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How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid? 1978 225

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floater1

Regular Contributor
By buddy was trying to help me out by getting my '78 225 I/O started and wound up cranking the engine over repeatedly. At this point it wouldn't stay running because of some sediment obstruction in my Quadra-jet carb. He put on my old Holley carb that was "rebuilt" but it backfired due to having the wrong diameter accelerator pump in it. After cleaning the Quadra-jet carb out I put it back on and went to start it and only got a click coming from the starter solenoid. Double checked my new battery was fully charged tried again and still the same clicking when turning the key. I though perhaps the starter gear may have been wedged in place in the flywheel from the earlier repeated cranking plus the backfire. So I loosened the starter bolts wiggled the starter and even tamped it with a rubber hammer hoping to get it to break loose if it was locked in there. I didn't hear anything that would indicate the starter gear retracted when I was playing with it. I tightened starter bolts back up and turned the key and still just get the clicking. Could the solenoid on the starter itself be the problem? I was told there is some sort of shaft within that solenoid that may have got hung up? A fellow boater says give that starter solenoid a few whacks with the rubber hammer and that may "free" things up. The starter I have in question was a $225 hi-torque marine mini starter I got less than 2 years ago. Maybe just need a whole different starter and solenoid? I should add that before this recent episode the new ministarter worked flawlessly since I bought it.
 
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Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

I would be looking at a bad battery terminal, or ground strap.

Constantly cranking an engine via the Starter Motor isn't good for the Starter.

A solenoid pulling in really makes a big thump, and not a simple "Click"

Bruce.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

Yes, a solenoid can certainly go bad.
As the plunger kicks the actuator arm out, it lastly closes a large copper contact. These can become burned from arcing!
The actual solenoid plungers rarely hang up within their bore....... But never say never!

See if ME.com can offer you a new replacement that uses all steel reduction gears.
Richard of Seamanufacturing in Florida offers an all steel reduction gear HTGR/PMGR motor for a fraction of what you paid.
If you are replacing this, first give Andrew or crew @ ME.com a try!

BTW again....., you can carefully use a steel hammer to tap on a starter motor.... you won't hurt it! The rubber just doesn't shock it enough.
 
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Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

I would go with the " check your connections thing" FIRST. When I was having voltage regulator problems with my old 225 Buick, I cranked the motor almost continually one day to get back into port. After I doubled the batteries this year, the starter cranks just fine. I thought I had burned out the starter for sure. Its one of those old Delco Starters that weighs as much as a Sherman Tank. Talk about hard to re-install !!! You have to lie on your stomach , holding the Starter up with one hand, while starting one of the 2 bolts. I'm guessing the thing weighs 50 pounds by the feel of it on my arm !!!!
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

By buddy was trying to help me out by getting my '78 225 I/O started and wound up cranking the engine over repeatedly.

Suspect Buddy wore out your battery.

After cleaning the Quadra-jet carb out I put it back on and went to start it and only got a click coming from the starter solenoid.

Suspicion confirmed.

Double checked my new battery was fully charged tried again and still the same clicking when turning the key.

Assuming that you put battery on charger overnight.

A fellow boater says give that starter solenoid a few whacks with the rubber hammer and that may "free" things up.

That guy is giving you rather bogus advice. What if it is "sticking"? You gonna lay on your belly with a hammer every time you want to start the engine? Didn't think so.


If you have not given the battery a good solid overnight charge, do so and retry the key. If still no go, have the battery load tested, the cranking may have just plain killed it. If it passes load test and is fully charged and still no love, then it would be new starter time. When things break they just quit working. Funny, that.

I'm guessing you have one lonely battery to do the job. Think about a second battery bank and a management system that will ensure constant automatic battery charging on both banks so you won't disappoint the Swedish Bikini Tanning Team next time you are out on the water. If that's what you are into, of course.
 
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Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

I have seen many "starter solenoid" threads. It must be the marine environment that gets to them. (??)

I've driven Fords for decades, hundreds of thousands of miles, and can count on one hand, the number of solenoids I've had to replace.
I think it's 3 or 4.

The number one problem I've had with clicking solenoids is dirty, corroded battery terminals. Next is a dead battery.

If that doesn't get it, check the main ground connections.

