Starter bendix gear height flywheel

[Xjclint]

90hp merc 2 stroke 3cyl and can’t figure out how high the starter bendix should be in relation to the fly wheel. Should the fly wheel teeth be just barely engaged, in the middle, or at the bottom when the starter is fully up. There is an adjustable nut on top to move the starter teeth up or down but just not sure how high it should be.

 

[Texasmark]

The bendix engages as a result of the RPMS of the starter shaft. The bendix is spring loaded to return it to the starter case when RPMs generated by the starter stop. The self locking nut keeps the return spring on the shaft. The gear is flanged on the bottom, stopping it's upward advance. The locking part of the nut on my engine of the same caliber is just barely into the threads (a couple of threads showing above it) allowing for full gear to gear tooth engagement.