Thank you everyone for your ideas and suggestions. Your help made a big difference.
The motor starts now, almost every time. I'll need to do a final thorough dismantling and cleaning when we get the boat to home port soon. What made it work again? Cleaning it inside. The new solenoid helped, but cleaning the pinion/bendix area made the most difference. A couple of long nights, bruised fingers (it's heavy!) and many bad words, combined with your great email assistance is all it took. -Neal. Sea Quell crew. wrote: > Thanks everyone for the feedback and ideas. I'd be lost without you! Wow > if feels like I've been doing push-ups for 24 hours, getting in and out > of a small space. Unfortunately the problem is not resolved yet.. > > In summary, a new solenoid is installed, but the starter just spins > (loud whirring) but doesn't crank the engine. > > I removed the starter, and rotated the motor to check the flywheel, and > also checked for missing teeth on the pinion. All teeth are there, none > missing. > > The pinion gear does move when activated. When I press the start button, > the pinion moves away from the starter, and spins. Sometimes there is a > spark and the smell of something burned, I assume this is from the > solenoid contacting. > > Eric, I have attempted the suggestions you have below. The starter is > too awkward to get to, one hand only! So I suspended it with two > lanyards to keep it from dropping into the bilge. Measurements are > difficult and best-effort only, not precise. > > I measured the distance from the housing to the flywheel, and the > distance from the housing to the max throw of the pinion, and they are > about the same, about 1 3/8 inches. I don't know if this is adjustable, > or how. > > The starter is now re-installed, unfortunately it just whirs instead of > cranking. The bottom nut (one of three) that holds the starter to the > engine housing was missing, I'll have to find a replacement in town. > Since it's the bottom one, and the other two are tight, and this is a > heavy unit, I assume the starter is sufficiently attached and aligned to > operate correctly. It does not move when activated. > > Anyway, all teeth are there, none missing. What could be causing the > starter not to crank the flywheel? > > -Neal. > > Eric T. wrote: >> *Neal,* >> * Before you spend a lot of money, remove the starter.* >> * With 1 bolt attach it to the engine in an easily accessible place >> making sure the wires/connectors are not touching anything and the >> bendix is free to move.* >> * Now press the start button while watching the gear. Does it move?* >> *I don't mean spin, although it needs to do that too. I mean away from >> the starter motor, or even toward it.* >> * If it moves and spins there is no reason to buy a new starter. * >> *You need to very carefully measure the distance from the point on the >> engine where the starter mounts to the edge of the ring gear on the >> flywheel.* >> * Then carefully measure the distance from the face of the starter motor >> to the furthest the pinion gear extends when you press the start >> button.. The pinion gear needs to move more (but not much) than the >> distance you need to get to the edge of the ring gear.* >> >> *There are ways to either adjust the 'throw' of the bendix, or rebuild >> the bendix if it is just too worn.* >> ** >> * Only after you take the starter and the measurements you have made to >> an automotive starter repair shop should you consider buying another >> starter when you are so close to fixing the problem already!* >> ** >> *Eric Thompson >> S/V Procrastinator >> South San Francisco >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> * >> >> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com >> Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.0/1601 - Release Date: 8/8/2008 >> 9:02 AM >> >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Liveaboard mailing list >> [email protected] >> To adjust your membership settings over the web >> http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard >> To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ >> >> To search the archives >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] >> >> The Mailman Users Guide can be found here >> http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html > > _______________________________________________ > Liveaboard mailing list > [email protected] > To adjust your membership settings over the web > http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard > To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ > > To search the archives > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] > > The Mailman Users Guide can be found here > http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html > > > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.0/1602 - Release Date: 8/9/2008 1:22 > PM > > > _______________________________________________ Liveaboard mailing list [email protected] To adjust your membership settings over the web http://www.liveaboardnow.org/mailman/listinfo/liveaboard To subscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] The archives are at http://www.liveaboardnow.org/pipermail/liveaboard/ To search the archives http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] The Mailman Users Guide can be found here http://www.gnu.org/software/mailman/mailman-member/index.html
