help! keep having starter issues

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Hey guys I have a 1998 larson 176 sei with 3.0 gs engine and I've been having a problem with starters they keep failing on me, the starter has iner plastic gear the just gets chewed everytime.

At first i was considering hydralocking but the last time it happened the boat was on the trailer with the muffs and it probably started 10 fine and then it shredded the inner plastic gear in the starter.

I ruled out the hydralocking cuz, it wasnt even in the water, there was no leaks anywhere both intake and exhaust manifolds look good no corrosion, the engine didnt dieseled, i dont think is the head althou i have all the records for the boat and it has had the head resurfaced twice in 5 years i dont know why thou. Everytime i get a new starter i install it and it start right over, ive never had to pull the plugs and cranck it, so im thinking if it was hydralock it would mess the new starter from the getgo wouldnt? The boat sits for like a week in between the tkme a get new starters

Please let me know what you guys think could be cousing this to happened, is driving me nutz.

Don S · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

It doesn't have to be in the water to hydrolock, all it takes is a leaky riser, or riser gasket, and water would leak into the manifold, and an open valve, and then a hydrolock.
Does the engine ever just stop turning when cranking?

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

Don S said:
It doesn't have to be in the water to hydrolock, all it takes is a leaky riser, or riser gasket, and water would leak into the manifold, and an open valve, and then a hydrolock.
Does the engine ever just stop turning when cranking?

No its always on a restart

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

I just pulled the plugs and looked into the cylinder and no water....then i removed the exhaust elbow and woow, bunch of sand and small little rocks sitting on the metal gasket, and on one side it is pretty bad that might be where it might leak from if so, i also found a piece of platic what to me seems to be a o-ring but cant find out where the rest of it is or where it should go.

Im gonna try to post some pics

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

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hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

And there is no flapper valve, is that normal?

kewlkatdady · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

pretty sure the flapper is in the Y pipe

Don S · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

Did it ever have an overheat in the past? Clean it up, and install new OEM gaskets. Then it's time to check the base timing and advance timing.
Also, have a look at this thread.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=271407

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

kewlkatdady said:
pretty sure the flapper is in the Y pipe

the engine is a 4cyl with one pipe straight to the exhaust it has the holes where the flapper should go, i thinkbu r thinking is a v6 or v8

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

Don S said:
Did it ever have an overheat in the past? Clean it up, and install new OEM gaskets. Then it's time to check the base timing and advance timing.
Also, have a look at this thread.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=271407

I honestly dont know about overheating it in the past, it has never done it with me, Yea i allready bought the shunt to use it while adjust the time, we rebuild the carb and fired it up and where about to start checking the timing and then is when it happened, could wrong timing cause what ive been experiencing?

Bt Doctur · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

Is this volvo fresh water cooled? being a 4 cyl I`ve never seen a separate feed to the riser.

Don S · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

It's raw water cooled. Volvo had a fitting out of the t-stat housing going to the riser on that model.

hectorsalinas · Apr 5, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

So im getting a new starter and the gaskets for the exhaust, and then try the timming....anything i should look into before firing up?
Maybe resurface the head or is not necessary?

hectorsalinas · Apr 19, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

Ok so i got all the gasket for the intake and riser, i got a new starter, new plugs, oil (10w30) and filter, im gonna change everything and check the timing i got the shunt too.

So hopefully that will fix my problem.
Does anybody knows the oil capacity of the 3.0, also when running it with the muffs,,,i know its a stupid question but, how much pressure in the water hose...open all the way?

Bondo · Apr 19, 2011

Re: help! keep having starter issues

Does anybody knows the oil capacity of the 3.0, also when running it with the muffs,,,i know its a stupid question but, how much pressure in the water hose...open all the way?

Ayuh,... Dump in 4 qt.s, 'n fire it up to check for leaks,...
Then fill it to the Full line when ya shut it down...
Should be pretty much 5 qt.s....

I turn the water, Full on, 'n let the muffs bleed off any excess pressure, 'n volume....

hectorsalinas · Apr 19, 2011

could this be it?

could this be it?

Could this be the cause of all my problems? Or at least is it proof of my speculations?

hectorsalinas · Apr 20, 2011

Re: could this be it?

Re: could this be it?

I just finished removeing the old gaskets from the manifold and riser...man they where hard and like melted into the metal, ill put everytjing back together tomorrow

CharlieB · Apr 22, 2011

Re: could this be it?

Re: could this be it?

You mentioned that the head has been resurfaced two times, depending how much material was removed it is possible that compression has increased.

Check compression on all cyls, if it is high you may have to retard ignition timing slightly to compensate.

help! keep having starter issues

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