Johnson Outboard starter won’t engage every time

I have a 1994 Johnson 150 hp Fast Strike Ranger Classic motor on my boat and I am having trouble gettting the starter to engage every time. When the motor is cold and I turn the starter to the start position, it engages the starter with no problem. After the engine gets warm and I try to start it, it sometimes will not engage the starter until I turn the key off and on several times. I had the neutral safety switch replaced and checked for any loose wires and the problem is still there. It has been this way for 7-8 years. I am afraid I will get stranded one of these days. I just replaced the starter switch but really don’t have a lot of confidence in this fixing the problem. I need some suggestions as to what to do next. I don’t want to keep paying dealers to replace parts while they guess at the problem. Has anyone out there had this type of problem? By the way I just found out about your web site while fishing for white bass on Lake Pepin last week. A couple of your members (Tony and Tony) made me and my fishing friends aware of the site. Great site!!
Thanks for the help in advance,
Ron Galloway

Ron I have the 120 Johnson 94′ and this happened to me. Try making sure your starting battery has a full, as in putting it on the charger, charge. See if this helps. I still have the same problem as you but not if I make sure the starting battery has a charge in it every month or so. I don’t know if the battery is bad or my alternator is,but mine doesn’t do it if I do this. Just an FYI if you do get stranded just take the cover off and manualy move the starter up into the flywheel, by twisting it upwards. That’s what I did and I would get a few more starts out of it

I have a 99 115 Evinrude FICHT that I had the same problem with. The dealer replaced the bendix (spelling) in the starter and I haven’t had any problems since. The exact same symptoms and everything. Started cold off the trailer everytime. They thought at first I had a hole in the fuel diaphram. Turned out I did but the cure was the bendix. Hope this helps.

Thanks, Brad, but I have a new starting battery and it is fully charged. I do appreciate the tip on moving the starter up to the flywheel. I will keep this in mind whenever it completely lets me down.

Thanks!!

Steve, good tip. I will talk to my dealer about the bendix.

Thanks!!

the bendix worm gear could be a little gummed up enough to make it alittle sticky. before you replace it, try and clean it up with a rag and a degreaser product, might be all you need. Jack..

Thanks, Jack. I will give it a try.

I had 90 that was doing a similar thing. I cleaned the shaft and it seemed to fix the problem. I also put some wd-40 on it.

Thanks, John. I am headed out to work on it right now.