damage to starter motor

[lilianroyle]

we anchored yesterday and when i restarted the engine in neutral, it started fine. i put it in gear and immediately the engine stalled. i think i must have turned the key again but only briefly as i realised pretty much at the same moment that we must have something around the prop. we did.i cut this free, but the engine refused to restart, not even a click from the starter motor. batteries are fine. would trying to start the engine in gear with a fouled prop so briefly trash the starter?
thanks

 

[VicS]

we anchored yesterday and when i restarted the engine in neutral, it started fine. i put it in gear and immediately the engine stalled. i think i must have turned the key again but only briefly as i realised pretty much at the same moment that we must have something around the prop. we did.i cut this free, but the engine refused to restart, not even a click from the starter motor. batteries are fine. would trying to start the engine in gear with a fouled prop so briefly trash the starter?
thanks

Trashed hopefully a bit strong.

May have jammed it, esp if an inertia type Try slackening the starter motor mounting bolts and giving it a waggle. Or can you turn the crankshaft back and forward a bit by hand

 

[oldharry]

Yes, jammed starter would be my guess particularly if you re energised it after the engine had stalled. If you can't free it, its usually(!) a reasonably simple job to remove it and free it off - if its accessible. Disconnect the main starter battery before you touch anything - a short circuit can cause a fire, and give you a severe burn.

The chances of having damaged it this way are pretty small.

 

[halcyon]

we anchored yesterday and when i restarted the engine in neutral, it started fine. i put it in gear and immediately the engine stalled. i think i must have turned the key again but only briefly as i realised pretty much at the same moment that we must have something around the prop. we did.i cut this free, but the engine refused to restart, not even a click from the starter motor. batteries are fine. would trying to start the engine in gear with a fouled prop so briefly trash the starter?
thanks

Is there a fuse in the starter circuit ? starting with an engine that cannot turn will cause maximum stater load which can be extremely high.

Brian

 

[cimo]

..per Brian, the starter motor would have pulled close to its short circuit current on 2nd attempt.
I'm assuming you don't have a fuse fitted in the start circuit - so I'd suggest you check the starter solenoid for burnt out contacts.

Easy enough to check - Remove the heavy positive cable from solenoid output to starter motor. Turning the key switch, check for continunity across the solenoid output.

Edit: safety note - take the time to remove the power link, to prevent the engine cranking unexpectedly.

 

[hartcjhart]

give the starter motor a couple of whacks with a hammer

 

[Paddingtonbear]

give the starter motor a couple of whacks with a hammer

Good man! a proper meknic

 

[oldharry]

....whacks with ahammer . Precision engineering with a Birmingham screwdriver.

 

[hartcjhart]

....whacks with ahammer . Precision engineering with a Birmingham screwdriver.

yep and as a method has worked for years

 

[hartcjhart]

Good man! a proper meknic

and dont forget the good old 'listening stick'