I bought a used Nitro with a 90 horse Force. The first time I took it out it cranked and ran fine. Took it out today and it cranked right up. Ran across the lake and fished for about an hour and when I went to move to a new spot, the motor would not crank. It just made a clicking sound which was the primer to the engine. The tilt/trim worked fine just the starting of the engine. After about 20 minutes of checking the battery and making sure it wasn't in gear, it cranked up. Went to a new spot and the same issue when it was time to leave there. New to this whole boat owning business, please help!

Thanks

I couldnt start mine this week when backed off the trailer, 92 Nitro Johnson 115. Was getting very frustrated then notice my kill switch was slightly off the button. Pushed it back on properly and fired right up.

I dont know that engine at all, so I'll be generic here...

1. Make sure that battery is fully charged. Load test it. Check the acid level.

2. Take your battery cables off of the battery and make them shine. Same for the battery terminals. Then reinstall them and tighten the wing nuts with pliers. ( dont strip them !)

3. Check to see if your starter solenoid is connected and grounded properly. ( this is where I know nothing about that particular engine.) But I've had trouble with mine. Had to replace 4 solenoids in 13 years on my Evinrude.

4. Check the Battery cable on the engine for good contact.

Hope this helps.

Are you pushing in on key? Solenoids will click but not make connection to activate starter when they are going out. Hard to fix if its starting but next time it happens, jiggle the the control handle while trying to start. You will need to check for voltage with a test light at the S post of the starter solenoid when key is turned to start. If no voltage, it is most likly the neutral saftey switch. If you get voltage their it is the solenoid. Like frog said clean the battery cables both ends real good.

+1 but sounds more to me like the solenoid is going out, or the starter has a "flat spot" in it. check with a voltmeter if you have one as this gives a better idea of what voltage is going where. next time it happens, i.e. in the drive with the earmuffs on, take off the cowling and lightly tap on the starter, if it works after that get a new starter and solenoid. this will avoid a major major pain in the you know what as if it won't start at all on the lake you will have to pull start the engine, and that sux. hope this helps.

if this motor set up for awhile it could very well have a flat spot that hopalong mentioned. The clicking is usually a bad solenoid or low voltage to the starter motor. A good way to check for a bad connection to the battery is to turn on a dash light or something that you can see. Then try to crank and see if the light goes out or dims significantly. If it does then the voltage is dropping at the battery. Either low battery or bad connection. Since it cranked later I'm assuming the battery was fine.

+1

Solenoid is going bad. Mine seem to go bad every five years or so.

Thanks for the help and direction. I took it out to Fork yesterday and the same thing. It cranked fine getting it off the trailer and the first couple of times moving from spot to spot. Mid day and way across the lake, it wouldn't start. I took off the cowling and slightly beat the starter and it did start. Went back across the lake and fished a little longer and it did the same thing. I'm going to start with the solenoid and might replace the both to ease my mind. Anyone around the Mesquite area that's trustworthy and needs a little business?

Thanks

try west marine, recommended to me by another tffr for a used engine, seem like pretty good people. I would go ahead with the whole starter replacement just to be sure, but they can check it out for you first.