Corroded starter

[keith]

" 40 hp Merc 4-cyl - 1992...Wa

" 40 hp Merc 4-cyl - 1992...Was having starting problems intermittently.... eventually diagnosed as the starter. I pulled the commutator end cap off the starter and inside the end cap was a mass of corrosion, black powdery stuff, brush wires brittle and broken, etc. Any idea what would have caused that to happen so I can avoid it in the future? Parts guy was surprised the starter had gone so bad given the year. "

 

[tonyob]

"Keith,

Water may have gott

"Keith,

Water may have gotten into the starter, possibly due to a dunking. I have seen many starters that were under water for quite some time actually work for a long time. I have taken some apart that actually had water inside, and yet they were still working.

Sometimes people wash down the engine regularly and inadvertently get water into places where it shouldn't be.

Excessive cranking for long periods can cause the wires to heat up and become brittle.

"