Mercruiser starter doesnt disengage?

Question

barr 5.7 gm in mercruiser setup. carb'd, thunderbolt type ignition. new parts- starter, solenoid, slave solenoid, ignition switch, batt. cables. all connections test out for proper continuity. all wires in proper place by schmatics. ok that being said! when the key is turned the engine will start but the starter doesnt disengage. if the key is pulled back to the "acc" position the engine continues to crank until the key is put in the "off" position. then starter will disengage and engine will shut down. upon restart attempt the same thing happens. im at wits end. the only thing that seems odd is the orange lead that goes from the starter to the altenator has contstant power even with engine down and key in off position. visually and meter tested all grounds for leaks. what am i missing? for the record this problem all started out of the blue with no warning, the engine ran fine then one day it got stupid! thanks

Answer 1

I have the same engine. Check the soleniods, I bet one of them isn't disengaging. There's a way to Jump each soleniod to help rule things out, but its hard to expain, but I'll try. Turn your ignition switch to the on position, but don't crank the engine. Now, take a screwdriver and jump the starter by touching the + & - leads. It'll spark a bit, so make sure you vent the bilge first. Now, if this worked fine, then its either your slave soleniod or the ignition switch. Then you can jump the slave soleniod, but thats real hard to describe. You need 2 screwdrivers to do this, and I need to see it to do it. At least the first test will get you started.

Answer 2

My guess is that your solenoid is sticking.  Try using a remote starter switch.  If that fixes it , then it's likely the ignition switch.  If it still isn't working, have someone crank it and when they let go the key, tap the solenoid with a hammer.  That might jar it loose.  If that is it, then replace the solenoid.  If you run the boat in salt water, these kind of things are always a problem.  I always spray everything with anti corrosion grease every year as part of winterization.

Answer 3

The starter needs to be removed and checked.  My guess is that the bend-ix gear is not disengaging.  Also check ignition switch.  Sometimes you need to check to see the teeth on the starter and the flywheel.  There might be some metal shavings.  If that is the case you might need to file down the teeth or replace the starter.

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Answer 4

This is one of those need to see problems.

If, the solenoid not sticking (Which I doubt), it may be your Ignition Switch getting bad. An easy way may be remove the small wire on the solenoid that come from the ignition switch and leave the battery connected and see if the wire stay hot after you release the key. With the small wire disconnected from the solenoid it will not engage but you can use your meter to see if it Hot or Not. Hope you understand.

Answer 5

Take the starter out and get it tested.  I know that removing the starter is a pain.  The bend-ix gear might not be kicking back.  It could be the orange lead but I would start with the starter.  The starter is designed so that when the engine hits a certain rpm the starter is going to disengage.  Check your ignition switch.  That could be another source of problem.  The best way to solve the problem is to start at the problem and work the other way.  Good luck.