[Vilanova]

Hi I have a 3 year old (in April) SX18 which has done 110 hours. It has a 3.0l Alpha one engine. I am having problems with the starter motor. It often doesn't turn the motor over, just clicks, particularly when she has'nt been used for a while but also sometimes out at sea after stopping the engine. I had an engineer to repair it. He disconnected it, cleaned the connections and reconnected it which cured the problem for a week or so. He said it is a common problem with this engine because the starter motor is placed low down close to the bilges and gets a lot of condensation affecting the motor. He said the only option is to replace the starter motor. I don't want to do this if the same is going to happen again. has this happened to anyone else? If so, what did you do to prevent it happening again? Can the motor be moved to another position?

Also my engine vents have gone green, where can I source new stainless steels vents?

Thanks for any help. By the way, I adore my boat, she is such fun to drive.

[WetWilly]

Hi Vilanova,

Sorry to hear of your starter issue, The Merc 3.0L is a great little motor and pretty reliable too! We had a Sea Ray with the 3.0L and in the 20+ years we never had an issue with it except for corrosion on some of the wiring due to a lot of water.

You may just have a faulty starter, it happens from time to time. Marine starters are designed for this type of environment and are sealed for moisture protection. Does there appear to be any corrosion on the starter, motor or the wiring?

Relocating a starter isn't really an option as there is no provisions for mounting it anywhere else. I would see if your Mercruiser warrenty covers it.
Either way, make sure you replace it with a marine certified starter and not one for a car as the car one is not rated for enclosed engine compartments and doing so could create a very dangerous situation (i.e. fire or explosion)!

Now for the vents, interesting, I thought the vents were Stainless Steel so the salt water shouldn't have affected them that way. I would see if your warranty covers them as well by contacting your local Mariah dealer or contact Mariah Boats directly via email at "[email protected]" or phone (843) 761-6090 (USA). If nothing else, they should be able to supply you with replacements. Afterward, I would recommend a good metal polish/protectant.

Good luck,
WetWilly

[dudders]

Have you tried "jiggling" your throttle back and forward a little bit when this happens. Happened to me last year (a few times) and the motor started after I did it. I pulled all the connections and gave a good squirt of CRC at the back of the throttle as soon as I got back home and it hasnt happened since. Good luck.

[Vilanova]

Thanks for the tips both of you. I will try the throttle trick and spray it also. If this doesn't work I'll get a new one 'marine certified'.
The vents were supposed to be stainless steel but obviously not. I have had TERRIBLE after sales service which I think will stop me buying another Mariah when I upgrade in a few years. The story is too long to relate and once stung........