connected to 12 volts directly.

We have no schematics for the starter wiring nor for the Cole Hersee power switch. The port starter works the same on both battery 1, 2, or Both settings.

It is difficult to get outboard mechanical or electrical work done quickly at the present time.

Are there any other relays or electrical parts to check unique to a 2009 E-TEC 130-HP?

The solenoid has one wire from it to the starter, an electrical two-wire connector on its base, and the main 12-Volt wire feeding the input side. That post also has three other wires attached, in addition to the main 12 volt feed.

Thanks for any help.

Don
1986 Outrage 18 with 2001 Honda 130 HP
Former Owner 1991 Guardian 19 with 1994 Evinrude V4 140HP
Former owner 1987 Montauk with 1998 Mercury 90HP
Nova Scotia

Don SSDD
Posts: 313
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:58 am
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: 2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP Starter Motor

Postby Don SSDD » Sat Sep 25, 2021 4:15 pm

Figured out the cause of the problem with the Port engine: the starter motor was bad, after all.

Don
1986 Outrage 18 with 2001 Honda 130 HP
Former Owner 1991 Guardian 19 with 1994 Evinrude V4 140HP
Former owner 1987 Montauk with 1998 Mercury 90HP
Nova Scotia

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP Starter Motor

Postby jimh » Mon Sep 27, 2021 9:40 am

DON--it's good that you found the problem that caused the 2009 E-TEC 130-HP engine to not crank over and start.

Here are two comments that might be helpful in the future with regard to the E-TEC engine and its starter motor:

  • You may be able test to see if the solenoid is the cause of the no-cranking problem without removing the solenoid from the engine. You need a short cable of appropriate conductor size, perhaps 4-AWG, with terminal lugs on each end. Attach one end of this cable to the input terminal on the solenoid. You can temporarily do that by loosening the nut and adding the temporary cable to the other cables on the input terminal. Then with the other end of the short cable, touch it to the output terminal of the solenoid. This will jumper the battery to the starter motor. The starter motor should begin to rotate. The solenoid is out of the circuit, so if the starter motor runs, then you will know the solenoid was the cause of the no-crank problem. If the starter motor does not run, the solenoid was not the cause of the no-crank problem. An impediment to this method is the presence of a coating of insulating material over the stud on the solenoid on the starter-motor connection. You may have to remove some of that painted-on insulating material to be able to make an electrical connection to that terminal stud.
  • With the E-TEC engine, the coil of the solenoid is operated by the EMM of the E-TEC engine. It is not controlled directly by the ignition key switch. If the ignition key switch is moved to START, and the solenoid does not operate (as observed aurally by the click), the cause of the solenoid coil not operating could be the EMM. The key start signal is applied to the EMM and not directly to the solenoid coil so that the EMM will read the barometric pressure before trying to start the engine, and then adjust for that value in the engine start. If the solenoid coil never operates, it could be due to a fault in the EMM. As I recall, the EMM conductor to the solenoid coil justs pulls down on side of the coil to ground. The other side already as 12-Volts to it.

Also a feature in the E-TEC engine and its EMM: the EMM is connected to the solenoid at the low-side of the coil, which is getting 12-Volts from the battery on the other coil connection. Because of this, the EMM can sense the voltage across the coil. If the EMM sees no voltage or a lower-than-expected voltage, i.e., not the full 12-Volt battery voltage, then the EMM writes a SERVICE CODE into the EMM history log and notes the ENGINE RUN TIME HOURS. By using EV-Diagnostic software, you could discover this SERVICE CODE in the engine history. The code would typically denote "Starter solenoid circuit open." This would be a helpful clue for where to look for the discontinuity in the starting circuit.

Don SSDD
Posts: 313
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:58 am
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: 2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP Starter Motor

Postby Don SSDD » Wed Sep 29, 2021 8:44 am

Thanks Jim for the reply.

As an aside, the dealer could not get a new starter from the supply chain due to them being on back order. He did have a container full of parts outboards and I managed to find a starter and solenoid there from an E-TEC 200-HP engine. I removed the starter myself on Saturday, and I had the 130 running again in a couple of hours. The supply chain delays are widespread.
1986 Outrage 18 with 2001 Honda 130 HP
Former Owner 1991 Guardian 19 with 1994 Evinrude V4 140HP
Former owner 1987 Montauk with 1998 Mercury 90HP
Nova Scotia

jimh
Posts: 11672
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: 2009 Evinrude E-TEC 130-HP Starter Motor

Postby jimh » Wed Sep 29, 2021 9:09 am

An outboard engine repair shop with "a container full of parts" is often a good resource. In two instances (with two different engines of different brands) an engine repair required a rather obscure part. In each instance (involving two different dealers, one a Mercury and the other an Evinrude), they each had a used part on hand in perfect condition from a dead engine. The repair was made with the used part in lieu of waiting weeks or longer to get the rather obscure and obsolete part from the manufacturer's inventory (which would have been at much greater cost).