Lubricating starter motor shaft 5.0 MPI

[Stinnett21]

Page 1B-58 of Mercruiser Service Manual #31 (October 2001) details a procedure for lubricating the starter motor shaft. It says to remove a plastic plug from the flywheel housing and lubricate the shaft with motor oil. I currently have the back of the boat taken apart for other maintenance reasons so wondering if this is something I could do. Has anyone ever done this? Is this something I need to be concerned with to extend the life of the starter?

 

[Bondo]

Page 1B-58 of Mercruiser Service Manual #31 (October 2001) details a procedure for lubricating the starter motor shaft. It says to remove a plastic plug from the flywheel housing and lubricate the shaft with motor oil. I currently have the back of the boat taken apart for other maintenance reasons so wondering if this is something I could do. Has anyone ever done this? Is this something I need to be concerned with to extend the life of the starter?

Nope, Never have,.... rarely to never a problem,....

 

[Scott06]

agreed unless it goes swimming I have yet to replace one on my boats

 

[Lou C]

Those of us in salt water MIGHT do that every so often, due to corrosion caused by salt air but even for me, unless there's a problem I leave it be...
When I have done it I use a thick marine grease like Triple Guard or Lucas Marine

 

[kenny nunez]

Sometimes there is just enough water that the flywheel will sling it around when getting on plane.
I can remember where the solenoid could not push the drive into the flywheel with rust on the shaft. That must be what the manual‘s instruction was about.

 

[cyclops222]

A flywheel can toss water around ?
Abused boat. Run it until it stops.