35 Evinrude ‘80/‘81

Hi all, cleaning up the old whaler with 35 evinrude. Forget if it’s ‘80 or ‘81. Boats been sitting since ‘04. Mechanic Had it running like a top then. Trying to get her going and looking for suggestions. Hooked up new battery no gas yet. Found the key. Push choke clicks and turning key clicks. Starter doesn’t engage. Fly wheel does turn and starter gear turns by hand.

Hoping I’m not to far away from hearing her purr again.

Thx!

Check for voltage drop. Do you have a meter that you can read voltages?

Check ALL your battery connections for being good, clean and tight.

Hi thanks. I only did hand right to the batter. Also tried a jump pack and same result. I’m guessing I have a starter problem. Is there a way to connect it to power directly? Do I need to remove it. I don’t have a meter but sure I can borrow one somewhere. Thx

And if if it is starter I should be able to get something out if it from rope pull right?

thx

You may have a power issue to the starter. Borrow the meter. Check voltages from battery to starter. A drop of 1 volt is ok.

Thanks. What else should I do to get her running? It’s been 15!years. Haven’t hooked up gas yet. I’m sure when I last used it I disconnected the line and let the motor stall. It’s been stored inside. Overall things look pretty clean under the cover.

Ok well I tapped her a bit harder last night and the starter engaged. Few times it stuck and I had to tap it back down. Assuming that’s a good start...what else should I do to get this 35 running? Can a lubricant be sprayed on the starter? Will it free up as I run it? Haven’t hooked up to gas yet. Hope to soon with a barrel of water. Again, engines been sitting inside for 15 years.

Thx

Install a new impeller before launching the boat.

When it last ran, was it using ethanol? Did you drain and dry the fuel tank? the starter can be lubed from the top a bit with some heavy weight oil and or spray grease, but there is no way to get it to the bottom bushing/bearing unless you dismantle it. I would completely dismantle it and service the starter, but that's just me. Simply running it, since it was stuck, will not do it much good. Depends on your motives.

Starter problems 98% of the time are due to hand-tightening connections, loose connections, or tight but dirty connections.

Use a wrench or pliers to tighten all connections... not your fingers!

Clean the end terminals of all cables associated with the electric starter system... including the battery terminals and the ground at the powerhead... also clean the components they attach to. This will eliminate any possibility of any voltage drops.

To test the starter... simply have a good known battery that's fully charged and using good known jumper cables, connect the battery directly to the electric starter. If the starter cranks the engine normally fast... then obviously the starter is okay.

The engine's been sitting for 15 years? Remove the spark plugs and check the compression... then see if the spark will jump a 7/16" air gap.... always a possibility of failure there. Very likely also that due to sitting for that length of time, the carburetor needs cleaning..... perhaps not, but not a great possibility!

Thanks all. I forget if this would have ethanol. Last run was around 2004. It ran fine then. I’ve emptied the gas and will try fresh when I get the new fuel line. It’s pretty rigid. I have an 8.5 gal portable in a 13 whaler. So the goal would be to get her running and have some fun with it. So far my 2 and 4!yo boys are having a blast tinkering with the bait itself .