Marine Starters

Marine Grade Starters

Back in the day, internal combustion engines used to require to be hand-cranked in order to get them to fire. Hence, the term “cranking” an engine. Some smaller engines have ripcords and pull cables; these are used for recoil starters. Other engines, such as the large automotive V8-derived plants from Mercruiser, incorporate a starter motor similar to your car’s own starter. However, just because a car starter can bolt onto one of these marine engines doesn’t mean that it is the correct component. As in the case of marine alternators versus automotive alternators, marine-grade starters are built with extra precautions to protect them from the electrical UNfriendly environment of water travel. Water spray, excessive moisture, and atmospheric salt can wreak havoc on metal. Marine-approved starters are designed for use in marine environments; they contain internal shields to prevent sparks and stray electricity from accidentally causing a fire or catastrophic explosion. They are also designed to endure operation near water, with extra supplemental gaskets and seals to prevent metal corrosion and deterioration. If it is time to replace the starter on your marine engine, trust Discount Starter & Alternator to be your source for brand new, OEM-spec replacement parts for boats, motorboats, jet skis, waverunners, and personal watercraft. We stock replacement starters for popular marine engines from Yamaha, Mercury, Mercruiser, Johnson, Evinrude, Perkins, Sea-Doo, US Marine, Pleasurecraft, and other leading manufacturers. Find Mercury Mariner starter.