Preventative Maintenance

[rnummi]

Is there any benefit to pulling Alternator and Starter and having them rebuilt while boat is on the hard? Both apparently work, boat has been sitting for 6yrs. Anything else benefit from a pull and rebuild or just leave well enough alone? My local auto electric shop has offered to rebuild both at 100 each. Any advice one way or the other?

[catalina_mike]

6 years is a long time however the bearings and solenoid on the starter are the things I would worry about. Pull the belt off and manually spin the alternator and see how it sounds. I really can't think of a easy way to test the bearings in the starter. But if it's not broke I would let it go..

[rnummi]

Ok, I'm working on the hard, boats been idle for six years, was just wondering if I should be pulling off pieces parts to get them"new" or relatively so.

[Maye Marie]

If they have not had salt water sprayed on them you should be good. You break a hose and or spring a leak and you get salt water over them, not long after they will rust and go out. So you could go new and take them out quickly if something went wrong with your hoses or coolers. I would say if they checked out OK I leave them alone. Looking ahead shop and buy back ups off E-bay cheap. If you lose one and need a quick fix because on vacation a thousand dollars will go quickly. That was my experience with my starter last year on vacation. The starter took a bath from a leaking cooler. A month later starter went out on vacation and cost me plenty. Rebuilt my old one for backup and bought a new back up alternator for less than starter cost by far.

[Mark Deeser]

I would sure take a close look at hoses, belts, impellers and hose clamps. Fuel lines, filters, raw water strainer and work all the sea cocks. May want to pull a little fuel off the bottom of the tank. When we flew airplanes you always tried to maintain things so they didn't break. If it gives you peace of mind, two hundred dollars is not such a big price. Thanks, Mark.

[rnummi]

I was thinking the same thing... Rebuild the alternator and starter now, I'll know they work. If I knew anybody that rebuilt fuel distribution pumps, I'ld do that too. At The very least I'm doing all hoses, clamps, belts and filters.

[Carl]

OK, I got to ask, have you started this motor yet??????