4.3l Starter works but engine wont turn over

[Thomasdale2144]

Alright so I was out boating the other day and was going pretty slowly through a weedy patch, after I got out of the weeds the boat felt low on power and labored so I stopped to check if I had caught some weeds in the prop, when I went back to throttle it up the engine died and was very hot with white smoke coming through the carb, so I shut it off and got towed to the dock. When I got home I pulled the plugs and water came out of the very back left cylinder (looking at the engine from inside the boat) after that I cranked the engine several times to force any water out of the cylinders with all of the plugs pulled, but after a few key turns the starter sounded like it wasn't engaging any more, so I pulled it and bench tested it and it engaged. So I replaced it and the engine still wont turn over but the starter sounds like it is engaging, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[alldodge]

Alright so I was out boating the other day and was going pretty slowly through a weedy patch, after I got out of the weeds the boat felt low on power and labored so I stopped to check if I had caught some weeds in the prop, when I went back to throttle it up the engine died and was very hot with white smoke coming through the carb, so I shut it off and got towed to the dock. When I got home I pulled the plugs and water came out of the very back left cylinder (looking at the engine from inside the boat) after that I cranked the engine several times to force any water out of the cylinders with all of the plugs pulled, but after a few key turns the starter sounded like it wasn't engaging any more, so I pulled it and bench tested it and it engaged. So I replaced it and the engine still wont turn over but the starter sounds like it is engaging, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

You have a 4.3 but what year or serial number. So the starter spins but is not engaging? What does the flywheel teeth look like?

 

[Thomasdale2144]

1991 and flywheel teeth and starter teeth look normal no strange wear or missing teeth

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

the engine still wont turn over but the starter sounds like it is engaging, any advice would be greatly appreciated!

The engine is seized then?
After water got in it? salt or fresh water?

 

[Thomasdale2144]

Fresh water, and there is a whirring noise when the key is turned but the engine doesn't turn over. I marked the accessory drive belt and the mark doesn't move when the key is turned

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

charge your battery and clean up all the cables/connections on + and ground side.
and the assist sol wiring as shown here:

 

[Thomasdale2144]

I pulled the starter out and cleaned up all of the cables, reinstalled the starter and then turned it over and the starter actually spun the engine over, so i put all the plugs back in and went to start it, but it wouldn't fire up, and then went back to the starter sounding like it was missing the flywheel

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

sounds like your starter is intermittent in kicking the pinion out. You can grab a hi torque mini starter for around $100. Lots of us have gone to them. A lot easier on the back lifting it in and out of the bilge while getting the bolts started.

 

[Scott Danforth]

sticking starter bendix. pull the starter apart and grease it.

 

[Thomasdale2144]

It is a hi torque mini starter, I replaced it last fall before I stored the boat, how do i regrease it? Also every time I pull the Starter out and reinstall it, it will work for a little while (20-30 seconds, or like 3 key turns)

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

either change the starter again or properly fix the wiring. The issue is one or the other. I wouldn't bother to take a $100 starter apart. I know I'm part of the problem by just getting a new one from offshore, but I need a reliable starter.