Pjon
10-19-2009, 08:06 PM
File this as one I wish I would have been more aware of and want to pass this on to all the TF'ers who may not have thought about this one either in the hopes that it provides me with good karma in the future.
I am the owner of a 200HP, 2004 Evinrude DI that has been very good to me with 336 hours on it.
Just last night, me and my brother, were talking about our respective boat motors (he with the IO 350 mercruiser and me with my outboard) and how we should probably change the water pumps before next season because they are do, but overall, the engines are in good shape and have treated us well.....
I headed over to the boat today to do a little sunset fishing with my buddy Matt. Loaded up the boat and we were all set to go, just need to get the motor started and the lines thrown and our limit of stripers were just about a sure thing thanks to the good bite in the Patapsco we have been hearing about.
Tried to start her up, now, mind you the plugs do have about 40 hours on them from the season and we are in the fall and its been cold, so hard starting isn't all that uncommon, but after a few cranks, she usually starts right up, in fact, this was case last Wednesday when I had no problem getting it going.
Well, all of the sudden, me and Matt hear the engine just about to turn over, when all of the sudden, we hear metal grinding and something popping! And, no the engine didn't start.
Popped off the cover and what to do you know, the Pinion cap on the starter was partially sheared off and the starter gear and pinion was exposed and still engaged with the engine flywheel. Not good obviously.
A little further investigation let to the discovery that both bottom bolts that attached the starter to the engine block were missing!?!!?
During my spring tune up, I did go over everything with a fine eye to make sure there wasn't anything amiss, plus I have to remove the underside cowling of the motor to change the inline fuel filter during a tune up, so if those bolts were loose or out at that time, I think would have noticed.
Placed a quick call to my brother who is a mechanic and he told me, ya, sure its possible those bolts got loose do the vibration of running and such over time, and they shook out when you cranked the starter today, the starter now was not secured to the engine block and because of this, the starter gear and pinon just didn't line up properly with the flywheel and disengage with the flywheel on the engine, and POP, its done and the end results are painfully obvious.
Reluctantly, I pulled the starter, placed a call to Intercoastal Marine to see if they had a new starter and they did thankfully. I have two good friends coming on Thursday from Jersey to fish and I didn't want to cancel on them to wait for a part.
I have used Intercoastal before for service and parts and they really were helpful today, however I did get "well, we make sure to go over all the bolts on the engine when we winterize ya know and we haven't seen you the past few seasons, wink wink" I agreed and said, thank for tip, every bolt will be getting a nice tightening tomorrow when I install the new starter.
Anywho, lesson learned, both my brother and Intercoastal said the engine should be fine with the new starter and that I make sure I look for the loose bolts in the bottom of the engine cowling with a magnet.
Feel free to offer comments, hints and ya, thats a new one there buddy, or no, I have heard of that before.
So, Make sure you tighten all your bolts, especially those on the starter!
I am the owner of a 200HP, 2004 Evinrude DI that has been very good to me with 336 hours on it.
Just last night, me and my brother, were talking about our respective boat motors (he with the IO 350 mercruiser and me with my outboard) and how we should probably change the water pumps before next season because they are do, but overall, the engines are in good shape and have treated us well.....
I headed over to the boat today to do a little sunset fishing with my buddy Matt. Loaded up the boat and we were all set to go, just need to get the motor started and the lines thrown and our limit of stripers were just about a sure thing thanks to the good bite in the Patapsco we have been hearing about.
Tried to start her up, now, mind you the plugs do have about 40 hours on them from the season and we are in the fall and its been cold, so hard starting isn't all that uncommon, but after a few cranks, she usually starts right up, in fact, this was case last Wednesday when I had no problem getting it going.
Well, all of the sudden, me and Matt hear the engine just about to turn over, when all of the sudden, we hear metal grinding and something popping! And, no the engine didn't start.
Popped off the cover and what to do you know, the Pinion cap on the starter was partially sheared off and the starter gear and pinion was exposed and still engaged with the engine flywheel. Not good obviously.
A little further investigation let to the discovery that both bottom bolts that attached the starter to the engine block were missing!?!!?
During my spring tune up, I did go over everything with a fine eye to make sure there wasn't anything amiss, plus I have to remove the underside cowling of the motor to change the inline fuel filter during a tune up, so if those bolts were loose or out at that time, I think would have noticed.
Placed a quick call to my brother who is a mechanic and he told me, ya, sure its possible those bolts got loose do the vibration of running and such over time, and they shook out when you cranked the starter today, the starter now was not secured to the engine block and because of this, the starter gear and pinon just didn't line up properly with the flywheel and disengage with the flywheel on the engine, and POP, its done and the end results are painfully obvious.
Reluctantly, I pulled the starter, placed a call to Intercoastal Marine to see if they had a new starter and they did thankfully. I have two good friends coming on Thursday from Jersey to fish and I didn't want to cancel on them to wait for a part.
I have used Intercoastal before for service and parts and they really were helpful today, however I did get "well, we make sure to go over all the bolts on the engine when we winterize ya know and we haven't seen you the past few seasons, wink wink" I agreed and said, thank for tip, every bolt will be getting a nice tightening tomorrow when I install the new starter.
Anywho, lesson learned, both my brother and Intercoastal said the engine should be fine with the new starter and that I make sure I look for the loose bolts in the bottom of the engine cowling with a magnet.
Feel free to offer comments, hints and ya, thats a new one there buddy, or no, I have heard of that before.
So, Make sure you tighten all your bolts, especially those on the starter!