Perkins 4108 starter

[Petercatterall]

Last season it was the (enclosed) solanoid (that always failed at critical moments!)
I asked the local marine electrician to fix it and got a bill for £560.
A year later (maximum of 100 starts!) and its gone again! This time the starter was spinning but not engaging. Checked battery and connections, all good.
Not having £500 to spare again I set to and removed the starter, had to drain oil, remove filter and an oil hose but not difficult (especially as the bottom fixing bolt was missing!!)
The gear end of the starter looked quite 'manky', when tested the gear only span out about half the length of the shaft (possibly not enough to engage the engine gear ring?)
With mirror and torch I had a look at the engine gear teeth, I was conerned to see bright shiny steel on two of the teeth but, getting my hand in, they did not feel chipped or worn and I guessed that they may have just been polished by the non engaging starter gear teeth.
Took the unit to a local auto electrician, first comment was " cor what a mess, has it been near water"?
Questions to the experts
Should the starter gear fly right down the shaft to engage?

Is using 2 bolts rather than 3 acceptable? ( Iguess that having locted the unit with the top (accesable) bolts I could get the bottom one in with a long extension mirror and torch!!

Should there be some sort of seal between the starter and engine? could the hole of the missing bolt have allowed splashed up bilge water in?

The electrician recognised the starter as being originally a CA45F, he says that he will have to source some bits and pieces because of corrosion but is confident that it can be rebuilt for £50/75 What was my bill of £560 last year for??

Any hints or tips gratefully received

Regards to all

 

[Piddy]

After changing from a 4107 to a 4108 a few years ago, we found that the adaptor plate (not sure of the proper name - bolts to the rear of the engine and has the bell housing bolted to it) was a different (and wrong) thickness and burnt out the lovely new 3 bolt fixing starter with integral solenoid as it was continously engaged. It should have had a spacer but was missing from the kit. I changed the starter for the old (1964) model with only 2 bolt fixings (both sets were present in the adaptor plate) and it ran perfectly until it was immersed in salt water (another story). A new replacement was £150, still a lot better than £500 for a rebuild. The only problem with the old one was the seperate solenoid which had to be mounted somewhere.
I would check the spacers (if present) between the starter and the adaptor plate to make sure the starter is seated correctly.
Cheers

 

[ean_p]

We had a 12volt starter re-built as 24v for £160ish......and can buy new 12v from Lucas for less then £200.....these are the 2 bolt throw type......would question your bills really....