Help! I have had the unnerving experience of getting a 'phone call telling me that my boat engine had started itself and had run for an unknown number of hours with the starter motor engaged. The most probable cause was a short circuit on the solenoid, which is now defunct. I have been trying to remove the starter motor to have it checked out, but can't seem to budge it.
I have removed the only 2 bolts that I can find, but it wouldn't even move with a few gentle whacks with a winch handle and wooden block. Does anyone have experience with removing this starter motor? I'm perplexed.

djarrak said...

Help! I have had the unnerving experience of getting a 'phone call telling me that my boat engine had started itself and had run for an unknown number of hours with the starter motor engaged. The most probable cause was a short circuit on the solenoid, which is now defunct. I have been trying to remove the starter motor to have it checked out, but can't seem to budge it.
I have removed the only 2 bolts that I can find, but it wouldn't even move with a few gentle whacks with a winch handle and wooden block. Does anyone have experience with removing this starter motor? I'm perplexed.

Obviously you don't isolate the battery before you leave the boat. Removal is just a matter of disconnecting the wires, remove the two bolts and if its stuck, tap a blade screw driver in the gap between the block and the starter motor body. Its probably just stuck with a bit of paint or rust. Short sharp blow with a hammer, not a winch handle.

Thanks for the input. It would seem that the starter had never been removed from the engine and it was just a matter of sufficient force being applied by a sufficently burley mechanic. Incidently, the starter is stuffed. The water inlet cock was open, I had only left the boat for 24 hours or so, and the engine will hopefully be OK.