Motor won't crank over

[dblanton]

I have a 1981 Evinrude 75 hp, and the motor stopped cranking over, all the connections are good and clean. I have replaced the solenoid (with a new solenoid) and checked the continuity on the leads from the ignition switch back to the motor where the two big red connectors plug together and out to the solenoid and the meter shows continuity. I have checked the fuse and it is good, and I have power to the ignition switch. (the switch is also new) I checked the continuity on the neutral safety switch and it is good. The battery is fully charged, but still the motor won't crank over. If I apply power directly from the battery to the starter the motor will crank over so I feel the starter is good.
The engine has never overheated and the temperature buzzer has never sounded, but if the Temperature Sensor Switch is bad could this cause the motor not to crank over?
The reason I asked is because this started out as an intermitting problem, when the motor would not crank over I would let it sit a few minutes then it would crank over.

[alan white]

Check:

1) For 12 volts at the small hot terminal of the solonoid while someone turns the key.

2) For continuity between the ground terminal of the solonoid and the engine block.

If the hot terminal is showing 12 volts but the ground is not electrically connected to the block, trace it and find out why. If it is the ground that passes through a faulty temp switch, for example, that could explain the problem. Same goes for the hot terminal, and its probable that its the hot side that's interrupted and not the ground.
It takes two people to make the hot solonoid terminal check, but it's pointless to start at the forward controls if you haven't yet done the above tests.
Trace from solonoid hot terminal forward until you lose continuity.

Alan

[dblanton]

Found the problem, it was the short ground lead from the block to the solenoid ground post.

Thanks Alan for your help.