GaylesFaerie
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2020
- Messages
- 579
- Fluid Motion Model
- C-28
- Hull Identification Number
- FMLT2701D112
- Vessel Name
- Gayles Faerie
Soooooooooooo, finally got the new starter for a paltry $600 after a marine dealer wanted $1200 for one with a Yanmar name on the box. Lets just say it involved my brother-in-law, a seedy neighborhood, a driveway overgrown with weeds, a tiny handmade wooden vestibule to a decaying brick building and a sliding panel through which we exchanged my credit card for a brand new starter. No kidding. The guy was extremely nice and mentioned that these starters are "captive" by Yanmar, but he was able to get one in a plain box at a much lower price. It is identical to the old one and fit perfectly.
Story not over yet.
After re-assembling the engine, the moment of truth produced the exact same result! No go on the engine even the Parallel switch ON. After some serious head-scratching, he removed the ground from the transmission and fastened it directly to one of the starter bolts about 6 inches away. Said that's gotta work and that these engines should have a second grounding wire like he sees on other marine motors. Still no go. After checking each battery voltage at the batteries (all good) he said its gotta be a bad ground or positive somewhere in the starting circuit. After hunting with a voltage / amp tester with everything looking fine, we tried jumper cables off the start battery... still no go.
When all else fails... RTFM.
Given the symptoms the starter was having, the trouble shooting diagram resulting in a fix labeled "Check Engine Condition". Uh huh.
Soooooooooo... he finally started poking around at the forward end of the engine. Mmmmmm, the alternator belt and pulley didn't move when I tried starting the motor. He eased the tensioner, took the belt off the pulley and tucked it out of the way of any moving parts and the engine fired up instantly.
He removed the starter and the 150 amp Valeo alternator was frozen solid. The pulley wheel was immovable and the body was corroded as evidenced by all the paint being bumpy (but oddly still intact). Luckily, that gave me my first good look at the port forward motor mount from the access step in the cabin and it turns out the fastening nut had backed out a good quarter of an inch, so some good has come from all this in terms of preventing a future disaster. He looked at the other mounts which were all still secure.
Related/unrelated aside? The alternator is on the same side (port) as the generator which suffered a corroded starter after I took delivery of the boat last September. The foam seal on the seat directly above the generator had failed and saltwater wash over the gunnel must have made its way down to the generator starter which is in accessible unless you remove the entire generator. I had it removed and refurbished the whole thing, but I'm guessing salt water in the bilge must have gotten to the engine alternator as well.
Does anyone give their engine compartment a gentle freshwater rinse? Will that only create more problems?
GF waiting for another part...
Story not over yet.
After re-assembling the engine, the moment of truth produced the exact same result! No go on the engine even the Parallel switch ON. After some serious head-scratching, he removed the ground from the transmission and fastened it directly to one of the starter bolts about 6 inches away. Said that's gotta work and that these engines should have a second grounding wire like he sees on other marine motors. Still no go. After checking each battery voltage at the batteries (all good) he said its gotta be a bad ground or positive somewhere in the starting circuit. After hunting with a voltage / amp tester with everything looking fine, we tried jumper cables off the start battery... still no go.
When all else fails... RTFM.
Given the symptoms the starter was having, the trouble shooting diagram resulting in a fix labeled "Check Engine Condition". Uh huh.
Soooooooooo... he finally started poking around at the forward end of the engine. Mmmmmm, the alternator belt and pulley didn't move when I tried starting the motor. He eased the tensioner, took the belt off the pulley and tucked it out of the way of any moving parts and the engine fired up instantly.
He removed the starter and the 150 amp Valeo alternator was frozen solid. The pulley wheel was immovable and the body was corroded as evidenced by all the paint being bumpy (but oddly still intact). Luckily, that gave me my first good look at the port forward motor mount from the access step in the cabin and it turns out the fastening nut had backed out a good quarter of an inch, so some good has come from all this in terms of preventing a future disaster. He looked at the other mounts which were all still secure.
Related/unrelated aside? The alternator is on the same side (port) as the generator which suffered a corroded starter after I took delivery of the boat last September. The foam seal on the seat directly above the generator had failed and saltwater wash over the gunnel must have made its way down to the generator starter which is in accessible unless you remove the entire generator. I had it removed and refurbished the whole thing, but I'm guessing salt water in the bilge must have gotten to the engine alternator as well.
Does anyone give their engine compartment a gentle freshwater rinse? Will that only create more problems?
GF waiting for another part...
