Chipped Starter Teeth

[Bocaj88]

So I bought a project ski had it running and it rips now. Rebuild the top and end was getting around 150 psi. The other day I ran it and when I went to start it up again it made a terrible screeching sound and would turn over very slowly and weak. If I took the plugs out it would turn over fine for the most part. I took the flywheel cover off to find my starter teeth had chipped off. I was going on vacation this week and had a starter that didn't work so I swapped the teeth part of the starter put it back together and changed the bendix and it was fine. Up until now. I was on the water doing a tail stand when the motor died and wouldn't start. I turned it over quite a bit until it started but it did start. When I brought it in it the battery seemed to be low and the starter was not engaging at all, so I charged it. After about half an hour I went to start it again and I heard the terrible screeching. Same as before. What in the world could have caused this? I'm quite bummed because I have a whole week on the lake and I might not be able to ride my ski. Any idea what would have caused this. Both starters were, to my knowledge used OEM from Ebay. Any ideas how to fix this. I know there is a Yamaha dealer nearby that I might be able get a starter from but I don't want to ruin that too. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[badvinny]

What do the teeth on the flywheel look like.

 

[Bocaj88]

The ski is fully assembled on a stand on the beach. Assuming it was the starter, like last time I took it out to find this. Does that look bad enough for it to slip?

 

[Big Kahuna]

toast

 

[X2Kid]

You will have to check all three items in your starter chain (starter/Bendix/flywheel - although it looks like your starter is kaput). There may be an issue with your flywheel teeth that is causing a meshing issue and transferring a load through the bendix/starter, causing the damage you see. I suspect your bendix may be damaged as well.

Just replacing the obviously damaged parts is probably not solving the root problem.

 

[JetManiac]

Also check bendix bushing in the cases.

 

[augustaf]

Jetmaniac got it right! It's not the starters fault at all, the bronze bushing in the case is worn and needs replacing. You can probably move the end of the bendix 1/4" up/down.

 

[Bocaj88]

The bendix was toast as well. I am going to assume some metal that chipped off the starter got into it. I have a new oem bendix I can replace it with but after checking in bushings it has a weird wear patter that I'm assuming is the problem. The same wear pattern is on the case side as well. Is this something I can get at a local place? I'm currently on vacation at keuka lake. The flywheel teeth look perfectly fine but the bendix not so much.

 

[JetManiac]

The spiral pattern you see is not wear but an oem groove in the bushing. Take bendix nose and put it into the case bushing backwards, then try to rock it around, it should fit tight with minimal to no off axis rocking.