Another bendix that doesn't engage

[Domingus]

I have a recently purchased '86 Johnson 28hp motor. I took it out once with no problem. Now, when I turn the key, the bendix gear just spins without raising up to engage the flywheel. The gear spins really fast. After reading a lot of posts from this EXCELLENT site, I thoroughly cleaned both ends of the battery terminals and the posts and made sure all connections were tight. Still no luck -- it just spins in place.

My question is precisely by what means does the bendix gear go up? I think that somehow the spinning force of the gear raises it, but I'm not sure. But I can't even get it to go up manually. I turn the gear by hand and put a bit of pressure from underneath, but it doesn't seem to go up. I put some WD-40 on the upper part of the shaft for a quick fix, but that didn't help either. Since it worked the first time I took it out, I wouldn't think that its up/down movement would be so seized up that I couldn't move it up manually.

Another bit of information: using my fingers the gear will freely spin both directions. The starter turns the gear counter-clockwise in order to turn the flywheel clockwise.

I was going to take the nut off the top, to see what was going on, but it wasn't going to come off easily so I didn't mess with it.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

You have a bad bendix. It rises from centrifugal force so it should ride up and down smoothly. The gear on it should not spin both ways. You will have to pull the starter to replace it. Thoroughly clean the shaft it rides on and lightly lube it when you replace it.

 

[Domingus]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

Thanks for the diagnosis Bill. So I need more than just that gear wheel? I need to (somehow find) the whole gear mechanism that sits atop the starter? (I feel guilty for taking free expert advice). Finding a part number to fix the problem and get me fishing again is proving to be a problem. Is this a relatively generic part for 80s generation 28hp Johnsons, or (as I fear) I need to make damn sure I figure out what part I need. Knowing where to go to get the part is not obvious to me either. The Johnson site is terrible for that kind of thing.

Grant

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

Any Johnson/Evinrude dealer in your area can get the part for you. Have the engine model and serial number with you. The starter shaft has a groove in it that wraps around the shaft in a spiral manner. Protrusions inside the bendix ride in this groove. When the starter spins, the rotational force of the shaft causes the bendix to rise up that spriral. Therefore the bendix locks in one direction so when it engages the flywheel, the flywheel turns. When the engine fires, the flywheel causes the bendix to spin faster than the starter so if you are a little late letting go of the key the bendix free-wheels to avoid damage. Normally however, just letting go of the key stops the starter and the bendix drops down the shaft. Yes -- you need the bendix assembly. Before you assemble the new bendix on the shaft, check the shaft and groove for any burrs and file them smooth. Clean the shaft and groove and then assemble the bendix. A light lub is all that's need on the shaft.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

I would get the "Nut Spring and Spacer Kit" part number 0393354 (About $14.00) and the "Drive Assembly Gear (Bendix)" which is part number 0321648 (About $30.00). That way you will get a new nut, spacer and spring to go with the new gear.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

check the cables themselves, for any nicks, cuts, or swelling. the decay from the inside out.

 

[Frank Martin]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

STOP
there is a special grease thats suposed to on the spline for the bendix

ask your authorized omc master tech for some "bendix lube"
this is not a joke !
dont change the bendix with out trying this first!

 

[Domingus]

Re: Another bendix that doesn't engage

I appreciated all of the help with this problem. I pulled the starter, got brave, and disassembled it. The bendix gear was sitting low off of the threads. I turned the nut at the base of the shaft (before it enters the motor housing), and it (rather magically) re-aligned itself. After a lot of trial and error of holding the magnets down against their springs at the base of the starter, I managed to re-assemble the starter. I re-installed it onto the outboard, and she has been starting right up all day. So I got away with not having to buy anything. We'll see if the same problem arises again, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The bottom line: the bendix had dropped below the threads and needed to be helped back onto track.

Grant