mercruiser starter removal

[cyber-bill]

Hi fellows,
I have a 1987 sea ray with twin 350 mercruiser engines. The port engine starter sometimes needs a tap in order for it to work so I decided to remove it yesterday. After removing both bolts and all the wiring the starter does not budge at all. I suspected the joint might be rusted some and tapped it with a 2x4, it still would not come off. Is there a third bolt I can not see? Whats next ? wd-40 ?
Also do these engines have a history of oil pans rusting out? I am finding oil under them but can not see where it is coming from.
Thanks, Bill

 

[Bondo]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

There's sometimes a small angle bracket on the forward ened of the Starter,........
Other than That,... It Should come Out....

Any motor with a Steel base,+ Saltwater in the Bilge will Rust......
Possibly that's the Same Problem you're having with the Starter.....

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

usually the timing chain covers rust out before the pan..
Clean it all up and get the flashlight and a mirror..

 

[Chris1956]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Bill, My Chevy V6 had the oil pan rust out before the timing cover. Of course, I was able to keep the timing cover painted, since it was mostly exposed. I also had two oil filters rust through, late in the season. So I was able to run the motor with no oil three times. A dubious achievement.

It would be best to find out where the oil is originating.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

The fact that your starter is having a hard time coming off leads me to believe you may have had some salt water fairly high in your bilge at some point which would also explain why your oil pan is leaking.

Only takes a tiny nick in the paint of the pan with some salt water added to cause a leak in the pan.

Happened to me too.

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Is it possible that the starter is engaged to the flywheel right now? Would that prevent it from coming out?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

very doubtful,It still should move.
Most have the bracket at the rear of the starter that Bondo told you about. Can you get in there to see the back of it?

 

[mike176]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

when i took the started off my 3.7 it was inthere tight, i had to use a small prybar to gently work it out. when i installed the new starter i had to press it back in with the starter bolts. I was suprised to snug it was ithere

 

[sabastianunf]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

I had the same problems with mine - hard to get out and even harder to get in. Make sure you have all bolts out befor prying or else you will break it off in you block and potentially ruin your motor. Believe me I thought I had. also had to grind shroud down on my new starter to get it to fit in and gap properly. It was the correct starter but just wouldn't go straight in. Grinding was a last resort after talking to the starter manufacturer, mercruiser and the people who sold me the starter. It does work well now that it is installed but it was a royal pain in the ---.

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

I had the same problems with mine - hard to get out and even harder to get in. Make sure you have all bolts out befor prying or else you will break it off in you block and potentially ruin your motor. Believe me I thought I had. also had to grind shroud down on my new starter to get it to fit in and gap properly. It was the correct starter but just wouldn't go straight in. Grinding was a last resort after talking to the starter manufacturer, mercruiser and the people who sold me the starter. It does work well now that it is installed but it was a royal pain in the ---.

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Thanks for all the replies to my problem, I guess I feel better hearing I am not the only one that had trouble removing a starter. Actually I never had a lot of water under the engine but I guess it does not take much to get the pan rusting. Last year I noticed oil under the starboard engine , but it is impossible to see anything under the engine even with lights and mirrors. I have owned many boats over the years and have to say the sea ray with twins is the worst to work on. Just replacing the water pumps is an awfull job that has to be done by laying on the engine and reaching down. when I do replace the starter is it smarter to buy the new one instead of getting mine rebuilt?
Bill

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

The original starter on your engine is a big bulky heavy one.The replacement is a lot smaller and lighter.yet is more powerful.

I would install a new one.

DHP

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Hi All,
Just wanted to let you know that yesterday I finally got the starter off the bell housing. After asking a mechanic friend he said tap it with a small sledge and that is what I had to do. There really was not any rust to speak of just a real tight fit. The new one is in place with the top bolt but I could not get the bottom bolt started and ran out of patience. You can not see the lower bolt hole as the heat exchanger hoses are in the way and have to go by feel. I should have put a temp. stud in the lower hole first to establish alignment .
Bill

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Glad you got the old one off. Now the fun part of feeling your way around and getting the other bolt in..been there and its no fun..

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

If you have the top bolt in already be sure to leave it loose untill you get the rest of the bolts in. Start all the bolts before you tighten any of them. Tighten the small bolt last. Doing so allows you to move the starter around some to locate the bolt holes.

 

[mike176]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

I do not have your same setup, but i found it much easyer after i pulled the heat exchanger and the hoses. Be sure when you start to press the starter in you work all the bolts in evenly, it wil help you get over the tight fit. When i put my starter in I could have sworn they gave me the wrong one but after measuring both starters i realized the diamiter was the same on both. I gotta tell ya when i got the I/O i figured, I work on cars for a living this thing will be easy for me but some times its a whole nother world.

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Hi fellows,
I did not want to remove the heat exchanger and hoses to see the bolt hole so I did the following. I put a 7/16 stud in the lower hole about 1-1/4 long, I slid the starter in place and installed the upper bolt. I then slipped on a lock washer and matching nut. After tightening I installed the wiring turned on the master switch and the starter sprang into action. I did the same thing with the water pump, I used studs and nuts instead of trying to get bolts in while laying on top of the engine with my arms fully extended going only by feel. Mercruiser ought to do some human engineering when putting an engine together.
Bill

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Don't be too quick to blame Mercruiser.They may have put the heat exchanger on,But General Motors put the starter where it is.

Actually the culprit is Searay (I know it's a Merc company)
for making access so hard.And making it a twin drive.I'll bet the starboard starter is a tad easier.

At least it wasn't a Sunbird that had the stringer carved away to make clearance so the starter didn't hit it .

DHP

 

[cyber-bill]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

Hi all,
The starter solanoid has 2 small studs on it approx. 10-24 thread , one is for the connection to the key switch. What is the other connection for ? I am curios as no wires are going to it.
Bill

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: mercruiser starter removal

It supplies 12V while cranking only.In some cases to feed an electric fuel pump,in others to feed the ignition on start up.

DHP