2012 Z3 NO START/WATER IN STARTER

[DRAGRCR]

This has happened twice to me now boat will not crank,have removed starter and found water inside starter. Any ideas ???? It does not appear to have any excess water in hull hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[dom w. forte]

Which engine do you have?

[DRAGRCR]

343 PCM

[wallacmc]

I was half a day into my vacation last week, and had started the boat maybe about ten times when all the sudden the starter quit cranking the engine. There was water in it, and it caused the starter to fail. When I took it to an automotive parts store to test it, it came back good at two different places. I troubleshot everything around the starter I could think of, but it all checked out. When I got back home I went to J&N Electric, a supplier of starters and alternators located here in Cincinnati that supplies retailers across the country. They hooked me up with a marine certified starter, told me my old one was bad and not to rely on the tests at an automotive store. I put it in and Eureka! It was the starter all along. When water gets in there it can create just enough friction inside that while the starter turns, it just doesn't quite reach all the way to the flywheel. Warning: it was not all that easy to be sure I had the exact right starter. The best bet would be to have your engine serial number handy and go through a PCM dealer. I also learned through the process that despite what some may say, you can't use an automotive starter from a Chevy pickup in your 343....unless you want to risk blowing up that is. As for where your water is coming from, its hard to say, but remember the shape of your hull likely has a low point in the middle of your hull, down and out of your eyesight. If you are throwing a big surf wave, that water may slosh back toward the engine when your bow is up in the air. The starter does not marry to the engine and fly wheel with a very tight seal at all. That little bit could be enough to get in there, dry, and create enough of a bind to prevent to starter from reaching out optimally....just a guess. Note, the experts at J&N that I got my new starter from were not all that impressed with the original starter that came off my 343.

Good Luck!
Matthew

[DRAGRCR]

I find it kind of hard to believe with the location of the starter on top of the bell housing that the level is that high to get water in it .I do know im going to be aware of whats going on now. I bought a new marine starter and will try it this weekend and see what happens maybe it was some new design water cooled starter that sprung a leak.
Thanks for input!!
Glen

[wallacmc]

Oh, my starter is way down low....a HORRIBLE design for a boat IMO. it is below the floor level of my rear storage compartment.