Mercury starter question

**blowitup** · 05-30-2017, 08:54 AM

1996 mercury promax,what causes starter to only crank for short periods?Can not crank for more than a few seconds without recycling key.

**bullet123** · 05-30-2017, 09:39 AM

Turns over slow. could be battery or brushes in starter.

**Bruce2** · 05-30-2017, 10:02 AM

Be sure to check all of your grounds and power feed wires for corrosion... it's not a bad idea to pull all the grounds and clean them anyway same with the positive wires...they may look good nut they still may have a coating of stuff on them..i use a wire wheel in a drill.

**outasite** · 05-30-2017, 05:49 PM

Does the starter motor quit,or does the drive disengage leaving the starter running but not turning the motor.

**blowitup** · 05-30-2017, 06:29 PM

Starter motor quits,cables are new batteries 1yr old.Had the same problem before with different boat a few years ago never fixed it.Just bothers me that I just can't crank it for more than few seconds

**W2F a V-King** · 06-02-2017, 06:48 AM

If your certain your battery and connections are all good, then check the yellow/red stripe signal feed wire while cranking with a test light at the starter relay or solenoid. This comes from the key switch through the neutral safety switch to your starter relay/solenoid. If OK...

Then test the starter motor lead from the solenoid or relay to the starter terminal with test light while cranking to see if that drops out.

If it's not the drive being kicked out like described above. This will tell which part of the starter circuit has failed. The signal from the key to the relay, or the relay feed to the starter motor.

If it all checks good with the test light, then a voltage drop test on the circuit will need to be done to find where the current is stopping.

**WillySteve** · 06-04-2017, 08:38 PM

Jump the solenoid.....If it cranks over fine:
then the problem will be in the key switch or wiring to the solenoid.
If not:
then a bad connection in the battery ground or hot wire or a bad solenoid or starter.

**Krazymaan** · 06-07-2017, 06:50 AM

My motors are carb motors. when I crank them over and the starter just stops spinning its because I had ignition in a cylinder even though the motor didn't fire. Its just a safety precaution so you don't grind your starter. Sometimes it irritating but its better than buying new starters and starter rings.

**WillySteve** · 06-07-2017, 06:37 PM

Huh???

**blowitup** · 06-07-2017, 07:32 PM

Charged battery seem to work good today

**Krazymaan** · 06-07-2017, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by WillySteve

Huh???

Let's put it this way. Have you ever heard a Mercury starter grind its gears on a flywheel?

**WillySteve** · 06-07-2017, 09:32 PM

Not often.....and the old 60's-70's Mercs I always ran 24v to the starters, but where I got lost is, "had ignition in a cylinder even though the motor didn't fire. Its just a safety precaution so you don't grind your starter?" WHAT????

**Krazymaan** · 06-07-2017, 10:05 PM

According to me, the split second your motor tries to fire (ignites-ignition), something shuts down your starter so it doesn't remain spinning or catch the flywheel. Your not in control of when your starter shuts off. Thats why you have to shut the key off and do it all over again. Then you also can't just turn the key forward and grind gears while the motor is running, thats why you have to shut the key off every time.

**wildnphx** · 06-07-2017, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by Krazymaan

According to me, the split second your motor tries to fire (ignites-ignition), something shuts down your starter so it doesn't remain spinning or catch the flywheel. Your not in control of when your starter shuts off. Thats why you have to shut the key off and do it all over again. Then you also can't just turn the key forward and grind gears while the motor is running, thats why you have to shut the key off every time.

Yep Sounds normal to me, mine does exact same thing and always has...