Need Starter Replacement Help

[Baysailor34]

I have a 1990 Yanmar 2GM20F. I've owned the boat for two years. The old starter was an ARCO. The nose housing broke off so I need to replace it. I'm looking for a well made unit that won't give me the same problem. There are so many options on-line that it's confusing to a novice like myself to know a good brand from a not so good. I'm looking for suggestions on the better manufactures I should be considering.

Thank you.

[DougR]

If you are unable to judge aftermarket components, stay with OEM parts. They might be more expensive, but the quality will be there.

DougR

[Lepke]

About $60 on ebay. There is no OEM that still make their own starter I know of. Specialty companies usually make the starters. The starters often fit several engine brands of the same size.
When specialty companies get done making an OEM component, they just put different labels on the part and put it in a different box. Years ago when GM, Ford and others were bigger, they had separate facilities to make things like starters. But they were inefficient at it. The starters were expensive. That opened the door for specialist companies to produce an equal product for much less. Eventually GM, Ford and others sold off their accessory making companies. Most no longer exist.

[DougR]

Granted, most OEM engine manufacturers don't make their own starter motors, and yes, there are plenty of aftermarket starters out there....but there are good ones and there is also junk.

The thing is that the OEM purchasing dept. doesn't buy the junk starters to put on their shelves and sell as genuine parts. They deal with the quality manufacturers so they can stand behind the part and offer a reasonable warranty on it. Ineffect the OEM parts department acts as a parts quality filter.

So my point is that if someone doesn't have the technical ability to discern between a quality starter and a junk starter, they should stick to that which is sold by the OEM as a genuine part. There they will have the greatest probability of purchasing a quality item.

DougR

[a64pilot]

I priced a “genuine OEM starter” for my Yanmar 4JHE cause I want to carry a spare.
$750 or there about.

I got an aftermarket one on Amazon for $85. I’m sure it isn’t the same quality, but $750 for a tractor starter is just a little overpriced I think.

I think maybe Hitachi is the manufacturer for many Yanmar starters

[DougR]

Right, the 85 dollar starters are out there.....and you are confident enough in your ability to judge the starter quality that you are satisfied with the one you purchased, but the OP doesn't have your confidence or experience. He already has an aftermarket starter which failed and he doesn't want another failure.

A fun exercise might be for you to replace your original starter with the spare starter and run it for awhile. That would be an interesting test. Might pass the test, might not.

Sometimes the factory starters are in fact worth the big bucks.......many years ago I salvaged a 250hp 6 liter Volvo engine from a charter boat that burned to the waterline and sank in Long Island Sound. After sitting under 15 feet of water for over a week, what was left of the boat was hauled up and blocked in a far corner of the boatyard. Long story short......the high dollar Bosch starter was completely dry inside...not even any condensation! The starter, and the engine too, went on to run for many thousands of hours.

DougR

[RaymondR]

Yanmar parts are very expensive.

Years ago I needed to replace the water pump">raw water pump on my 3GM30 and was quoted in excess of $800 for the pump and steel bracket. I sourced the same impeller in pedestal mount and made a new bracket from an alloy section for less than $250.

One of the best sources of information on aftermarket stuff is auto electrical shops. I have purchased aftermarket alternators and starters from them based upon their advice and never had a problem with them.

[belizesailor]

First, how do you know the problem is the starter? Lots of things upstream that can make a starter misbehave...from wiring issues to solenoid contacts. Starter motors are very reliable. The more common problem is the solenoid.

I suggest you pull the starter and take it to a shop that repairs starters (not to a mehanic...to an electric motor shop). For a small amount of $s they can probably getting running healthy again.

In the unlikely event you really do need a new starter, then take it to an autoparts store and source a new one of the same make. You should be able to find the original manufacturers marks on the starter. It will cost a fraction of the same exact starter sourced from Yanmar.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by DougR

Granted, most OEM engine manufacturers don't make their own starter motors, and yes, there are plenty of aftermarket starters out there....but there are good ones and there is also junk.

The thing is that the OEM purchasing dept. doesn't buy the junk starters to put on their shelves and sell as genuine parts. They deal with the quality manufacturers so they can stand behind the part and offer a reasonable warranty on it. Ineffect the OEM parts department acts as a parts quality filter.

So my point is that if someone doesn't have the technical ability to discern between a quality starter and a junk starter, they should stick to that which is sold by the OEM as a genuine part. There they will have the greatest probability of purchasing a quality item.

DougR

But its easy to "judge" them...you pull the starter and find the original manufacturers marks (some disassembly may be required) and buy exactly the same thing at a fraction of the over inflated "marine" price.

[DougR]

Perhaps you have misread the original post.......

-The writer states that he doesn't have the ability to make a technical judgement as to what is a quality starter and what is not a quality starter. I for one believe what he says.....he should know the state of his knowledge.
- The writer states that the starter motor is broken....he says "the nose housing broke off". That suggests that he really knows it's broken....that it's not a solenoid or something else "upstream"....it's really physically broken.
- He can't follow your advice to check the numbers on the original starter and buy the same, because he states that he doesn't have the original starter. All he has is a broken aftermarket ARCO starter.

So I go back to my original statement: if you are unsure of the quality of a part or your ability to judge the quality of a part, buy a factory "OEM" item and let the factory act as your QC filter.

DougR

[donradcliffe]

Instead of a $750 starter, I'd buy a $75 ebay starter plus a spare. They aren't hard to swap out.

[charliehows]

I bought an aftermarket starter for my 2qm20 from an outfit in adelaide (AAE Wholesale Pty Ltd - Starter Motors and Alternators )– not much use to you in US, I'd guess. Modern starters dont have a nosecone – the front bearings are much stronger nowadays. I paid au$450 for mine, I wouldnt use a $60 ebay job for anything but an emergency spare.

[fryewe]

Belizesailor’s advice is spot on. Take it to an electrical shop and ask them to fix it for you.

A good shop will disassemble it and reassemble it with quality parts at a good price. If a piece is broken such as a nose cone, they’ll replace it...perhaps using parts from one of the dozens of starters that are no longer being marketed they’ll have laying around the shop.

I did that a few years ago. For ninety dollars I walked out with a like new starter