Short Life For MR1 Starter Clutches

[Exciter 220]

As mentioned in another thread, I recently replaced an engine in my new-to-me SR230. After about an hour of use, the starter clutch failed. No problem, except that the engine must be removed to replace it. And, I still have the starter clutch on the seized engine that came with the boat when I bought it!

Not so fast. When I tried to pull that old starter clutch, it discovered that it was also bad. Freewheels in both directions. AND I noticed that this clutch has apparently been out before, as the Allen head screws showed tool marks. This means TWO bad starter clutches in an engine with only 215 hours. No idea how many hours on the used replacement engine.

So my question is, are these starter clutches really of such poor quality, or is something else causing the problem. They are about 4 inches in diameter, much larger than clutches used in larger engines. They are designed to overrun continuously, they do not have a Bendix.

I think the problem may lie with the lubrication system. The recommended oil change interval is 100 hours. And, when you change the oil, you can only drain 2 of the 5 quart capacity, 40%. Keep in mind that these engines are running at speeds of 10,000 RPM, too. So, you're getting a lot of wear particulates in this oil and not even changing half of it. It is my belief that this is causing the clutches to fail prematurely.

How common have starter clutch failures been in these things?

I'm going to change the oil every 25 hours and see if that helps.

 

[Neutron]

As mentioned in another thread, I recently replaced an engine in my new-to-me SR230. After about an hour of use, the starter clutch failed. No problem, except that the engine must be removed to replace it. And, I still have the starter clutch on the seized engine that came with the boat when I bought it!

Not so fast. When I tried to pull that old starter clutch, it discovered that it was also bad. Freewheels in both directions. AND I noticed that this clutch has apparently been out before, as the Allen head screws showed tool marks. This means TWO bad starter clutches in an engine with only 215 hours. No idea how many hours on the used replacement engine.

So my question is, are these starter clutches really of such poor quality, or is something else causing the problem. They are about 4 inches in diameter, much larger than clutches used in larger engines. They are designed to overrun continuously, they do not have a Bendix.

I think the problem may lie with the lubrication system. The recommended oil change interval is 100 hours. And, when you change the oil, you can only drain 2 of the 5 quart capacity, 40%. Keep in mind that these engines are running at speeds of 10,000 RPM, too. So, you're getting a lot of wear particulates in this oil and not even changing half of it. It is my belief that this is causing the clutches to fail prematurely.

How common have starter clutch failures been in these things?

I'm going to change the oil every 25 hours and see if that helps.

Not common at all.
Replaced a ton on yamaha vstars but none on yamaha waverunners and i have seen hundreds of them.
There are crap aftermarket ones out there.
If one fails its usualy from excessive cranking without firing

 

[Exciter 220]

Thanks for your input, Neutron!

I decided to take the clutch off the seized engine, try to clean it, and see if it would work-- it did! Not sure if I would trust it long term, but at least I could take the boat out this weekend and work some more bugs out of it. Or, so I thought...

This is what I found when I pulled the starter clutch out of the boat:



One of those days...

I was able to swap some parts and get it to work, I think. I haven't finished putting it back together, tomorrow will tell. All I want to do right now is make it through the end of the season, then big changes are coming.

 

[buckbuck]

What caused that?

 

[Exciter 220]

My guess would be that somebody had it apart before and didn't get the bolts tight or didn't apply LocTite to them.

When I first ran this engine, it wasn't running quite right. I tried to remove the spark plugs, but I couldn't get my spark plug socket on them. I would try to turn them and nothing happened. I tried a different socket, same thing. Then I tried to tighten them and discovered that all the plugs were about 3 turns from being tightened!

You never know what you're going to find with used stuff...

 

[Neutron]

Most of the time used parts were someone else's headache

 

[Exciter 220]

Most of the time used parts were someone else's headache

This is true.

But I have other plans for this boat next year.