Starter Removal

Hi all, first time post. I have a 1984 , 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder Rinker 170. The starter is bad and needs to be removed ( I checked by charging battery and jumping directly to solenoid and it won't budge). I have removed several car starters before but never on a boat.

My question is where are the bolts that need to be removed? There isn't much room and rather than pulling my hair out and spending hours I was hoping someone might have a website link, picture etc. that would show it. If nothing else maybe someone has did it before and could give me a few pointers.

Thanks to all.

Alex

Re: Starter Removal

Checkov said:

Hi all, first time post. I have a 1984 , 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder Rinker 170. The starter is bad and needs to be removed ( I checked by charging battery and jumping directly to solenoid and it won't budge). I have removed several car starters before but never on a boat.

My question is where are the bolts that need to be removed? There isn't much room and rather than pulling my hair out and spending hours I was hoping someone might have a website link, picture etc. that would show it. If nothing else maybe someone has did it before and could give me a few pointers.

Thanks to all.

Alex

Click to expand...

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,... It's the same as any Chevy,... 2, 3/8" bolts, straight up from below, aft end,...

Ya need a 9/16" socket(thin wall if possible), 'n whatever extensions, 'n wobbly, 'n ratchet,..

The 1 bolt is tight to the flywheel shield, 'n is a bugger to get the socket onto,...

The wires are on the forward end of the solenoid, 'n a 5/16", 'n 9/16" should be the wrench sizes needed,...

Re: Starter Removal

Before removing your starter, make sure you can rotate the engine by hand.

Re: Starter Removal

Pull the plugs before attempting to turn over by hand.

Re: Starter Removal

Thanks all. I got a scare when I put a 1/2 wrench on the bolt by the main pulley and applied some pressure and the engine wouldn't budge. But I grabbed the belt with my hand and turned the wrench at the same time and the engine turned...whew.

I can see one of the bolts (the one closest to the open side , actually feel it but can't see it) but the other one must be way down and over . How do you gents get to that one...underneath?

I won't ask any more tedious questions until I try to remove it next week as I am helping my daughter move from texas back to Indiana this weekend. Thanks again.

Alex

PS I didn't remove the plugs cuse I didn't see that last post until I got back.

Re: Starter Removal

That's good. Seen a few starters replaced before when a seized engine or drive was the real culprit

Re: Starter Removal

Checkov said:

Thanks all. I got a scare when I put a 1/2 wrench on the bolt by the main pulley and applied some pressure and the engine wouldn't budge. But I grabbed the belt with my hand and turned the wrench at the same time and the engine turned...whew.

I can see one of the bolts (the one closest to the open side , actually feel it but can't see it) but the other one must be way down and over . How do you gents get to that one...underneath?

I won't ask any more tedious questions until I try to remove it next week as I am helping my daughter move from texas back to Indiana this weekend. Thanks again.

Alex

PS I didn't remove the plugs cuse I didn't see that last post until I got back.

Click to expand...

Ayuh,... It's 'bout 4" toward the crankshaft,...

Re: Starter Removal

Bond-o said:

Ayuh,... It's 'bout 4" toward the crankshaft,...

Click to expand...

My first weak attempt: the nut/bolt I assume to be one of the two holding on the starter is facing away from the wires or bow of the boat. I can get a 9/16 socket on it but then there is no room for the socket wrench as the housing is very near. I might be able to get a 9/16 wrench on it...maybe. As to the other one I'm not sure i can even locate it. By bending my wrist I can stick my hand around the back and touch 2 nuts ( neither is exactly like the bolt head mentioned before, they both feel like nuts around a threaded bolt, one is very close to a metal wall of some sort....they might be about 4 inches displacement but as I can't see them at all and only feel I'm not sure. As they are not really bolt heads I suspect I'm not even touching the right place.

"2 , 3/8 inch bolts straight up from below, aft end"..... Can't find these, the 9/16 bolt I found was running parallel with the boat length not at a right angle.

It looks like this can only be done easily by removing the entire engine ( unless I am attempting access from the wrong direction....I am working from the same side of the boat as the starter). Don't guess any one has a link to a picture?

Thank you for any help. Alex

Re: Starter Removal

Checkov said:

Don't guess any one has a link to a picture?

Click to expand...

Perhaps you can make your own picture. Is there enough room to jam a digital camera underneath the starter, and snap a few photos? If you can do this, you will be able to visualize what your trying to loosen.

Re: Starter Removal

Here is what the starter looks like so you get an idea where the bolts are:

Re: Starter Removal

Success. Thanks to all for advice. Bruce58 that pic did the trick.

PS my boat normally isn't upside down:facepalm:

Re: Starter Removal

Checkov said:

View attachment 205851

PS my boat normally isn't upside down:facepalm:

Click to expand...

No?
I thought you may live in the southern hemisphere...

Re: Starter Removal

Hi all a, almost done but like a dope I can't find the shorter 3/8 inch bolt. Does anyone remember its length? The longer one is a little over 5 inches. Thanks, checkov

Re: Starter Removal

Unsure of the length but make sure you get an actual starter bolt.

Re: Starter Removal

Well the job is over and I had the boat out on the river 2 days ago, works fine.

I must share a story I hope you find interesting. I had a lot of trouble getting the short bolt started so I finally got a mirror and looked up the bolt hole. You can imagine what I found? Yep, some previous dopey owner had broken the bolt off and the head and about 1/3 of the bolt remained (it wasn't me because the broken bolt end is covered with thick rust

So while I realize the proper thing to do is to remove the engine and have somebody drill the bolt out and re- tap it with a slightly larger thread size I really don't want to spend that money now. So I used a super glue type adhesive and re- inserted the bolt, I figure there is enough bolt to keep the starter from twisting and the other long bolt is brand new.

So luck to everyone in your boating, I'll probably find something else to ask about eventually.

Re: Starter Removal

Checkov said:

I'll probably find something else to ask about eventually.

Click to expand...

It will be finding a replacement block after it cracks from only having one bolt. Can almost guarantee it.