SANTE starter help
 

Well I think my starter went out last weekend. When I push the start button i can hear it engage, but it wont turn over. I tried to jump it off the solenoid and got the same thing, a click that is engaging the starter but seems to not have enough power to turn it over. Anyone have an idea if i can get another one at like AutoZone or O'Reilly's? Any other ideas, perhaps it's not the starter?

The starter went out on my friend's 2008 210 last month - along with parts of the boat's distributor. The local cc dealer covered the starter under warranty, but told him that PCM's position was that the distributor, distributor cap, and plugs (that apparently also needed to be replaced) were all "maintenance" items that were not covered under the cc/pcm warranty. My friend needed his boat back for an event on the lake, so he just paid for everything and then called PCM. He explained to PCM that a distributor, rotor and plugs should not need to be replaced this often, considering he bought his boat new (it was a leftover boat) in '10 and it only had 46 hours of freshwater use on it. Because the boat had been repaired and the bill had been paid, PCM ended up sending my friend another set of plugs, a distributor cap and rotor as a "good faith" gesture. My friend had to take the parts to the dealer to get a refund for the cost of the parts. He had to eat the labor though, which we both think stinks.

Long story short, you probably need a new starter or need your starter rebuilt (pull it and look at the bendix to see if it is worn and/or stuck in the non-engaged position). Hopefully it is under warranty. If not, pull the parts yourself and take them to Autozone or Napa. One thing my friend said was that, had he know he would end up spending a month dealing with warranty issues and paying a couple hundred dollars in labor to swap plugs, a rotor and a distributor cap, he could have bought all of the parts he needed to fix his boat at a local parts store and done the work himself. He checked, and the parts he needed were all common, locally available, parts.

Good luck!

Like Chatt said what you are describing sounds like the starter solenoid has a bad contact.Try tapping on the starter with a block of wood and see if it cranks.If so just get the starter rebuilt a a local rebuild shop.It's only 2 bolts and 2 wires to disconnect the starter,but disconnect the battery first.

Chatt & Robert, Thanks guys.

Robert, your post made me think of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEkOT...eature=related

I'm going to pull it and just replace both the starter and solenoid, seeing as they are both the stock ones from 2002!

I just hope that's the problem!

anybody know off hand what starter i'll need? before i pull it i was going to call a few places and see if i could find one. it's the 5.8L PCM engine.

you can have it rebuilt thats a cheaper way to go but your boat is down while that is happening.

im not going to rebuild it. i would just assume buy a new one and be back in business same day.

Pulled the starter last night, took it up to Autozone, they tested it and determined it was bad. It took about an hour of searching, but we were able to match the starters. My 2002 SANTE has the PCM 5.8 HO engine. For anyone with the same issue, you'll need a starter off a 1995 F-350 van with a 5.8L 351 Windsor in it. It was $120 and came with a lifetime warranty. Bolted up perfectly and cranked right up.

Its not wise to run an automotive starter. Marinized starters are spark protected to prevent the ignition of fumes in your bilge.

can i not get away with running the blower longer?

Can you smoke while filling your boat with gas?

Good point..

This is my first starter I'm had to replace on a boat, and multiple places told me there was no difference in automotive and marine ones. After a little research, I found that to be completely false.

So i just ordered a marine starter for the 5.8L HO PCM. It was $190 out the door, and Autozone said they would take the one i bought from them back. So the $80 to upgrade is well worth it IMO to be safe.

Thanks for the input guys, you really saved me on that one! Really makes me appreciate WW that much more.

No problem

This rule also goes for alternators too.
No spark emitting electronics in the engine compartment.

The bang you hear maybe your last - lol.

X2 You don't get a chance to make that mistake again.:eek: