4.3 litre mercruiser thunderbolt starter spinning and not turning flywheel

[Austinhutch]

Hey guys/gals.

First off thank you for all the helpfull a five I have already read and will get from fellow members.

So the other day I go to turn on my boat (1999 ebb tide) and the starter just spins and spins. After further research I pulled the starter and battery. I have brought my batter to be tested and it was at 12.6 without load and about a 10 with load. Everything seemed to check good. I bench tested the starter and the bendex shoots out and spins. This was without a load. I looked at the fly wheel and and no teeth look damage or jagged. I hand cracked the engine and check full 360 on the flywheel and all looked good.

After some research I came across some people having this issue cause of hydro lock. I pulled the plugs and everything looked good. I hand crankrd the engine about 5 full rotations and no water or grime came out of thr plug holes. I reinstalled the starter to see if it could crank the engine with no plugs. No luck.

When I had it hooked up I directed the battery to the starter with jumper cables to rule out the cords. Also to eliminate the battery (that tested good) I used a different battery that works fine.

I wanted to make sure the bendex was firing out into the flywheel I put a piece of tape and it showed that it went into the flywheel just no turning. The belt doesn't even move a milimeter when I try.

Sorry for the long post, but wanted to give you as many details as possible. Do you think I should replace the starter?

 

[Austinhutch]

Also if you think my next logical step Is to replace the starter. What site/model do you think I should get.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would pull the starter, pull the nose off of it, and lubricate it. could just need some TLC.

 

[Bondo]

I wanted to make sure the bendex was firing out into the flywheel I put a piece of tape and it showed that it went into the flywheel just no turning. The belt doesn't even move a milimeter when I try.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... With all this hand turnin' the motor, did ya try a bar on the flywheel teeth, rather than turnin' the belts,...

Is to replace the starter. What site/model do you think I should get

There's a boat parts link in my signature, 'n at the top of the page,....
Somebody's gotta pay the rent,.....

 

[Austinhutch]

Wow such quick responses! I can see the fly wheel turn when I hand crank it? Shoulf i be able to turn the fly wheel by hand? That seems hard. And when you say pull the nose off the started do you meet take the bendex off and clean it? Can the starter engage and spin but not actually spin the bendex

 

[Bondo]

I can see the fly wheel turn when I hand crank it? Shoulf i be able to turn the fly wheel by hand?

Ayuh,..... With a pry bar, or big screwdriver,...

 

[Austinhutch]

No Title

Thank you for the suggestion....went in to give it some TLC and I think I found something suspicious. Looks like the three gears don't have enough grip to actually apply the torque. What do you guys think. Is that cause for alarm?

 

[Austinhutch]

No Title

Also this is the end of my bendex should that cause an issue

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Time for a new one,....

 

[Austinhutch]

Thanks bondo!do you think I should just get a whole new starter or try to get rebuild. Obviously saving money is great, but rather spend money now then trouble later if it needs.

 

[Scott Danforth]

any starter rebuild shop will probably have the parts in stock and get you up and running quickly.

 

[stonyloam]

OK the gear engages, but the engine does not turn over, the gear slide out and spins without a load. So the starter engages and spins, motor does not turn. My guess: the starter shaft is broken inside the armature and slips under load. Pull the nose off of the starter, and try another starter.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I believe your missing the teeth(part number 5) on your photo in post 7