Re: Johnson RDE-17R?

[Mumbles]

First of all, what was done to the starter when it was serviced? Was the armature checked for shorts, was the commutator turned and polished with new brushes installed? Were the gaps between the commutator segments cleaned out really good and the insulation between them cut down? Are the field coils and their insulation in good shape with no shorts? What about the bottom thrust washer, is it worn and causing the commutator to short out against the lower end plate? Have you tried bypassing the solenoid and using jumper cables straight to the starters terminal? Are all of the connections clean and tight?

That starter should spin the motor over quite easily so it sounds like you have to go back inside it and do some detective work.