Bendix only briefly engages

Ryan Stewart

Ryan Stewart

Location
Idaho
Ive narrowed down my issue, but now im just not sure why it is occurring.

I hit the egnition switch and the starter only engages for a second, then spins freely.
I thought it was a starter so I bought a new starter - but it does the same thing.
So i took the flywheel cover off and i see that the smaller gear (bendix) is literally sitting behind the larger gear. I guess the gears line up for only a second then the bendix ends up behind the main gear, I can line them up so the gears are joined, but then when i start it up the bendix emediatly goes behind the main gear and spins freely.

What needs to be done here?
 
Quinc

Quinc

Buy a Superjet
Location
California
take the bendix out and make sure it can extend all the way out to the gears, take it apart, clean it real good, grease it back up, replace it if needed. And make sure you have both washers and the spring in the flywheel cover and nothing else in there as well.
 
Ryan Stewart

Ryan Stewart

Location
Idaho
Its got the spring and washer. it extends to the gear as well. I used a ton of WD40 - and it started to grab again. Then spin freely.. then grab again. So it definetly made an improvement with WD40. Would you recomend greace or just buy a bendix? they are 20$. thats something i dont mind doing. But im guessing taking the flywheel off will be hard to do?
 
Quinc

Quinc

Buy a Superjet
Location
California
Flywheel can be a pain. Heat, impact gun, and HF steering wheel puller. Buy an OEM Bendix. You can get them used cheap.
 
OCD Solutions

OCD Solutions

Original, Clean and Dependable Solutions
Location
Rentz, GA
The aftermarket starters, bendix, solenoids and stators are all junk that have proven time and time again to not be worth the money.

I will purchase and run used OEM from a 90's watercraft before a brand new aftermarket everytime.

There's a huge discrepancy in OEM pricing though and it pays to shop around or you can PM Jetmaniac and see what he has for new or used. Either way, it's pretty hard to beat his prices.
 
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jordanh

jordanh

Location
Grand forks ND
Flywheel shouldn't be bad. Once you get the puller good and tight, smack the end with a hammer. Usually pops it right off. If not, try to tighten a bit more, then smack it again. Never understood the guys who just crank on it with an impact. Does nothing but damage the puller.
 
Ryan Stewart

Ryan Stewart

Location
Idaho
Makes sence. Im going to install this cheap one and use it this weekend. And im gonna purchase one from that link as well. I wanna do things right. But for now, the junker will do. I havent got this thing to run since i bought it. So im anxious
 
Ryan Stewart

Ryan Stewart

Location
Idaho
Im gonna fo rent a puller. Hope its pretty easy. I already got flywheel cover off. I take it , putting it back on is simple enough? Do i need greece or any thing befor i slap it in there? Also, its notable that my broken bendix shifts a bit to the left and right and back and forward. the left and right movement is normal right?
 
OCD Solutions

OCD Solutions

Original, Clean and Dependable Solutions
Location
Rentz, GA
It sits in brass bushings that do wear and will cause what you are describing. New bushings are cheap enough so I recommend you replace them as well.
 
Mdavies_02

Mdavies_02

Location
Stouffville, Ontario
Ryan Stewart said:
Im gonna fo rent a puller. Hope its pretty easy. I already got flywheel cover off. I take it , putting it back on is simple enough? Do i need greece or any thing befor i slap it in there? Also, its notable that my broken bendix shifts a bit to the left and right and back and forward. the left and right movement is normal right?
Click to expand...

Rent a puller?

I bought mine from $20. Worth having around.
 
Ryan Stewart

Ryan Stewart

Location
Idaho
OCD Solutions said:
It sits in brass bushings that do wear and will cause what you are describing. New bushings are cheap enough so I recommend you replace them as well.
Click to expand...
This is in regards to left and right movement? Should it not shift at all? Just forward and back to the flywheel? I havent actually busted it open yet past the flywheel cover so i dont know what mechanics to expect. Is a bar possibley bent? You think its just bushings? I can pick these up at local stores?
 
OCD Solutions

OCD Solutions

Original, Clean and Dependable Solutions
Location
Rentz, GA
That is correct. There is one bushing in the case and another in the flywheel cover. These keep the bendix aligned perfectly so the teeth can engage correctly. They are a very common wear point and also quite often overlooked when diagnosing such issues. The spring and washer mentioned earlier are also quite important.

The bushings are quite specific and not an off the shelf part. McMaster-Carr sells a bushing that will work but you have to buy 10 at a time and they aren't grooved internally like OEM, (not sure if that really matters or not). Jetmaniac carries both the Mcmaster version and OEM if you don't want to buy 10. :)

I'm OCD when it comes to being broke down on a beach so I don't mess with trivial little things anymore. There was a time when i was pulling my flywheel cover and spraying my bendix before each ride but that was when I lived on a lake and could ride whenever. Now that I travel hours in each direction to ride, I make sure my stuff is always 100%. If it was me, I would replace the bushings and throw in a good used bendix, grease the cover seal and not think about it again.
 
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