roadstar99

Last year my 4 year old boat had a few close calls with problems starting, if I kept hitting the ign switch it would finally catch and turn over fine. Had the 2 year old batteries checked this year and they are fully charged. So I started to take the wires off the starter posts to clean up a little corrosion and broke off the terminal stud putting them back on.

So I tried to take off the 2 bolt starter and can't really get to the bolts with any leverage. Very little room and it is so low in the bilge so you have to work upside down to get to the bolts under the starter. It is a Volvo Penta 5.7L gas.

Any suggestions? Heat, pneumatic wrench, pull the engine (not). Also once I get it off do you think just the solenoid can be replaced or does the whole thing need to be replaced?

billinstuart

It's a chevy starter. Use the shouldered starter bolts when you replace it..they are tight because they wedge into the starter so they won't fall off. If there is a shim keep it with the engine.

Sometimes it is easier if you remove the exhaust manifold/riser. If they haven't been pulled in 4 years it is time to pull/clean/check them anyhow!

fatherofive

Being a chevy type of starter you should be able to just replace the solenoid.

SHAMROCK69

Sounds like you have a bad slave solenoid. Next time you get a click have someone hold the key in the start postion while you tap the solenoid.

tank1949

I can tell you from personal experience that your problem could also be corrosion at your key switch from salt spray dripping into it. Clean it too! Go to battery posts and battery selector and clean and resodder lugs. If you have access to torch, "dump" the soder into the cleaned connectors. Clean excess flux using brake cleaner spray. Crimp on connectors will fail after proloned exposure to salt H2O. Of course, make sure fuel is turned off and FX is near by before resoddering with tourch. I have welder torch with small brazing tip. It works great. Having a buddy near by would be conforting in case you mess up. YOU WILL! Removing manifold is a great idea. I have dual 5.7 s and I have been able to inspect (upside down on my ****** that one starter has rusted surface but motors all seem to be well painted. I suspect that who ever owned boat befor me, replaced started when new engine was put in back in 2010, but they failed to paint new starter. Removing manifold will allow YOU access to concentrate heat onto specific starter bolt heads. Then, use (after heated part cooled) 6 point box, not 12 point, since 12 point box wrench or socket may strip head. Once out, resodder wire lug at solenoid/bendix end. Test solenoid/bendix and then starter. You may have water intrusion inside starter from some sort of "drip" line inadvertnetly created by boat's design. It wasn't planed. It just happens. I have them too! You may be able to clean inside starter, too. I was able to salvage a Surflow washdown motor just by cleaning inside. Starter bendix may not be salavaged. Go back with marine grade starter. Or have it rebuild by a professional, if simple cleaning will not fix it. Starter is usually the lowests point in bilge and would be first component exosed to gas fumes, if something else fails related to gas. Go back with anti sease lube on anly bolt threads, or just use grease on threads. This is my 2cents.. Good luck!