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5.7 crusader raw water cooled leaking water underside of starter

Discussion in 'Engines' started by cleanslate, Aug 26, 2019.

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  1. cleanslate, Jul 23, 2020
    #21
    cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Ok, I just thought it was more marine proof sealed up. I understand your point. I will work on keeping the water out and budget a new starter every two years...I just put in a new one a few weeks ago. I seized up from water damage.
  2. Capt Ralph, Jul 23, 2020
    #22
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    So, after the Chinese Fire Drill, Not an engine water leak after all, just bilge water getting into the flywheel housing??
    Now where did I save that stale noodle to beat you with.

    Can you enlarge the limber holes to keep the water from puddling under your engine when the bow comes up?
    How about Skippy J's idea about a low water bilge pump. I have one in my ER sump.

    There should be a tin cover over your lower fly wheel face. Shaped like these teeth -->:D. This may help reduce large amounts of water splashing on the flywheel or at least slow it down greatly. Don't seal it, you do want water to drain from it.

    Do you have room for a top mounted starter? This requires a different bell housing, starter and that tin cover. You may or may not need another flywheel. New starter will be hanging high & astern from the 1;30 position behind #8 lung.
    Thermo-Electron (Crusader) & Mercruiser used a lot of these keeping the starters out of the bilge.

    Keep the M-Inlaw & cattle in the rear for a few minutes before starting the engine may help.
    Or just grease the ship out of the starters your installing and rotate before failures..
  3. cleanslate, Jul 24, 2020
    #23
    cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Thank you all for the lesson and input on how a bell housing works on a marine inboard engine!
    I’ll further respond later on but right now I’m getting busy to go out in said boat flounder fishing here in Cape May!
  4. cleanslate, Jul 28, 2020
    #24
    cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    So I just ordered a Rule LP900 low profile automatic bilge pump, I'm going to get that somewhere near or just directly aft of the bell housing/transmission . Hope fully that will help.
    And perhaps this winter I will look into enlarging the limber hole with a piece of PVC pipe epoxied in place through the foam core, it would be a 20'' straight run or so. I like that idea to get the water aft quickly to the aft pump while under way.

    Can the starter by oiled/lubricated at all? Is there an oil port somewhere on it? It's an Arco chevy 350 starter with the nose cone insert.
  5. d_meister, Jul 29, 2020
    #25
    d_meister

    d_meister Senior Member

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    Assuming it's in salt water, 1t would be best to remove it and have it cleaned, lubed, and protected. The probable outcome if you leave it or treat it from the outside is that bendix drive will corrode to the shaft and stop engaging to start the engine. Bendix drives can be cheap, so maybe throw a new one in. They often have a sprag-type clutch inside of them that also don't like water.
  6. Capt Ralph, Jul 29, 2020
    #26
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    It's a new starter, read above.
    The Bendix does take the blunt of abuse if water spins off the fly wheel. Sadly, if to much grease, oil or any lube makes it to the Sprage Clutch inside of the Bendix assembly, it will slip and not turn over the engine.
    You have to determine where the previous issues have been and apply grease just to those points.
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