Yanmar 1GM Starter Problem

[Jim Jamieson]

When starting my Yanmar 1GM today, I had to hit the starter a couple of times to get the engine to start. After the second try, the engine didn't catch but the starter motor kept running . I turned off the switch but it continued to run. Turned off the main batteries and the motor stopped running. Turned the batteries back on and the starter motor still ran even though the panel switch was off. Did this a couple of time ad heard a clunk. Things then worked normally and the engine starts fine. I wonder if the magnetic switch/solenoid is going. This would require some expensive surgery and delays. On the other hand, I wonder if it is a "normal" intermittent problem that I can live with. The engine has about 300 hours on it. I also wonder about retourquing the head. I have no records that it was done at the 50 hour interval when new and if this is something that needs to be done now or leave well enough alone. The engine runs perfectly.
Any advice will be appreciated,
jim



james.jamieson@yale.edu

[bob loewenstein]

Is your battery good. A weak battery sometimes will not have enough juice to spin the starter motor up to let the bendix mechanism engage the engine. It does sound like the starter solenoid may have a problem, though.
The clunck you heard could've been the bendix engaging.

If you do retorque the head, be sure to use a torque wrench.



rfl@yerkes.uchicago.edu