Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

[fishingman220]

I dont know if this goes in the electronics or this forum, but i am having a problem that is driving me insane. i had batteries in my 96 proline that were old and had lost charge, well when i tried to start the boat, the starter ate the teeth right off the flywheel. so over this past week, we pulled the motor, replaced the ring gear, new starter, and new batteries. i have put the motor back in and everything is ready to go. i tried to start it last night and it turned over for about 20 seconds and then i stopped, hit it again and it grinded when i hit the key. so i stopped and let the battires charge all night and day just to make sure i dont have the same problem again. well i came home and everything had full charge and i took the chargers off and hit the key, grinding. then i pulled the starter to check the flywheel and you can see where it hit but not hurt. now he only thing i can think of to do is take the new starter back and get my old one rebuilt. all connections are good. i dont know what it is, i am about to tow it out to the middle of the bay and pull the plug. please help!!!!!!!!

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

Pull the spark plugs out and see if it turns over ok...
Maybe its not a starter issue but the engine or drive is hard to turn.
Hydrolock??

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

i turned the motor over today with a breaker bar, and it turns fine. also when putting the coupler off and on it spun, so not locked.

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

any other ideas?

 

[gadget73]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

I got a new starter from someplace on eBay. It worked for a week and started doing what you describe. Got a good OEM starter to replace the cheapie and it works fine.

 

[conk3416]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

I agree with gadget you probably got a junk starter. Just return it and they should give you a new one. Also I hope you didnt turn it over for 20 seconds straight. Its not a good idea to run a starter for more then 5 seconds.

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

the starter has a 1 year warrenty, the place sells new starter and rebuild them, should i just trade it for another new one or return it and get my old on rebuilt????

 

[Bondo]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

i had batteries in my 96 proline that were old and had lost charge, well when i tried to start the boat, the starter ate the teeth right off the flywheel.

Ayuh,... Dead Batteries Don't cause a starter to chew up the Flywheel...
You've got some sort of starter alignment issues...

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

so, i took the new starter back and returned that one and got my old one rebuilt. put on the bolt with a 1mm shim. turned the motor over a couple times and then it came to a sudden stop, hit the key again and it just clicked. pulled the starter and looked and the teeth on the flywheel are GONE. someone please tell me what i am doing wrong!!!!!!! i am going to try to pull motor again this weekend and replace the ring gear. should i get my local dealer to install the starter and get it right? any idea on labor to do that?? it takes me about 5 min to get the starter on. i am going to go insane. should i try the starter on the motor turning it over while its out of the boat??? i am out of ideas and going out of my mind.

 

[flargin]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

Ayuh,... Dead Batteries Don't cause a starter to chew up the Flywheel...
You've got some sort of starter alignment issues...

There is your problem... thought I don't know how you would align it, but I can only imagine it is better out of the boat.


Good luck... it has to be frustrating.

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

yeah alittle frustrating, anybody where in the boat is the best place to shoot it with a shotgun. thats about how i feel right now. other than shims i dont see how you would ajust it.

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

anyone else?

 

[OldDriver]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

Did you check the slave selonoid? The problem I had with mine wasn't allowing full voltage (weak contact causing low volt high amp) did mine in. It prevented the starter solenoid from engaging the flywheel fully causing the grinding sound.

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter problem on 5.7 mercruiser

the slave seloniod is the part on the starter??? i doubt its that, being there has been 3 different starter on it and all did the same thing.