Carver Owners Forum

So I have 1995 Carver Santego 310. It has twin Crusader 270 Engines. GM 350 platform I believe. I have velvet drive inboard setup. The starboard engine has been very slow to crank since I bought the boat a year ago. But it always started. I often had to switch over to both batteries to get it started however. This is the first attempt at putting it in the water this year and I started it on land for a few seconds and it ran. But again cranked real slow. I got to the water and it cranked slower and didn't start. So I believe it is time for a new starter on the starboard engine. It was late and getting dark and long story, but it was a very long day. I hastefully decided to leave the boat on the trailer, connected to my truck and rode home with my wife in another car with plans to return today with a starter. However, I didn't bother to look at the starter before I left. I guess i thought it was just going to be a matter of stopping by an auto parts store and picking one up, but obviously I am finding it is not that easy. So now the boat is a couple hours drive away, and I don't know which starter. I am finding several available. But I am not sure which one. I also don't know if I need CW or CCW rotation or how to know. I know it is a starboard engine and I know it has a velvet drive. I have not looked at it in nearly a year, but I am thinking it mounted through the velvet drive bell housing or something like that. I don't think it was under the engine like on most cars. Can anyone point me in the correct directions. I was hoping to not have to tow it home and that will mean another wide load permit in another state. but I am also not sure how long the Marina is going to allow it to sit in their lot, before I launch it. I don't feel safe in putting it in the new slip without both engines... I have been trying to find a mechanic in that area to just go look at it, but so far no luck.

NO automotive starters in gasoline powered boats.......explosion hazard ...get the right marine one for your boat.

Yeah I have figured that part out. I just thought places like Napa would have a marine starter. They seem to be able to get them, but I don't really know what I need as far as rotation etc...

Are you completely sure that the starter is to blame here......have you checked and cleaned all the connections, grounds etc related to that side....could be a little corrosion on a terminal.....good luck man.

+1
It could be several things causing that symptom. Along with checking connections, have you done a proper load test on the batteries? Have you done a voltage drop test while cranking? Is the timing set properly? Have you confirmed there's no water entering the cylinders?....

So I went to the boat yesterday with a new starter. I replaced it and this fixed the slow cranking issue and it started but ran really rough. I traced all the spark plug wires and found two of them had been swapped and were not firing in the correct order. I corrected this and it started very easily and idled nice and smooth. I hope no damage has been done. There is just no way to review everything someone else might have done. I keep finding issues like this. Slowly but surely I am getting them resolved. I hope to put her in the water again later today and see how she does. After find the spark plug firing order incorrect, I took the distributor cap off and found it to be in rough shape are well so I replaced it. Each change seems to be making it run smoother and smoother. So today should be a good test. I hope all goes well. There is a chance I might be spending the night on her tonight. The water system worked last year, but will need to be de-winterized and sanitized etc... Still lots to do, but I hope to start enjoying it some soon. Oh the wires were not to bad, but I did clean up all the connections while I was in doing the starter.

Thanks for the follow up:down: