Changing Port Engine Starter on 292 SR1
 

Well, my port engine starter gave up the ghost Saturday and I am now faced with the challenge of changing the starter... 454 MAGS carb'ed with IMCO exhaust manifolds.

Looks like I need to remove the right side exhaust manifold of the port engine and maybe the left side manifold of the starboard one, along with the hatch actuator in order to get enough room to remove the bugger.... Am I missing anything here? Anything else need to be removed or is there a better approach?

I was thinking about laying some 2x10's transversely across the engine compartment to give me something a little more comfortable to lay on rather than trying to lay on the engine and have a carburetor jamming me in the gut.

Figured I would post here in the Formula forum rather than in the general forums since it is a Formula-specific task. Any other thoughts or additional insight would be appreciated...

I would suggest removing the motor instead of working upside down and twisted like a pretzel.

You can usually get to it just by pulling the risers and reaching around

Are you sure there is enough room between the exhaust manifolds? My hatch actuator barely fits between the two, and actually rubs both as it swings through an opening.

I would love to pull the engine as AllDodge suggested, but that is not really an option for me - I do not have a tree branch tall enough to hang a chainfall off nor do I have access to a forklift.

All boaters need one of these :)


http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/m...byMechanic.jpg

Pull the manis , have a set of 4 spark plugs on hand for every manifold pulled ,if its even close to time for plugs. Its easy to slip and crack a plug. Or pull the plugs first then manifolds. I have a stash of old pillows and foam blocks for the close quarter stuff works well.
Find a starter with a stainless steel brush holder set for longevity .good luck , and its not as bad as it looks especially if you scrounge some foam blocks old pillows ect ect

Wait till ya have to do one an twin 540 tall decks with the 12qt cast pans lol

Oh yea. Once you break the 2 starter bolts loose i like to go in with 1/4 drive socket n ratchet pull the inner bolt first then outer , seems easier when your crammed in tight like that.

Try jumping across the starter solenoid to confirm that is not the problem. I have also found these to have corrosion on them etc.

The starter is pretty much behind the manifold, no need to go between them. Go behind it

Think you might need two people to pull the manifold and more so to replace. Think there is no room to remove the two outer bolts and install threaded rod or long bolts with cut off heads. Try to remove is bad enough, but trying to get them back on by your self is going to be a pain

Getting the old one off shouldn't be too bad it's just a matter of getting your arms down in there. The hard part is holding the new one up while you bolt it. As mentioned above a temporary piece of short threaded rod in the bolt hole allows you to get it up in and aligned so you can start the other bolt then remove the threaded rod and install other boat.
Long arms are nice to have too

ya I gotta do my starboard engine when it comes home, uggggg

How about making a strap for it and have somebody hold it up from above (for install obviously). It won't help with the alignment but it should help with the weight factor. I like to break my wrist installing mine.

I just had my buddy who is 5' 2" and weighed about 110 soaking wet crawl under and off and out. Took about 45 min for both starters off and on.

Manifolds are not bad to pull - IMCO aluminum with stainless risers, but you have to be a contortionist to get all the manifold bolts. I like the foam block idea as well as the threaded rod for a guide.

I hope airjunky is right and that it is not as bad as it looks...

Thanks for all the ideas and suggestions!

You win ! Do you pimp him out for others ? LOL.

That was 25 years ago. I doubt if Mikey is limber enough to do that trick now.

It's just as bad on my 255 Liberator with Small Blocks. When I replaced the original engines I made sure I used small High Torque starters on the new motors. The port motor is not as bad as the starboard motor...at least with the port motor the starter is over the deepest part of the bilge. On the starboard side the vee hull is working against you....you don't have enough room to get in there with tools. One of my tricks was to take my air ratchet apart and reverse the assembly where the trigger handle was facing up. That helped a lot. Seriously...it might be easier to have someone else do it...or pull the engine. Good Luck !!