Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

Hello. I have 1994 Johnson fast strike that just started having starter issues. It cranked over a couple times (sounded weak) and then wouldnt crank anymore. I have the check horn beeping when I turn the key and have power trim. I checked the kill switch, it's not in gear, cleaned the connections, it has a new cranking battery. I pulled the motor cover and can hear the starter click when the key turns, but won't fire. Could it be a bad solenoid , like when a car starter goes out? The starter is bad itself? Thanks in advance, bill.

Sounds like I would check for a bad connection first. Sometimes even when It looks like you have a good connection the cables themselves are corroded under the shielding. Check all of your connections first and even kind of peel back some of the black shielding and look for anything green or white in color. ( can't stand them colors) .... good luck

Also GO BLUE!!

Is the starter actually engaging the flywheel? I have seen a few times something keep the starter gear from popping up to catch the flywheel. It can be a bad starter or something simple as Don says keeping it from popping up.

If it was engaging and then quit, as it kind of sounds, then something probably is keeping enough power from getting to the starter. Probably not the kill switch if it started to fire.

Some of those older motors do have a fuse in the powerhead that can keep them from firing too. Not sure if that one has a small fuse in on the power head somewhere? I can't recall if it did, if it was one that wouldn't fire, or wouldn't get power to the starter at all if that little fuse blows? Been a long time since I've dealt with that tricky, but cheap, quick fix issue.