I feel your pain...

Yesterday I put the ears on the old Evinrude figuring that it would fire up right off the bat. Dropped the key in, turned the garden hose on and I'll be damned if the starter didn't just spin without engaging. I put the charger on the battery for a couple of hours (didn't really need charged as I had just done it a week ago and still showed good). Still just spun in place.

I wanted to buy a second battery for the boat anyways, so I went out to Wally World and picked up a new battery (3/13 on the sticker ). New battery is slightly smaller than the "old" battery (750 marine cranking amps vs 845), but should have been fine. New battery in and feeling $89 lighter, I hit the ignition and starter still just spun. Checked all ground and cleaned up contacts. Still spun...

This was the point that I felt that my wallet was about to go onto a severe starvation diet. I pulled the starter off, pulled the Bendix unit off the shaft and cleaned/lubed. Still spun and didn't engage the flywheel.

Called a marine mechanic that I have gotten to know a bit and got "yup, it's the starter". Just to rule the starter completely at fault, I jumpercabled my truck battery right to the ground and hot posts of the starter. You guessed it... STILL SPUN IN PLACE.

Called around for a new starter today and the cheapest I found was $235. OUCH! M%^#@$F#@&*(^$!

Being one that does not like to be piloted from the posterior, I called another Marine Mechanic that I know and he had a few used starters that "might work". $80 and I walked out with one. Got home and I'll be damned, it didn't fit.

Starter returned, I started searching on the net for a better price on a new or refurbished one. I found one! $66.99 for a new aftermarket starter. I don't know how or why the company is selling these starters at this price, but I almost bought three! I settled for one and it should be here in 3-8 business days.

This the site and starter that I ordered.

Good luck with your boat issues!