Re: What kind of grease to buy?
no grease or oil on the bendix, it will attract dirt and cause problems.
A very small amount of wd40 or silicone, applied with the tip of your finger
I did a check in an old boat repair manual I have. You are correct, grease is not to be used on the bendix. Silicone or Graphite or any other "dry" lube is preferred because it does not attract and collect dirt that binds the bendix. Best to clean the bendix with a spray cleaner like carb cleaner before re-lubricating to remove any old crud or contaminated lube. Also, the dry lube can be applied to the bendix gear itself and the ring gear on the flywheel because it will not be flung off under high RPM like grease or oil.
Also note that the common "anti-seize" thread compound is recommended as a lubricant in places where a dry lube is needed. After reading the label on a tube of anti-seize (aluminum based) it works well on a variety of dry lube applications. I spread some on a piece of plate steel and pressed large washers against it while trying to slide them, and it turns out anti-seize is actually pretty slippery stuff. I was using the Advance Auto brand of anti-seize for this test. It does not run, drip, dry out or attract dust/dirt. Pretty cool.
BTW, for years I used a graphite based liquid intended for locks to lube things like Bendix where a dry lube is used. That also works well. After the liquid evaporates, a thin coat of graphite is left behind. A good product to have on hand.
Hope this info helps,
Mark.
