New starter motor for Caraway
Aug
20
Written by:
8/20/2010 12:41 PM
From time to time when I pressed the Yanmar 1gm 10 start button I could hear the starter motor click and nothing happened. If I tried again the starter kicked in and the Yanmar started as normal. I knew the starter motor needed overhaul or replacement but I had been procrastinating it. But with the boat back in the water in the solent I decided that I didn’t want to risk the starter failing as it eventually would at the time when I needed it most. So, I had did some research and found that there are some third party starter motors that will fit the Yanmar 1gm 10. For example: http://www.amazon.com/STARTER-HITACHI-YANMAR-S114-303-128170-77010/dp/B003PL7X1A
I then noticed that the above starter fits 1gm, 2gm and 3gm. So I realised that the starter is the same for all these engines. I didn’t want to have to pay over £300 for a new Yanmar one but I had decided I wanted a new one if I could find one at a reasonable price. Enter Ebay. Amazingly I was lucky and found a brand new unused starter motor from a 2gm series. The owner had bought it as a spare and never used it. I’m not surprised. Mine lasted 17 years and 1700 engine hours. The guy only wanted £125 for it. So I bought it straight out and got it a few days later.
The old starter in situ and after removal
The new starter and in situ
The only real difference I could see between the new and the old starter was one of the bolts on the solenoid was thicker than the old one so I had to put a bigger ring terminal on the wire. I was glad in the end to get a Yanmar one and hope this one lasts as long as the old one.
Installation and removal is straightforward just a bit fiddly if like me you opt not to remove the alternator first. It’s a good idea to turn the battery switch off before you begin. I used some tape to hold the wires together so they would all go back onto the right terminal. I also took some pics of the wires for reference just in case.
One job I will have to come back to is the engine anode cover. I replaced the anode a few weeks back and noticed the paint had flaked off around the seal. With the starter off it would have been a good time to touch up the paint. Unfortunately I didn’t do it this time so it will have to wait for now.