Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

[Hooty]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

Like Hadley and Walker said above, I think the problem is in your starting technique. You hit the starter, the engine fires and kicks the Bendix out. Try priming it 'til ya think you're gonna flood it. In fact, prime it 'til it starts or floods. I'm bettin' it'll start way before it floods.<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[foreman33]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

Well Hooty, I squeeze the bulb till its hard and then I hold the key in for a count of 5 or so and you are saying that if it doesn't start go back and squeeze the bulb again after one try and if it doesn't start again for the second time go back and squeeze the bulb again. In other words you want me to prime the bulb after each attempt of starting failure. Is this your recommended starting technique???

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

Just keep holding the key in when trying to start it... I still think there is another problem, though. I could crank my motor all day, choke or not, and the starter would never kick out. Of course, I don't do this. But I'm just pointing out that this is not normal...

 

[foreman33]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

Rick, I usually always hold the key in when I try and start it. I fired it up today to do a compression check and since I had the boat out yesterday I didn't have a problem starting it. You said that you think there is another problem, exactly what did you have in mind? I totally agree with you that this is not normal. I wish that mine would stay engaged like yours but it doesn't. If it did the damn thing would start. Like it did the other day when I held my boat oar under the bendix and it finally started.

 

[Grant S]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

I think its gotta be in your battery not holding its charge , it starts fine because you ran it there yesterday. The run topped up the charge. Next time you are going to leave the boat for a while, take the battery home and put it on a charger, bring the fully charged battery back to the boat and bingo!<br /><br />How did you connect your trolling battery to it?<br />Jumper leads can be unreliable in my experience.<br /><br />Just my 2C worth.<br /><br />Good luck!

 

[foreman33]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

I have an onboard charger that I use when I come home from boating and I generally don't unplug it till I'm ready to go boating again so the battery is fully charged when I take the boat out. I was using a jumper cable from one of my trolling motor batteries to the starting battery and as I said it still didn't make any difference. I'm going to replace all 3 of my batteries shortly. When I do I will reply back and let you know if that makes any difference. Thanks for the input.

 

[stairliftoheaven]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

have you checked that the primer solenoid is actaully deleivering gas? you could try squirting a little premix in the carb throats and see if that makes any difference.

 

[reneauew]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

Foreman, I also tried jumper cables when I was having the same problem and it led me down the same path as you thinking the battery was not the problem. I could hook up the starter directly to my trolling battery and it would start fine. You have to take the bad (your starting) battery out of the circuit. Someone also said to check ALL of your battery/starter cable connections. Take each of them off and clean them with a wire brush, even if they "look" good. <br /><br />These motors are finicky when starting cold and each one will have its own idea as to what it likes. I've found that mine starts easiest when I prime the bulb until it's hard, advance the throttle 1/2 way and hold the key in for 8 seconds, then turn to start while holding the key in. Usually starts within 5 seconds. Sometimes I have to keep pushing the key in to keep it running when it's really cold. After this motor warms up, it starts with just a bump from the key.

 

[gld31163]

Re: Bendix won't stay engaged long enough to start motor.

I have read your problem you were having and it sounds exactly like the problem I'm having with my 89 Johnson GT150. Would you please tell me what you did to solve your problem. You can email me at gduncan@cjtkoolcarb.com.