I've got a Motorguide Tour 109. I assume its a digital motor since it doesnt have the circuit board in the head. Anyway, the trolling motor was fine, no signs of anything wrong, buzzing right along and it just died. Dead.

I've checked my resets, all battery connections are clean, I've got 39 volts at the plug, the foot switch is still good (I really thought that would be the culprit), took off the prop, removed some fishing line, still nothing. (Did all that on the water)  

After making it home I went back and hit the button. Prop started spinning. Spun for about 5 seconds then just died down to a stop while I still had the switch pressed down. After the prop stopped spinning I let off the switch and the prop turned about 3 revolutions, like a short power surge, then stopped again.

I can press the switch and get 4 or 5 seconds of prop spin, then it dies. Once it dies I can press the switch again and it does the same thing. I did this for about 10 minutes and it did the same thing every time. It does the same thing when I put it on constant.

I figured I had a short so I took off the head cover and remade all the wires together with different connectors. A few looked like they needed to be redone and I thought that may fix things but it didn't. It's still doing 'the 5 second spin and die'. Redoing all the wires changed nothing.

Any ideas on what the problem could be? Maybe the name of a part that could cause those symptoms?

With everything being checked from the batteries all the way through the pedal to inside the head, I guess it has to be in the lower unit. I've never seen inside a trolling motor lower unit and I'm really not sure I should even attempt to take it apart with it being a sealed unit.

Anybody care to school me on taking it apart, putting it back together and sealing it up correctly?

HELP!!!

I didn't do it.

Does the prop spin freely? Any noises coming from motor housing?

It  sounds like you may have a motor burning up or a leak in the lower unit causing a short.

To check for a leak, take the head cover off, remove the trolling motor from the bracket and flip the entire thing upside down to see if anything drains from the shaft where its attached to the head.

Does the prop spin freely? Any noises coming from motor housing?

Prop spins freely. No noises at all. No smoke, no burned smell. I had the motor at an angle when I was working on it in a way that if it had been holding water, it would have run out. I wasn't actually checking it like you suggested though.

I hate to suggest this, but could this be a design defect? I just read a similar description in a different forum (I think it was a Texas specific forum) within the last couple of days. I know that doesn't help your immediate problem, but if it is true, it may be something covered by the manufacturer or they may be some chatter about it in some more specialized forums.

Not a lot of info to go on. If you have power at the head and no results at the prop, the problem is probably in the lower unit. Digital motor controllers generate a lot of heat, and MK locates theirs in the motor housing. It can then be 'heat sinked' to the water. I would guess that MG does the same. If you managed to get the controller out, it is doubtful that it could be repaired, and replacement of the module would be required. It sounds like you will need to find a MG service outfit even if you do the work yourself. Locate a MG guy, get an estimate and then you have enough info to proceed. Good luck.  :-/

It shouldnt spin freely it should take a little effort to spin it seeing it has magnets inside thast where ur electric to power goes and makes it turn (not a expert on this)

The lower unit on a tm is not that hard to take apart. I have took apart two of mine and put them back together in working order. It is something that you should do with an assistant because the brushes are hard to get set back in place. If you don't want to fool with that you should probably go ahead and have it looked at.

Anyway, a question: How long have you had the motor, and how often is it used?

Anyway, a question: How long have you had the motor, and how often is it used?

Motor is 4 years old. Used once a week during the winter months, 2-4 times a week the rest of the year.

If the power control board is in the lower unit I'd say that's the best place to look.  That's one of the disadvantages to the digital type TM's.  Yes, the variable speed is nice as is the ramp up speeds on high but the circuitry to run that draws immense current and is prone to failure.  

I get all my TM work done in Suffolk.  Place is called Motor Tech.  Guy you want to talk to is Tom Foster.  He is the owner and knows his stuff.  Can get him at 800-559-8119.  Web site is: www.motortechva.com.

He can no doubt give ya a pretty good idea of what/where if ya call him or hit him with an email. Good guy and a fisherman.

Shortbasser