Starter Problems 2007 Mercury 115 EFI 4-Stroke

colbysmith

colbysmith

Active member
My starter has been acting up recently. That is, while the outboard starts normally most the time, sometimes nothing happens when I turn the key. I get a click and that's it. Yesterday it seemed to be 50/50, or every other time would not turn over. I just turn the key off and back on and presto. Today I pulled the cowling and checked the voltage at the first Starter Solanoid. (The one not connected to the starter motor.) The service manual says anything less than 9.5 vts with the key in start, replace that solanoid. However I had a full 12.5 vts. The hot lead at the starter also has 12-13 volts. A new starter is about $500. A new solonoid $42. I was hoping to see less than 9.5 vts at that solanoid, but all is good there. (Before doing this test, I disconnected the fuel control harness and took the wire off going to the solonoid on the starter as I didn't want to turn the engine over.) Since all was good so far, I hooked everything back up, then had my wife turn the key while I stood at the engine staring at it. :? Every time it started right up. Typical intermittent problem, doesn't do it when you are right there watching it up close. Perhaps just a bad connection with the wires that I removed? I doubt it as they all were fairly tight and clean. Anyway, off to Door County for now. Anyone else have a starter go out on them? Is this typical? Suggestions? I'll see how the rest of this week goes as far as the starter is concerned. If no more problems I'll just figure gremlins. Colby
 
Does the starter just click or does it click and spin but not lift to engage in the fly wheel ? I have had this problem on my 175 Johnson and after extensive troubleshooting and research I discovered I was suppose to be putting a small amount of light oil on the starter shaft where it lifts to engage on the flywheel. I haven't had any problems since I started applying oil and that was about ten years ago.
 
Brent, all the battery connections, both at the battery and at the starter and solonoid are clean and tight. Starter motor worked properly all 4 times I started the motor today. If I don't have any more issues with it, I'm going to guess that it was something to do with the connections at the solinoid as I took some wires off that while testing it out at home earlier. But they also looked clean and tight before I took them off... ??? Tex, I kind of wondered about the neutral switch, but I assume if that was the problem, I wouldn't get any power back at the solonoid at all... Ranger, I'd just hear one click. So no, the starter was not running at all. And after testing it out and listening to it, I believe that click was the separate solinoid engaging. Which would lead me to believe the problem was at the starter's solonoid or starter itself. Doing some other reading in other forums, it sounds like Mercury had some starter issues with the 2007. But with over 500 hrs on the outboard now, it has worked fine in the past. Colby
 
It's the solenoid. Mercs are notorious for having bad solenoids. I've replaced mine twice already.

If I remember correctly, Bootleg Hootch had problems with his, as well. It's a Mercury thing.
 
Thanks Rick. Would it be the single one at the back of the engine, or the one attached to the starter motor? It almost appears that the single one on my motor is not the original. But that is where I measured the voltage and it was good, at the time I measured it anyway...but it wasn't acting up then either. At $42 I should probably buy one and keep handy. Colby
 
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