1979 255 starter motor questions

[ajarvis]

I have a 1979 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge, twin Mercrusier 255 FWC, that needs a little work and I have a few questions, hope you all can help.

I need both starters, but what ones do I buy with out pulling the old ones out to try and find #'s and match pictures on line? They bolt to the back of the motor on top of the tranny, not like a chevy SB.
Do the engines counter rotate or does that take place in the tranny?

The Port engine I got to fire and run but the starter sounds bad and is intermittant. The starboard engine I can get to turn over but the starter almost caught fire in about 2 seconds of turning. So I'm going to throw 2 new starters in and go from there.

One more question, a big one. The Port engine I have power when I turn the key on but the Starboard engine has nothing. I can hotwire it. The starboard starter has what looks like a fuse on the starter solonoid that runs up to another solonoid. I have power to a 50 Amp breaker on the block but I get nothing with the key turned on. I checked the key switch, its good and I can power up the dash by hotwiring the starter. I don't work on marine engines, I work on fire engines so I hope I can get some help here. I'm going to buy the shop manuels next.

Thanks,

Jarvis

 

[ziggy]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

to be sure ya get the right starter, ya could always take what you have off and take them to your local starter rebuild shop. usually a economical way to get a new starter + ya know it's the right one.

for your no start condition. ya might go to the adults only sticky at the top of the i/o forum. there you'll find a link to a no start condition for starter issues....

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

I'm going to buy the shop manuels next.

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,...
Head right up the the Adults Only section of this forum...
You'll find the factory manuals available there,..... For Free....

You're working on Antiques,... I can't remember exactly What the 255s are....SBCs,.. BBCs,.. or Fords,..??

 

[captmello]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

255 MIE GM 350 1975-1980 according to

http://dougrussell.com/partscatalog/collections/index.cfm?fuseaction=collectdetails&colid=04

 

[mkast]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

Engine serial numbers would help.

 

[ajarvis]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

Thanks for the advise. When I get back down to the boat I'll get the #'s, look closer at the motors to see if they counter rotate, and I might as well pull a starter or two. I have my work cut out for me so I'll be back with more questions.

Thanks,

Jarvis

 

[ajarvis]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

And my 255 looks like a small block chevy, just changed for marine application.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

Aft mounted starters are no different than block mounted. The important thing to remember with aft mounting is that a standard rotation motor uses a reverse rotation starter and a reverse rotation motor uses a standard starter . With block moted ones it`s standard to standard and reverse to reverse.

 

[ajarvis]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

Bondo-Thanks I down loaded the manual, big help.

Bt Doctor-thats is very imortant and simple when put like that. I wasn't sure if the motors counter rotated or that was done in the tranny. Thanks again

 

[ajarvis]

Re: 1979 255 starter motor questions

Thanks for the advise, I ordered the starters last night. I now have the manual downloaded. I'm off to clean her up and rewire a few things. I'll find something else to fix then, the closer I look.