Minnkota Pro 101 TM..

Randy Walker · Post by **Randy Walker** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 7:15 pm

Has anyone ever had this happen?

Trolling motor works fine for a few minutes of clicking the button of and on... then all of a sudden I press on the botton and there is nothing! Pulled it out of the water and tried again... prop started spinning. Fished on for a while, then happened again several times. Got home and played with it for a while and was able to get it to stop working again...this time while pushing the botton down, I tapped on the lower motor section and the prop started to spin...

Could this just be a loose wire in the motor or is this a symtom of my motor going out..

I am just trying to get an idea of what's going on before I have to end up taking it somewhere for repairs.

Thanks much for any info you can provide...

acm95301 · Post by **acm95301** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:18 pm

My motorguide did that, it turned out to be crossed wires in the foot pedal. Eventually only the high speed worked,til I replaced the wires.

nipples · Post by **nipples** » Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:28 pm

Randy Walker wrote:this time while pushing the botton down, I tapped on the lower motor section and the prop started to spin...

Look at the easiest fix first. Make sure it's not the push button (does it work fine on constant?). Providing that is not the problem...

Could be lose wiring in the motor (inside the the lower motor section). Also could be a cracked magnet (possibly with a few shards of magnet free floating).

They are not difficult to take apart and reassemble (if you are mechanically inclined). If not, take it in and have it looked at.

Good Luck,

-Nips-

619 · Post by **619** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 5:54 am

Sounds like a bad armature. Some of the older models had issues with this.

BS'r · Post by **BS'r** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:56 am

I had this problem for a few years and a new switch seemed to cure it for a while. I used to get them from Gene at the hook. If you're close to the hook, you may want to stop by.

I now have the 101 Fortrex and have no issues with the switch.

Hardshell · Post by **Hardshell** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:15 am

619 wrote:Sounds like a bad armature. Some of the older models had issues with this.

+1

Dead spot, will resume when the prop is moved just a little.

Hardshell

kopper_bass · Post by **kopper_bass** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:32 am

Randy,
trust me, I know this problem all too well. I have had Jay Liu fix mine 2x for this esact problem; its annoying i know. the armature has a dead spot in it and every now and then when you stop the motor, it stops on the dead spot and then it cant restart. the reason the motor works again is that when you pull the motor up out of the water is because you ultimately spin the prop slightly causing the armature to rotate to a good spot again and the armature can get charged and starts rotating.

Try doing this:
Put the motor up on your boat so it can spin without hitting your boat. you may need to block the frame up a bit with some wood. Put the speed dial to 0, and flip the switch to constant on. then turn the speed dial very slowly up until the motor starts rotating at a very, very slow speed. you will find that the motor likely stops rotating though at the dead spot and you can spin the blade with your hand a 1/4 turn and the blade will start spinning again until it comes around and hits the dead spot. as you increase the speed though, the motors inertia carries the armature past the dead spot and it keeps going. it only dies on the water when you get "lucky" and it stops at the dead spot.

Take it to a shop and have them work on it. if its not too bad, they can just solder the wire leads to the armature and get a good contact again. if its too bad, they will just replace the armature with a new one.

There is Gene at the Hook.
There is Jay Liu up in Redding.
And i believe there are a few other guys in the NorCal region that also work on MinnKotas.

Good Luck,

Kopper

Randy Walker · Post by **Randy Walker** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:46 am

Thanks for the feedback guys... much appreciated!
Yeah, that armature sounds like it could be the problem based on the symptoms... Joe, I actually did exacty what you said with speeds and such in my garage.. but I did not have to turn the blade to get it going... I actually just had to smack the motor with my hand or tap it with a screw driver and it started working (while holding down the button)... so it sounds like this is the problem.. It just started on my recent trip out, so hopefully it's not too bad and does not cost too much to repair..

Thanks to all for your insight ~

Randy