Rear support bracket on starter for 4.3L Mercruiser necessary?

[Captain Ben]

Replacing a starter for a 4.3L merc, off a 1988 Sea Ray w/A1

Purchased a Mallory starter. The Koreans (or Taiwanese.. can't remember which) in their great wisdom made the starter smaller and lighter

They reduced weight also by making a smaller housing for the main motor. In doing this, they altered the construction of the support (threaded) rod.

In the original merc, the rod (apx. M5 thread, 1/2" long) was welded to the back of the housing.

In the Mallory, the rod is connected all the way to the gear housing, and also acts as a connector for the gear housing and motor housing.

Good idea but..

The Mllory setup is about a 1/4" off in alignment for the bracket which connects to the engine block.

I understand this bracker to limit axial (right term?) torque effect.

I alos understand on a Chevy Blazer with a 4.3.. this bracket does not exist..

Options:

1. forget the bracket, it is a safeguard..?

2. custom bend the bracket (must take to someone else.. in a town (miami) in which i know noone, and everyone is a thief)

3. Purchase a new merc starter and hope the alignment is the same (too expensive/wasteful)


How do I feed this back to Mallory? I should mention i purchased the starter here on iboats.

 

[vxtech]

Re: Rear support bracket on starter for 4.3L Mercruiser necessary?

original (large starter) has bracket to support weight and torque thrust applied to bolts , new smaller starter revised by delco-remy does not require starter rear mount bracket for cantilevered end of starter due to support changes at mounting base and lighter weight -from industrial truck 4.3 service bulletin

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: Rear support bracket on starter for 4.3L Mercruiser necessary?

Yup remove and discard with late starters.