BTW, you said also that it starts pretty hard until warmed up, then it starts fine, NOT that before this problem occurred it started pretty hard. Will the engine crank over at all with the start button? I had the impression that this was an intermittent problem, that it would still start, but not always?

 

It was intermittent but now it's to the point where I'm lucky if it does actually turn over.

I have not had a chance to try your suggestions with measuring voltages etc.

Any ideas in the meantime, let me know.

 

BUT, a critical point is that sometimes it DOES turn over? When it does, is it a normal speed, or slow and laboring?

And you say that shorting a screwdriver across the two large terminals on the relay does NOT make the starter motor turn?