Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

[arrkerr]

Here it is the day before labor day (or night rather), and I just got my drive back on after replacing all of the wear items, and thought the boat was ready to go. Went to fire it up, and hear "click". Urgh.

I yanked the starter and it tests fine, but I can't get anything from the solenoid. In fact, the starter will only spin once disconnected from the solenoid... jumping it doesn't seem to work. It is about 4 starts old! Looks corroded - boat has been covered for two months thought. Piece of junk I got online, and shouldn't have. Long story.

So, seeing as how I would LOVE to be on the water tomorrow, and if I can't get my boat started I'll be sitting on a pontoon with the extended family instead of having fun in my boat... is there anything I can get locally from autozone or similar that will work for a day?

I tried local places the last time I bought a starter, and ended up with the piece of junk I have right now because no one had one.

Thanks!

PS: my boat is becoming the laughing stock of my whole family. It hasn't worked a single day all year. Every time I put it in, something new goes. Starter, impeller, etc. Praying that one day it will be fun... before my wife makes me hang a "free, take me!" sign on it. Help save me from labor day ridicule!

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

If it was me... Id go with the auto one.
But you will get a ton of different opinions here.
In the end you have to make the call. And you already know that answer.

 

[fishingman220]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

if you have the money, i would go with a auto one, but you have to remember it emits sparks and you would reallt have to air out the engine compartment and run the blower alot. then when your ready for winter, save up and buy a marine for next year, but as he said you will get alot of different opinions

 

[arrkerr]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

How do I know which auto one would fit? I haven't been able to find any kind of cross-reference.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

Take a look at this thread

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=221142&highlight=automotive+solenoid

As far as a replacement..What size/type motor?

 

[TOPSIDE]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

A marine solenoid is different from an auto solenoid, you must make sure you hook up the right wire to the small post correctly. The other small post has something to do with the safety of starting the motor, good luck

 

[arrkerr]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

The motor is a 91 Merc 3.0. From the manual it looks like a delco pg260. Its got the three screws that come in from the bottom of the starter, rather than nuts. No model numbers or brands or any markings of any kind on either the starter or solenoid.

CheapboatKev, that link was someone with either a bad slave solenoid (my slave is fine, its the starter solenoid), and it turned out the guy might have been confusing it with a coil! Didn't see what you wanted me to see in that link...??

Would sure love to find a solenoid that would fit, since my starter is fine... can't begin to think how I'd find it at autozone, and those guys are usually pretty useless with out a part number.

 

[jtybt]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

Might help if you told us what engine/starter you had.

At one time, all solenoids had copper for their high amp contacts. Then automotive went to aluminum and now steel. Just bring in and match the solenoid.

If it makes you feel better, seal and openings with silicone RTV and coat connections with silicone di-electric grease.



OK! Delco had two different length solenoids. Had to match up with the length of the brass tube that made contact with the copper connection sticking out of the end of the starter'

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

I had the Slave solenoid go out on me on the water, after I used the wire tester I found that the solenoid was the problem, I disconnected one wire from the top post and basically hot wired it, as soon as engine starts remove quickly because you don't want to mess up your starter. Replaced it with a auto one, told them what engine 4.3L GM engine and year and they gave me the one I needed, works perfectly, you have to wire it right though. No problems. You can buy them right here on Iboats, They also sell them at NAPA, Yes Napa's here sell marine parts.
http://www.iboats.com/Boat_Parts_Ac...**********.310266799--submit.x.25--submit.y.7

 

[arrkerr]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

As I posted above, I've got a Merc 3.0, carburated, I think either a 90 or 91 (boat is a 91).

Ok, here's the confusing thing. The book says I have a delco PG-260. Looks like that is a huge range of starters, and not an actual part number. Manual doesn't mention a part number for the solenoid.

The starter I have has no part number on it. According to the local marina there were three options, one "big" one, and two "small" ones. One small has a staggered bolt pattern, one has a straigt. Mine is straigt.

People keep telling me "you need to tell us what you have". Thats a lot easier said than done. There are no numbers on my starter other than the word "delco", which of course is just the brand. Nothing on the solenoid either. Considering its an old boat, I wouldn't put any faith in what is on the boat being the correct part anyway.

The starter solenoid looks like this sierra 18-5811 from
http://www.iboats.com/Mercruiser_Starter_Solenoids/dm/view_id.373985

...however, the description says it is for "Mercury 200-275 HP Verado Outboard, 75-90 1.5L, 225 DFI, 3.0L EFI, and Mercruiser GM V6 & V8 using permanent magnet starter (1983-up)". I have a 3.0, but NOT an EFI.

What blows my mind is that there are tons of starts on ebay that say they fit "all mercruiser 3.0 engines". So why do all of the marinas that I call say there are actually three, and mine is the most rare. The ones on ebay look to be an exact match too!

For example, this looks exactly like my starter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-...ear?hash=item56348382dc&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

Soooooo confused! I just want to make sure I get the right thing.. but have no idea how.

Why in the world would merc have so many different starter options for the same motor, in the same year?

 

[jtybt]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

Snatch that puppy up. It's a high torque/permanant magnet motor for 12" flywheel.

I'd buy it if I don't already have one in use and one as a back-up.

 

[arrkerr]

Re: Starter solenoid replacement with auto solenoid?

Thanks. I'm extra-paranoid about a whole new starter vs. solenoid because my last starter, which I got from ebay, ended up with a broken cone the first time out. Might not have been shimmed correctly - my last starter didn't have any, and this one looked right at first glance. At second glance, the cone was slightly more cut-out where the flywheel passes by, and I'm sure it struck the ebay one and snapped it.

The guys I got my ebay starter from also ended up stealing my credit card and buying all sorts of things. Also signed me up for a number of "deals". Got book of the month to my house for a while, coffee samples, etc. Pretty insane. So I'm guessing their starter wasn't exactly premium quality. Sure made me paranoid about both starters, and ebay, though!