Glummityness

[GrumpyOldGit]

Post Christmas visit to the boat this morning for traditional engine starting and sipping coffee in the winter sun !

All going swimmingly, ie; no dampness aboard, no obvious drips or strange smells etc etc. And then to the engine. Batteries, Check. Seacock, Check. Ignition, Check.

Turn key and await the throbbing, reassuring rumble of the mighty Yanmar 2GM 20. Nada. Nothing. a void of startness.

Ah well, must be a flat battery. Replace battery and try again....................................................Nothing but a warning light.

Remove battery and try second spare.....................................................................................Nothing again.

Go home, eat large and fortifying breakfast whilst leaving battery on boost charge. Return 1hr later buoyed up with food and misplaced confidence,

Nothing again.

Curse Dehler designers for not leaving sufficient room down sides of engine. Remove alternator to gain access. Try shorting starter directly off battery via jump leads. Small sparky things and no turning.

Swear constructively and remove starter, also remove large portion of right thumb.

Try starter on cockpit sole direct from batteries. Bugger all !

Go home and order new item off interweb. Put old starter on Fleabay. Wish I had not started.

Moan over ...:disgust:

 

[robmcg]

You could have put your starter in to a local starter and alternator centre - may have been cheaper than a new one! Hope the thumb is wrapped up safe!

 

[pcatterall]

Sorry Oh!! better to know now than when you really need it.
I had lots of starter probs with my previous boat so I know how frustrating it can be!!
Surprised, though that you didn't have a check inside to see if there was a quick/cheap fix or take it to your back street motor electrician.
Will the new one be loads of dosh? I did find with mine that there was a much cheaper almost identical vehicle starter that was far cheaper than one from a marine spares source.
Good luck with the new one!!

 

[sarabande]

" a void of startness " I love that !

 

[William_H]

As said you gave up too soon on the starter. Probably worth keeping the old one as a spare once it is fixed. The problem is most likely in the brushes. Taht is assuming the armature can turn easily. The brushes should be free to move in their casings with lots of spring tensionm holdijng them on to the commutator. The commutator could be cleaned witha bit of fine sand paper. There just is not much else to the starter itself. Assuming you are correct in that the contactor solenoid is Ok. good luck olewill

 

[GrumpyOldGit]

As said you gave up too soon on the starter. Probably worth keeping the old one as a spare once it is fixed. The problem is most likely in the brushes. Taht is assuming the armature can turn easily. The brushes should be free to move in their casings with lots of spring tensionm holdijng them on to the commutator. The commutator could be cleaned witha bit of fine sand paper. There just is not much else to the starter itself. Assuming you are correct in that the contactor solenoid is Ok. good luck olewill

If the unit was fitted to a car, I would merrily have played with it at great length, However, Our sailing is predominantly done on the East Coast. Other Eastcoasties will be aware that the sudden lack of starting of an engine can lead quite swiftly to an embarrassing few hours wedged in the putty, or yet worse, the bouncing joy of finding some nice firm sand beneath the keel.
I for one , tighter than a ducks bum, would prefer the additional confidence engendered by a new unit !

Thanks for reading !!

 

[pcatterall]

If the unit was fitted to a car, I would merrily have played with it at great length, However, Our sailing is predominantly done on the East Coast. Other Eastcoasties will be aware that the sudden lack of starting of an engine can lead quite swiftly to an embarrassing few hours wedged in the putty, or yet worse, the bouncing joy of finding some nice firm sand beneath the keel.
I for one , tighter than a ducks bum, would prefer the additional confidence engendered by a new unit !

Thanks for reading !!

Always good to be confident but isn't it rather like changing your engine because the spark plugs need changing? The brushes are an expendable part, I suppose for real confidence we should check our brushes every so many starts?

 

[ghostlymoron]

My pal got a new starter motor for his Yanmar from a motor factor - it was sixty quid instead of two hundred from Yanmar. It was identical except for colour. Apparently it also fits some sort of tractor.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Can you turn the crank by hand? It might be the pinion has jammed in.

Traditional solution with a car, is to rock it in gear. Not sure it would work with a boat