And yes, charge the battery, as the previous poster said.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

Pulled the ARCO starter tonight no chipped gear teeth from the backfire so thats good. I'm taking the starter in to a shop in the morning just make sure it tests out good one less thing to worry about. Yes I did charge the battery all night but your right maybe a load test is in order. I just purchased this battery less than a month ago but they can still go bad sooner than later. Connections were all tight.

I also have the seperate "start" solenoid mounted up on the rear of the engine. I need to get another helper down here to help diagnose but its sounds like that upper solenoid is the one thats clicking rather than the "start" solenoid thats attached to the starter itself.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

DavidW2009 said:
I've driven Fords for decades, hundreds of thousands of miles, and can count on one hand, the number of solenoids I've had to replace.
I think it's 3 or 4.
Click to expand...

My boat is 32 years old and has maybe 750 total hours on it. All 6 of the solenoids are original except for one I replaced when I had issues raising and lowering my drive (turns out it wasn't the solenoid that was the problem but rather took me unplugging and reconnecting a simple male/female connector under the dash to get the unit to raise and lower, btw this connection wasn't in any of the OMC "bibles" I researched. Bottom line is although solenoids can fail just like any other part, they are unlikely first choice candidates when trouble shooting a problem like mine?
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

OMC calls the upper solenoid an "assist" solenoid. On a GM engine it is sorta redundant in that GM starters have a solenoid on the starter unlike Ford that has a remote solenoid.
Now I won't try to argue that the solenoids are unlikely candidates, but I will share an anecdote from last weekend. Bought a new start solenoid from NAPA on Wednesday. Thursday I got to install it on the Ford that I'm using to drive the Cobra. Connected all the wires and nothing, not even a click. Checked battery connection which turned out to be the cause as the positive cable was disconnected (for safety) Tried key again and away it went cranking and cranking, and cranking....and cranking....and cranking...and not shutting off when I turned it off.
Disturbing. Checked the brand new from NAPA solenoid and found that the main lugs have continuity. Totally fried, brand new out of the box.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

Starter and attached solenoid tested out good. Now its either a bad battery which I just bought new 3 weeks ago or a bad "assist" solenoid. If it turns out its the battery....................
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

Battery tested good. Found out the reason I was only getting a click when I turned the key was a bad start "assist" solenoid. It probably got pretty warm from the earlier repeated engine cranking, plus being 32 years old, it went kaput. Also found I had a little section of cracked wire on one of the wires going to this solenoid. Now it cranks like there's no tommorrow but still won't stay running. New fuel pump getting plenty of fuel, new coil wire and now will be swapping on a borrowed carb to see if thats it being my home grown carb cleaning job didn't go so well on my quadra-jet. Gotta love 30 plus year old boats.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

Sounds like you are having a wiring problem, in as much as when you supply power to crank, it starts, but when you release the key, or button, the power to the coil stops, and therefore the engine stops.

Is this the case?

If it is, then you are missing, or have disconnected, the wire from the Ignition Switch to the Coil.

In the case of GM engines, they have a secondary wire from the Starter Solenoid to the Coil to supply a full 12 Volts whilst the Starter is cranking, and then when the Starter Motor is not operating, the Coil receives 8 Volts via a Resistor in the Ignition line to the Coil.

Bruce.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

I will double check but I hooked up all wires when I put the starter back in. Once I rule out the carb as the problem this has to be it then.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

The Wire from the Starter Solenoid to the Coil should come off the "R" Terminal. This is the one that gives 12 Volts, but only when the Starter is engaged and cranking.

I am thinking that this one is okay, so I would be tempting to "Hot-wire" the coil directly to the Positive on the Battery. This way, to shut the engine down, just remove the "Hot-wire" from the battery.

Bruce.
 
Re: How easy is it to burn out starter solenoid?

Turns out one of the small wires to the coil was loose so I crimped it good and tight. Also the coil wire I was using was from a Ford (mine is GM) and it wasn't sinking down all the way onto the coil itself to make a good connection. It runs on its own now but not very good I know my carb is clogged somewhere in there as I previously had some gunk come up from the fuel tank before I put the in-line filter in place. Taking the carb to the shop today.
 
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