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Growling starter


Michigan boarder

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My boat is laid up for the winter. But, this past spring and the spring before that the first cranking sounds absolutely terrible, like something is grinding. After a few cranks it is fine, and works fine all summer. Is this noise the bushings in the starter? Or am I mis-diagnosing and it is the gear not mating the flywheel properly? Assuming it's the bushings, is it worth doing a rebuild myself, or buy a rebuilt, or just buy a new one? AFAIK it is the original starter, boat has about 600 hours on it. I'd like to do something with it before spring hits.

FWIW, in college I dissasembled and reassembled a starter from a Chevy 305 for my Speech 101 class, in under 2 minutes. And I did it wearing a Bud LIght shirt with the sleeves cut off. Not kidding.

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FWIW, in college I dissasembled and reassembled a starter from a Chevy 305 for my Speech 101 class, in under 2 minutes. And I did it wearing a Bud LIght shirt with the sleeves cut off. Not kidding.

That is funny. :biggrin:

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So do you rebuild starters yourself? Under 2 min is impressive.

I had mine rebuilt a couple years ago for $105. It had gotten wet & over some time it seized up. Was good as new after the rebuild.

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Pull it and have it re-built for marine application.

It'll be cheapest. Even if it doesn't fix the noise, at 600 hrs., it's time.

Yeah, there's a motor re-furb place right down the road. I can actually see their building from my office. But if the noise isn't cured, what else could it be?

So do you rebuild starters yourself? Under 2 min is impressive.

I had mine rebuilt a couple years ago for $105. It had gotten wet & over some time it seized up. Was good as new after the rebuild.

Not saying I actively rebuild starters now, but that I have before (20yrs+), so I understand the components. Those were college days!

You'd be surprised how fast a GM starter motor comes apart and goes back together if you're not doing anything to it.

Yes, it is quick. This was a starter that I took off, sand blasted the casings and painted the starter black and the solenoid red, then took apart and put back together repeatedly until I had it under 2 minutes. Explaining the armature, brushes, bendix, how it works, etc. Now, to actually fix one (like the one in my boat) would be a wee bit longer. Actually it will be shorter cuz it will take me 30 seconds to walk to the rebuild shop and another 30 seconds a week later to pick it up.

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I have taken one apart on a 66 Cadillac, but I really liked that he (michigan boarder) did it for a speech class and in a bud t shirt

It was classic. I got an A. Part of the demonstration speech was to "dress appropriately", so to most of the other freshmen that meant "dress nicely". I walk in looking like a slob, just finished up the 4am to 8am shift at UPS, all sweaty. Rather than go to the podium I sat cross-legged on the teacher's desk. I hated that class, it was so hokey, so I did everything possible to go against the grain. She actually said I wasn't the first to do a starter, but that she never saw one painted up so nicely.

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if the noise isn't cured, what else could it be?

Good question.

Especially since you say it only happens the first couple of starts right after storage.

Maybe some sort of belt noise from the belt being in the same position for so long?

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  • 4 months later...

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