Can anyone help i keep going through starters. I put a new one in and it lasts about 2 weeks, then sounds like its is grindind. I tried to shim one then cranked it with the coil wire off sounds fine. i use it a few times then it starts to go again. Engine is 540 dart block.

Are you buying new starters from Mercruiser?

no i am buying arco marine starters, from a local supplier.Its a high torque starter.

having the same problem on my 489ci motor, burnt up a stock one in about five starts, bought an arco it has lasted a month but is about gone now.

do you think we have a ground problem? Should i run another ground from battery to starter bolt?

That will not make any difference. If you have a bad connection in my experience it will not work or just click. Run compression ratio are you using? Personally if it was me, I would spend the extra money and get a good starter from Mercruiser. I currently have a 496 with 9.5 compression and use the stock Mercruiser starter. It starts the first turn of the key every time.

When I was younger I would pay to have them rebuild. The last rebuild starter I used about caused me to spend a cold night on the river at the end of October because there where no boats out to tow me in!

You get what you pay for

The compression is 9.5, when i put a new starter in the engine lights off in the fisrt push of the button. Can a starter burn up that fast after a few usages?

My theory for a bad ground is that the bendix is acting like the ground and the spring is getting weak from getting to hot,thats why a new starter works in the beginning.Is that possible?

have you had a starter look at one of the old starters from a tear down diagnostic veiw

was advised by my engine builder to run another ground to the block off of the starter bolt, dont know if it will save this starter but he swears it is a ground problem.