Starter seperate from bendix shaft?

Bassman42

Seaman
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
61
Okay so I have a 97 evinrude 115. E115eleua, I just put another flywheel on since my last one was missing teeth. Put it on and still grinding like before. Shop told me bendix might be bent a little. Today it tried to turn over like usual, but then on the third crank it stopped, you heard it clicking but wasn't turning the flywheel, after a couple more turns of the key it cranked, turned over. And worked fine the rest of the day. Do I need a new starter or just the bendix shaft and pinion? I was told that if you buy the starter
Motor new it doesn't come with the shaft? Is that bs? I thought they came with the starter bendix
 

racerone

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
39,008
The shop is not feeding you the " bovine scat "---------You must know that these starters are a 2 piece geared down item.----------Shaft with the bendix is seperate from the starter armature !!
 

Bassman42

Seaman
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
61
Well that sucks. Money is tight as heck, but I managed to buy a starter new for $61.80. Not bad for new starter and with a warranty! But I thought that would fix the grinding issue. So this "bendix" doesn't pull up online Doesn't say bendix, comes up as pinion shaft and gear assembly. Is this the "starter bendix?"
 

Bassman42

Seaman
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
61
Also does it mean the starter motor itself is going bad if you hear it click but doesn't engage the flywheel? Cause this morning I was cranking it, on the third attempt it stopped engaging the flywheel, but then two clicks later it started engaging the flywheel again, and after that I had no problems for the rest of the time on the water.
 

oldboat1

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 3, 2002
Messages
9,612
guessing that would be the solenoid switch clicking, not the starter. Use a file and sandpaper to shine all wire connections, starting at the battery.
 

Bassman42

Seaman
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
61
Ehh yeah it's fairly worn. This is the original, (1997) the whole thing looks worn out. Hasn't acted up today at all. Still grinding, same
Noise as before when the flywheel was
Missing teeth, but this time the grinding stops after it starts
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
The grinding should stop after the engine starts because the "Bendix" drops away from the flywheel. You can also manually rotate the Bendix (pinion gear) up the shaft to see if it engages the flywheel properly. Bendix teeth have a slight angle to them to help them engage. Are you certain you have a fully charged battery capable of delivering the required starting current and good battery cable connections? If the starter doesn't have a full shot of current going to it, it cannot spin the Bendix into engagement with the flywheel. Just looking at connections is not a valid check. Disconnect them, make them shiny clean and then re-install them -- tightly. If using wing nuts on the battery it is advised you pitch them and use nuts that you can get a wrench onto. And remember, battery cables have two ends. Cleaning one end does no good if the other end is corroded.
 

Bassman42

Seaman
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
61
I agree. Here's the thing, Iwas still hooked to the trailer when I did this, and the first 2 turns of the key it cranked as it has been, grindin and what not, but on the 3rd try it all just stopped. Just hear the clicking of the solenoid. Then 2 more tries later it barely moved the flywheel, but you heard it try to turn, and then the 3rd try it was starting like normal and haven't had an issue yet
 

Bassman42

Seaman
Joined
Jun 28, 2013
Messages
61
replaced the starter motor itself and grinding stopped! Although now when I take off and begin to plane a rattling noise occurs.but only when I'm fixing to be on plane, after that it's gone. And the motor speed doesn't change
 
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