we just purchased a 1988 Tiara 3300 and before we were able enjoy the purchase we found out the starboard engine starter was shot! Anyone had any experience with replacing the starter? My husband tried to remove it so we could take it to the local shop we know but apparently there's a bolt that he just can't get to with a normal tool. Maybe they make a special tool or ??? Any help would be appreciated.
Are you positive it's the starter? On both Mercruiser and Crusaders, there is a slave solenoid before the starter. On my crusaders, it is under the housing that has the large red reset button.
That said, I can't help with how to remove the starter as I never got that far.
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Are you positive it's the starter? On both Mercruiser and Crusaders, there is a slave solenoid before the starter. On my crusaders, it is under the housing that has the large red reset button.
That said, I can't help with how to remove the starter as I never got that far.
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No not sure. Unfortunately the boat is located about 2 hours from our home. We were trying to get it here when this all happened right out of the gate. The only reason we thought starter is because my brother, who is much more familiar, used a screw driver to jump and was able to get it to get it to turn over....so he said starter and that was that. We didn't know about a reset.
There are two solenoids, one on the starter which is what it sounds like he jumped, and a second which is located under the the reset button. The second under the the reset button doesn't have anything to do with that reset button other than where it is located. It sounds like the solenoid on the starter itself is bad if your brother was able to jump it. Those can be removed from the starter and replaced by themselves if your able to get at it. It sounds like the starter itself is working if he was able to jump it.
Yes, I just went through the same thing. You can get the bolt out but you have to get the metal "engine info" plate off. I just pried it up until it broke. The river was in a place I could not drill it out. Agreed though, if the starter started the engine how can it be bad?
I think some more investigation is needed here. I would remove the cover on the slave solenoid, where the red reset button is. Have someone turn the ignition key to start while someone else taps that solenoid with the handle of a screw driver. If that doesn't work, try jumping that solenoid and seeing if it turns over. Most of the time this solenoid is the problem. It's cheap and easy to replace relatively speaking.
If that doesn't solve the problem, move onto the starter solenoid. If jumping it turns over the starter, you can remove and replace just that solenoid while it's on the starter.
If for some reason, you can't get it off and you remove the starter, just replace the whole thing while you have it out.
Remember to only use marine parts, not car parts which aren't ignition protected. Also, make sure the engine room is well ventilated while trying to jump the solenoids.