GM250 165HP Mercruiser Straight six Starter

[sonofadocker]

I have a new starter to put into my boat.

My sockets do not fit completely on the two bolts that go into the
engine block.

What tool is used to remove these two bolts ?

I need to start the boat to get it out of the water for the season.

I read on ebay constantly mercruisers for sale because the starter
bolts broke off...

If anyone local in Ocean County New Jersey wants some pocket money to
do the work let me know. I currently am recovering from stomach surgery
and find it difficult to do the work. You don't realize how much work
your stomach muscles do.

1975 Formula Thunderbird 19' closed bow.

Thanks

Sonofadocker

[tsch...@gmail.com]

There's three choices. 15mm, 9/16 or 5/8

changing the starter isn't difficult, but can be a PITA because of the
position it's in. the bolts have to come out from the bottom. Then
there's the side mount bolt which is usuall 1/2 inch. It,s the easy one
. I agree about your stomach muscles. Laying on your hed to pull the
starter isn't fun.

Now, are you SURE the starter is bad?

Oh, another thing about the broken bolt syndrome , is that fromt he
factory, the starters are braced in pretty well. When somebody changes
the starter,t hey usually don't mess with the bracing, and leave them
off. bad Idea on a boat or a rough work truck. that engine gets
bounced around pretty harshly, and the starter bounces around too (the
old style, about 18 lb. worth).

[sonofadocker]

Thanks for the reply.

The 9/16 wrench will not fit onto the bolt enough to turn it either.
Both the socket and wrench are blocked by the rear of the bell housing.
This is a guess by my touch.
I have changed many car and truck starters. I assumed it would be five
minute job.
I have cancer and i have been out of service myself since july. I just
started getting around to do things. I have to be opened up again
because the doctor did not get all the tumor out...60 days in bed
again. I had wanted to get the boat out of the water.

It isnt my day either. My car has a flat and I just saw before the boat
trailer has a flat also. My compressor decided it was to old today and
died too !!

The solenoid is most likely bad not the starter. But from my old high
school shop days I thought changing the solenoid was done best on a
work bench not on a bouncing boat. very windy this week. I also dont
remember how to take the solenoid off.
The boat got 21 inches of rain from the huricane in august. The trim
solenoid stopped working along with the starter. the carb took in water
too.

I had the boat running at the dock all august and september after the
storm. I was starting the boat by jumping the starter with a screw
driver.

I have been waiting for my ebay parts to arrive and they just got here
this week. I bought two carbs, set of trim solenoids and the starter.

Motor wont start and the trim is stuck in the up position.

sonofadockder

[tsch...@gmail.com]

sonofadocker wrote:
> I have cancer and i have been out of service myself since july.

I am so absolutely sorryto hear that...

> The solenoid is most likely bad not the starter. But from my old high
> school shop days I thought changing the solenoid was done best on a
> work bench not on a bouncing boat. very windy this week. I also dont
> remember how to take the solenoid off.
> The boat got 21 inches of rain from the huricane in august. The trim
> solenoid stopped working along with the starter. the carb took in water
> too.
>
> I had the boat running at the dock all august and september after the
> storm. I was starting the boat by jumping the starter with a screw
> driver.

I think the solonoid is ok, myself., What I believe what's the problem,
is actually the brushs are corroded in their holder retainers. If it
will make something simpler, you can take the cap off the end of the
starter, that is if you can be careful not to twist either one off in
the head, and I'm sure you'll find it's full of rusty stuff.

Get some good quality penetrant, and spray the heck out of it, and
gently see if you can get the brushs and holders to move , take it
easy, and they should be able to free up. keep dosing, if the brush
springs are rusted through or broken, thats one thing, but if you can
get some good tention on the armature at all, I believe you can button
it back up and yes, with exception of replacing other stuff, you should
be able to screwdriver the solonoid, and it should crank.

>

[Calif Bill]

<tsch...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160868433.0...@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

It is eitther the solenoid or the wire to the solenoid. Some have fuses in
the starter solenoid line. IF you can start the engine by jumpering the
solenoid, is not the starter and the brushes.

[tsch...@gmail.com]

Bill, on a Delco starter(10 or 8 MT), if your brush's can't contact the
armature, your solonoid won't work either.

[sonofadocker]

The solenoid just clicks now. The starter just makes a clunking sound.
I assumed I wore something out jump starting it with the screw driver
each time.

sonofadocker

[Calif Bill]

If you can turn over the starter by bypassing the solenoid, the brushes are
making contact.
He probably has a dead battery now.

<tsch...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1160874397.0...@m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...

[tsch...@gmail.com]

Obviously, but we're also noting that the starter has been submerged.

[sonofadocker]

The starter has never been suberged. The bilge pump kept up with the
water in all the storms. However the engine cover is tilted to the
stern due to wood rot. Rain water will drip onto the electronics for
the tilt/trim and the starter itself.
The battery is fine.
The orignal question is what is blocking the bolts from having a wrench
or socket placed over them ?
While I have been sick I started the boat everyday and let it run. The
last heavy rain we had was 17 inches in a three day storm a few weeks
ago. The engine bay had its normal 1/4 of water in it. But the starter
solenoid would note engage the starter anymore.

I don't think it makes a difference but the first day the starter did
not operate. I turned the key and nothing happended. The battery was
fully charged. I left the key turned on and jumped he starter with a
screw driver.

[tsch...@gmail.com]

sonofadocker wrote:
> The starter has never been suberged.

My misunderstanding.

sorry

[sonofadocker]

I will ask the group again before I leave for the hospital for my
several week stay.

The wrenches or sockets I have do NOT go all around the two bolts that
hold the starter in place.
The side engine block bolt is easy to remove.

Is there a special tool needed to remove the two starter bolts that go
into the block ?

A socket does not sit on the bolt on all sides.

A wrench will not fit onto the bolts due to clearance issues.

1975 Formula Thunderbird mercruiser 165

Thanks

sonofadocker

[jamesgangnc]

Without actually being there all we can do is speculate. Sometimes if
you try to put the socket on the bolt by hand without the rachet you
can get a better feel for where it is hitting something. You may have
to get close enough to the problem to see what is preventing the socket
from going on. Cheaper sockets have thicker walls than more expensive
ones. I know that my snap-on sockets have noticably thinner walls that
the no name ones that come with tool "kits". That means that sometimes
the more expensive socket will fit where the cheap one would not. I'm
not aware of any special tool and I have always removed starters with
sockets or wrenches depending on the particulars. Most of the time it
is a tight fit and far more difficult than two bolts have any right to
be.