boat runs out of water but won't start in water?

[JeffCollins]

My outboard motor (1996 Merc 75 HP 2 stroke) starts every time in the driveway but the two times I've taken it in the water the starter won't even crank. I was told that it might be a bad starter solenoid so I changed that then took it out last weekend. I even bought a new marine battery. There is plenty of juice, but it did not turn over again. I hear a faint click when I turn the key but no cranking from the starter. Any ideas? I just bought the boat. The cylinders all checked out great and it started in the guys driveway when I bought it. But for some reason it won't even turn over when I have it in the water.

 

[Cliff]

wiggle all the wires.
chances are you have a bad connection or a bad wire, but if its in just the right position it starts just fine.

outboards you do tend to have to replace the entire battery cable at some point. the steering and tilting, the constant flexing, it ages the cables.
and they are often out in the sun too which causes the insulation to age and crumble.



BTW, if it was cranking but still not starting in the water, or very hard to start / rough idle, i'd say raise the idle speed and adjust it in water like you are supposed to do and NOT on land where it doesnt have teh "muffler" effect of water providing pressure on the exhuast gases to be fought through.