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25 merc, electric start just clicking

A

arkansashunter

Member
Just put electric start on my 1992 merc. When i first put it on and hit the button something smoked so i let off and disconnected the battery. After checking all the connections i retried it and it just clicked. The motor still started fine with the pull start, although it would cut out at half throttle (carb issue unrealated i hope.).

I know the starter, battery, and solenoid are good from testing them on another motor. Grounds from negative battery cable and neutral switch are good.

I can only think of two possible things either the rectifier (dont know if that has any relation to clicking issue) or the actual starter button... (but the solenoid clicks so it seems to be working.


Any help, Ideas?

Thanks​
 
..."..the solenoid clicks so it seems to be working"

That means it is NOT working. Jump the starter directly with cables and, when it spins the motor as it should, replace the solenoid.

Jeff
 
When i first put it on and hit the button something smoked...
You need to find out what "smoked". Check the wiring for scorched or melted insulation and poor connections. What gauge wires did you use? Put your nose to work. Ohm test the rectifier. Did you try to jump the starter as fastjeff said? It may be fried.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
thank you to both for replying.

I jumped the solenoid and it still just clicked. Took the starter off just now and put it on the other motor. Worked fine.

Could a rectifier being bad cause this? Everything else (neutral safety switch, solenoid, starter) checks out fine.

Possibly a bad start button on tiller handle maybe? This is really irritating...

i am assuming this would have nothing to do with stator, trigger or alternator.... but i am not electronics expert obviously lol
 
Rectifier is part of the battery charging system and has nothing to do with the starting.------------Now if you hooked thing up wrong initially then who knows what happened !!-------------Post pictures so we can see how this is hooked up.-----------Post wiring diagram of what you did !!
 
I jumped the solenoid and it still just clicked.
Click to expand...

Which wires did you jump? The top studs w/large ga. wires that send 12 vdc to the starter or the small wire at the base of the solenoid?
 
Check to make sure you have a heavy gauge wire to feed the selenoid and a heavy gauge wire to feed the starter. If you have a small gauge wires for either end you are most likely melted the internal of that wire. It's not rocket science to connect a selenoid. Check to see you still have a constant 12V feed to the selenoid.
 
Problem solved!!!:D

Ended up being a bad connection from the solenoid to the starter. The post was showing good output then i tested the end of the wire and it was dead. Unbolted the 2 nuts and put it back together and it worked just fine.

Explains why when i would just bolt the other starter on it had no juice.

Thanks for the input. it definetly helped me rule out other possibilities.

Now does anyone know where to find and older style neutral safety switch? serial ODO66148.
 
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