Bendex starting issue on 80's Johnson 150 VRO

[lake11]

This has been an issue for the last couple years. Sometime the bendex will engage and sometimes it won't. Doesn't seem to be a pattern. I have replaced battery cables. I am on the second bendex. Yesterday it was staying down completely. Had to pry and turn it a bit to get it to go up. After that it just went back to the 80/20. 80 not engaging, 20 engaging. Is there something that is causing the bendex to drop back down after just touching the flywheel. What do I ned to do to fix this.

ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bendex starting issue on 80's Johnson 150 VRO

Have you cleaned the grooves in the starter motor shaft that the bendix rides in. Use a spray brake cleaner to spray the grooves. Clean them with a Q-tip and then work the bendix up and down. A silicone spray lub is adequate for lubrication. Heavy oils will merely speed up the collection of gunk. If cleaning the shaft doesn't help, you may have a weak starter since new battery cables and battery hasn't cured it. Connect one end of a jumper cable to the positive terminal of the battery. Then touch the other end to the large terminal on the starter. If the bendix engages each time you do this, you still have some battery cable or solenoid issues. If the problem still exists, the starter is weak and needs rebuilding.

 

[lake11]

Re: Bendex starting issue on 80's Johnson 150 VRO

As for the starter being weak. The starter alway turns the motor over when it engages. It is like it bumps into the teeth of the flywheel and goes down. Then I wait for the starter to stop spinning and try again. Once it engages it turn the motor over with no problem. Is it possible that the bendex I got last season is just weak or defective?

 

[Molaker]

Re: Bendex starting issue on 80's Johnson 150 VRO

Movement of the Bendix depends upon the initial torque of the starter to make it travel up the shaft. A weak battery, a few shorted turns on the starter, or dirty splines can cause the problem. If the battery is not the issue, take the starter to an electrical motor shop and they can test it for you.