Mercruiser - GM Inline 6 (165hp) starter?

[jimmwaller]

Hello,
I have an old mercruiser with a late 60's GM inline 6 (165 HP) engine. I've been through 4 starters in the last 5 years or so, just because they rust and freeze up.

I think I'm buying marine starters, I keep buying this one: https://www.dbelectrical.com/produc...ne-starter-long-short-mount-6563-sdr0059.html

Am I doing somethign wrong? Why would these starters only last for a few months? Should I just be saving money and buying auto starters, if they're rusting out anyways?

thanks

 

[alldodge]

I've been through 4 starters in the last 5 years or so, just because they rust and freeze up.

There is no reason any starter would rust and freeze up unless water is getting to it. Does your bilge stay wet?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Auto starters do not have the additional spark arrestor. May as well light the fuse on the bomb

Is there water in your bilge? That will rust your starter

 

[jimmwaller]

Hi all,
I mean, there's a little water in the bilge, but nowhere near the starter. I have maybe 1/2" of water at the very bottom of my bilge, and then the starter sits up probably a foot or so above that. But this is, like I said, my 4th starter in just a few years. They just freeze up so that the bindix drive freezes up and won't pop out, or they just wont turn at all. Same problem on all starters. Am I doing something wrong? I figured that with marine starters, just install them and you're good to go, right? Thanks

 

[alldodge]

How is the boat put away between uses?
What's the weather like?

Think along the line if the boat was covered with plastic, its humid, salt water environment all that kind of stuff. What would cause it to just start rusting? Also is other things rusting?

 

[jimmwaller]

How is the boat put away between uses?
What's the weather like?

Think along the line if the boat was covered with plastic, its humid, salt water environment all that kind of stuff. What would cause it to just start rusting? Also is other things rusting?

I should say... I've been saying "rusted" but I guess I'm not sure if rust is the culprit. It doesn't look particularly rusted, although the terminals definitely rusted quite a bit on all of them, so I assume that when they freeze up and stop working, there's rust at play.

But the weather is pretty temperate coastal weather. usually between 60-80F, mostly no rain (although it rains sometimes), some fog. I cover the boat pretty tightly in between uses. Other things rust, but most of the stuff is pretty old so it's hard to judge how quickly this is rusting, relatively speaking. It just seems that a starter should last more than a year, which is really only like 15 uses? Crazy. thanks

 

[alldodge]

Closing it up pretty tight might be the issue. Think of a terrarium. It makes its own moisture. A white cover gets hot and can steam parts inside, darker colors make it worse

Don't know just trying to understand

 

[jimmwaller]

Closing it up pretty tight might be the issue. Think of a terrarium. It makes its own moisture. A white cover gets hot and can steam parts inside, darker colors make it worse

Don't know just trying to understand

yeah that makes sense. I'll probably need to keep closing it up because it does rain occasionally and it's in dry storage like an hour from my house so I can't always just run down to button it up if it starts raining. But I agree that getting the water out might help. Any tips on getting that last stubborn water out? My bilge pump can't reach it and my hull is ribbed so I can't even tip it all out the drain hole

 

[alldodge]

Maybe think about how to put a vent or two in the cover, or make the sides so air can be exchanged. Put something in the sides so cover has an opening or have vent in the top that is rain tight but does allow air flow.

A pic might help us come up with ideas

 

[alldodge]

The water in the bilge may not be the main issue as it is the ability of the area under the cover to breath

 

[Bt Doctur]

or the water at rest is a 1/2 inch but once you try to plane it runs rearward. it may be getting to the flywheel and then the starter or water from the top of engine enclosure or a rodholder