4.3l mercruiser

[jerkbait]

My father in laws got a nice fish n ski boat. bayliner capri 1997 with a 220hp 4.3l mercruiser. The engine has a damaged flywheel from a bad starter install. Does anyone know a mechanic that works on these engines in the are and please dont say Gary in Schafer cus he's the one who put both starters in. Im not accusing just sayin. Also if anyone knows can the flywheel be changed without removing the motor?

Thanks for the help
I may be getting a better boat for the price of getting it running!

[schmutzomatic 5000]

The motor has to be removed I believe. The flywheel housing has two flanges that are the motor mounts (rear). Not a mechanic but I have done this many times (three on one boat that had soft floor and kept blowing engine couplers at 150 a pop) and it is not that hard a job. Mechanic here wanted 700 to do it. after three I could yank the motor in 40 min. (no I dont want a job doing yours) But it is really simple, first remove stern drive (six bolts) most have to be in forward gear so shifting linkage disassembles. then loosen motor mounts, one plug and the wiring is done and one ground wire. use a cherry picker or a sturdy limb and a chainfall and pick er straight up. If ya tilt the motor your gunna spill oil all over... If you do it yourself dont just go by these directions buy a clymer manual for your boat. Money well spent and will save you hundreads in the long run. Only issue you have is replacing the motor. You need an alignment shaft to get the motor and sterndrive aligned. (even if you don't change the mounts anything can happen and transom bearing, motor coupler, and sterndrive shaft must be perfectly aligned) I used to get it for an hour from the local mechanic.
Many things I would not suggest someone do unless really mechanicly inclined, but yankin a boat motor is not worth 500 bucks.

[jerkbait]

Well I went out to the In Law's place and picked up the Bayliner. We pulled the starter and the flywheel was fine so we bench tested the starter and it was fine... hmmm... But it still was not engageing the flywheel. Went to advanced and they had two different starters for the 4.3 one for the truck engine and one for the blazer engine. The mechanic put the one from the blazer in and it was too short and engaged for a few starts untill the teeth wore off on the bendix. So the truck one is the correct one it is just a touch longer which allows the bendix to fully engage. Boats runnin and I started putting in the extras it needs for trolling and fishing. Cant wait to get her wet tomorrow. thanks for the pep talk and for a 65 buck fix Im now in an 18.5' boat instead of a 14'er. Now I just have to get the skunk outta the boat!

[schmutzomatic 5000]

Great job man. Boy sometimes S##t can stump ya hey. Some say "A boat is a hole to stick money into" I think it is just an experience to learn from.
Spun a prop on my Mariner so went out of CR a little late yesterday a.m.
One small silver is all we could manage but the bite was on early I heard from friends. MMGLSF Brown Trout Derby next Sat. and Sun. Cmon Break in the Bayliner with a trip south and get the skunk out the box... My buddy has a Capri with the 4.3 and that thing is the best on fuel I have ever seen... Hopefully yours will be too. I had a 25' Bayliner that had to go when fuel reached 3 bucks a gallon. Had a 78 gal. tank and never wanted to come home with any left in her.. Lol
Great job on the fix and hopefully nothin but tight lines now....

[jerkbait]

Well we got her out for her first salmon trip and she did great and better than I expected. Top end was 42.5 on the gps but you could tell she had some more to give but needs a tunin and some carb cleaner. Had one fish on a dipsy but lost her in the prop wash. She will troll down to 2-2.2 for walleye crankin and she will hold 2.7 all day long for silvers. I cant wait to get her back the father in law is using her on an inland for tubin in skiing but when I get her back Im gonna wash and wax and clean the interior up. and then change the plugs and cap n rotor and points. Cant wait to land that first salmon in her...