need advice on removing starter
 

when winterizing my starboard engine starter jammed. i can turn the crank, the selenoid clicks loudly , but the starter won't turn and pulls the batteries down , the other starter cranked fine.

i cannot get to this starter unless i shrink in size. 27' formula with twin 330's.... ie...no room....

but.. how is the starter removed. is it small bolt on side of block and then on flywheel housing, or large bolts from below like i remember from car motors of past?

i will try to post the illustration pic from BAM's site
(ok, waterfoul will post for me)


help, it is getting cold in michigan and i have a polebarn to insulate, and don't have time dinkin with this starter to winterize :hothead: .

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

starter illustration

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

Where is the starter mounted? On the block? I have seen many times that the manifold may have to be removed in order to get to the starter.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

The bendix is jammed on the flywheel. If you are able to somehow rotate the engine, it might release. Sometimes they don't and the starter burns up with in spectacular fashion. Anyways, there are two vertical bolts that hold the starter on. There sometimes is a rear bracket to help support it. There will be several wires connected to two terminals. Keep track of which wire goes where. Oh, and be sure to disconnect the batteries. The switches might not disconnect the starter and that red cable is HOT.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

I don't recall where the bolts were, but I spent a couple of days trying to get the port starter out of my 272. I removed the manifold to be able to reach it and had one bolt that just wouldn't budge, even borrowed some tools from my mechanic. I ended up having to take it in and they pulled the engine to replace it.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

Man, that sucks.
I had to remove one last summer and had to remove the exhaust manifold to get to it. 2 vertical bolts held it in place. 91, 454 mag

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

thanks Cord, the crazy thing is, as i mentioned... I CAN rotate the engine crank. so I'm puzzled why the starter is jammed....on what????

Bill, I am afraid that is the solution. this is the starboard engine and it is even worse to get to than the port. all i wanted to do was run some antifreeze, fog on the last gallon and tuck her away till June (spring in Michigan :rolleyes: )

my marine mechanic is a rolling shop now (has a truck like a snapon guy). guess I better call the professional..... Mitch Stellin offered to help, but he is twice my size and his head is WAY too big to fit down there :o)

between starters and waterpump impellors, this boat is just too small to work on twin big block. time to upgrade the engine bay size to a 336SR1 I think.....

Ramb

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

Ramb--Whats going on? The starters on my 357 were a 2 min. job. They mounted like the Bam illustrations you posted. They were top mount starters that worked with that style bell housing. Great thing about having Trannys! Now tie a rop around your ankles and hang head first from the rafters and change your starter:D

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

funny things happen when you get your head stuck between the manifold and the hull flange. your heart races as a small insignificant "help" comes out of your mouth, knowing the wife and kids are in the hosue watching scoobie doo and no one will find you till morning :eek:

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

Mine happened just before the 4th of July, so my wife was all over me to get it replaced. The shop said they could do it in 2 weeks, so I'd come in and say "That one bolt won't move" and she'd say "C'mon, keep trying, I know you can do it..." I had bruises on my ribs and stomach from laying on the engine, wrenching for all I was worth. My mechanic said they'd send their smallest guy in there and he couldn't get it either.

That's funny about getting stuck on your head. I did that replacing an impeller where I got too far down and couldn't get any leverage to push back out. I had my wife out there at the time and told her to pull be out by the belt. I think if I still had the 272, I'd keep my cell phone within reach anytime I was deep in the bilge.

Oh, and the 336 engine room is huge. I'd highly recommend one.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

Sorry, cant see pic.
Is it a TRS or Bravo boat?
If TRS, is it a top mounted starter?

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

If the starter doesn't turn and the click you hear pulls the battery voltage way down, the armature or wiring to the brushes or the solenoid is dead shorted.
Pulling the manifold is the only way I know to get any working room back there. Two vertical bolts, 9/16ths head size, one large nut, could be 1/2 or 9/19 and one small nut, 5/16 or 11/32nd to remove the wiring. If the bolts wont turn, try giving the heads a pretty good RAP with a heavy hammer straight on. Often, they are seized to the aluminum housing and whackin them will break the corrosion loose.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

thanks airpacker.
so next step is deciding to pull manifold, or engine.....

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

I suggest using a 6 point socket or wrench on those 9/16" hex heads.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

You need a flex ratchet. Maybe a small length of pipe over the handle for some leverage. INSTALL NEW STARTER WITH ANTI-SIEZE PASTE ALL OVER THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE BOLTS. So next time you wont have a huge fiasco on your hands.(if only Mercruiser cared so much !) I would recommend a lightweight gear reduction starter for this application. BBB

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

My problem was that there wasn't enough clearance around the one stuck bolt to be able to slip a socket over it and it is so deep in the engine room that it's hard to get leverage. The other one came out fairly easy though.

I'd go ahead and pull the manifold. You'd probably want to do that anyway if you pull the engine to give a little more clearance, so why not pull it first and see if you can get the starter out with the engine in? The only cost of doing that is a new manifold gasket...

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

I have the same problem reaching the starter on my Cig. If I ever pull the engines again new bell housings with top mounted starter positions will be installed.

Good luck.

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

Don't forget to drop a wrench, bolt, or SOMETHING down into the bilge while your in there. Always makes the job SO MUCH more fun trying to find/reach the little stuff in back under the engines! :p

Re: need advice on removing starter
 

That way you will have the supplies handy when putting it back together. :D

really now, I hope it goes well. It really sucks when something as simple as changing a starter turns out to be a big ticket item i.e. pulling an engine. I like expresscat's idea.