Starter - Advice

[CnV & Family]

Seems the plans of splashing the Donzi this week just went from all-go to zero.

Dry Run in the driveway. Battery charged. Turn the key. Starter clicks once and sounds like it just spins/whines. No multiple clicking like when the battery is dying/dead. Motor never engages to even begin turning over. Checked all breakers. All accessories work. Checked and cleaned battery connections, checked connections on starter were snug (did not remove and clean).

I'm guessing I broke the spring that engages it or did I strip out the cog? I have no idea? :confused:

The last time we took it out, I flooded the engine and due to time constraints, did not attempt to crank again. Was told engine made a slight grinding noise (while starting) the last time out. Couldn't have been that noticable a sound or I would have heard it.

Am I loosing my mind and overlooking something so simple, or do I need to remove the starter and have it rebuilt? Any advice would be greatly appreciated... even though now it looks like we won't be floating on the 4th :(

Thanks,
-C

[Rootsy]

sounds like the bendix isn't engaging. This can happen if things get gummed up, get a burr or are worn from the starter staying engaged when the motor is running... you can try gently tapping the starter with a hammer and seeing if it'll jar loose otherwise it'll need to be removed and gone through... the tapping is generally a short term fix though cause if it is gummed or damaged it'll surely happen again. Most starter / alternator rebuild shops i deal with up this way can turn stuff around in a few days... hopefully the same holds true where you are.

and to start a flooded engine in a matter of a minute just hold the throttle wide open and crank til it starts then back the throttle off when it does so you dont rev the heck outta the motor... this sucks air through the motor cleaning out the fuel lying in the intake and cylinder heads... it'll smoke a bit when it first fires and will probably sound like crap but it should clean right up in a matter of seconds.

[harbormaster]

Of course the wide ipen throttle trick only works on carbed engines.

[MOP]

Hi if you are fairly sure the starter is in good condition and it has a remote solinoid not one mounted on the stater. You should be able to remove and lube it. it probaly has rust in the spiral of the bendix, tap the bendix a few times and try getting it to spin out with jumper cables. if you get it free lube the spiral shaft with Merc 2+4 grease also pull the back cap lube that bushing. Hold the starter together and tap the nose loose and lube the nose bushing. Now button it up, the next part is scary for novices but done thousands of times a day in elec shops find a good bench mounted hard wire wheel, hold the stater firmly then get it spinning using the wire wheel to drive it the bendix will release and retract. failure to release the bendix in alot of cases will not alow the stater to engage with enough force to start the engine and you will have to pull it again and wire wheel it again. My best buddies gets quite a few a year that guys pulled off after having starting problems with just the bendix stuck out. The bendix clutchs work on centrifics to release IE: the engine kicks them loose. Remember not all electric shops are honest, alot will clean them up after releasing the bendix and charge for rebuild. I helped back a few years ago to put such an outfit out of Biz by informing all the local marina and gas stations about a 1 day old $175 rebuild that this shop gave to a customer of mine that when pulled apart most of us would trash.

[MOP]

Second post in my haste to be helpful I did not read the part about the possible grinding noise! I hope not! And again I hope you did not chew the flywheel, when you pull it also pull the spark plugs so you can turn the engine easily and have a bud cafefully check the ring gear. Any bad teeth its well worth replacing. Hopefully it is Ok if not you will have to pull the engine and replace the flywheel. Take it off and take it with you as there are a few different tooth and diameters make sure you ge the right one. God I hope I did not rain on your Wake!

[CnV & Family]

Eh... That's a lot of info to chew on. Let's hope it's gummed up and a few taps with a hammer will suffice until after the weekend...

Thanks Jamie, Harbormaster, and M.O.P.

Ah, and good tip on the flooded issue... Thanks again.

-C

[Rootsy]

Thanks for clarifying that haaaabamasta... :) but if your injected motor floods... you have bigger things to worry bout... :eek