Starter Gear Sticking In Flywheel - Where to start??

Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
29
Just a quick question before I start pokin' around at the motor today. Motor is a 1989 Evinrude 200 XP. The starter gear is sticking up in the flywheel and not dropping back down like it's supposed to. Tested on 4 different batteries, have plenty of power. Every now and again the motor will start, other times the starter gear drops down before combustion. Majority of the time it sticks in the flywheel. I then rotate the flywheel to allow it to drop and try it again.

As I understand, the starter should stay engaged until the engine fires and takes it from there, the starter gear then drops by gravity. Have lubed the starter shaft and gear lightly. Tapping the starter trick worked once, but didn't seem conclusive. Is the starter the problem or is the engine not sparking properly?? The timing seems to need adjusting, can this cause this issue? Thanks guys!

-AJ
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: Starter Gear Sticking In Flywheel - Where to start??

The starter pinion is kicked down when the engine begins to turn faster than the pinion.

The starter shaft needs to be immaculate, no grease or heavy oil, period. Use a drop or two of sewing machine oil or similar applied only to the shaft. You can usually clean up the mess made by others with some WD-40 if you go slowly and carefully, but don't let it run into the starter.
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: Starter Gear Sticking In Flywheel - Where to start??

The starter pinion is kicked down when the engine begins to turn faster than the pinion.

The starter shaft needs to be immaculate, no grease or heavy oil, period. Use a drop or two of sewing machine oil or similar applied only to the shaft. You can usually clean up the mess made by others with some WD-40 if you go slowly and carefully, but don't let it run into the starter.

Pay special attention to what ezeke just said. The gear is kicked down when the engine starts running faster than the starter is turning. The only other way the gear can come down is for the starter to slightly turn backwards. OR, jiggle the two parts enough to allow them to disconnect. That "jiggle" sometimes allows them to separate while cranking.
 

Silvertip

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Joined
Sep 22, 2003
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28,758
Re: Starter Gear Sticking In Flywheel - Where to start??

The gear is kicked down by the engine only if the key is held engaged after the engine fires. Engine running or not, the gear should drop down when the key is released. If it doesn't the small spring has lost its tension, there is a burr in the starter shaft grooves or on the splines in the bendix, or the starter shaft as been bent and bendix is binding. It is also possible the starter bolts have loosened but my bet is a sticky or bad bendix. Don't use heavy oil on the starter grooves. Rather disassemble the bendix, clean the grooves and the splines inside the bendix and then reassemble it. Use a very light machine oil (sparingly) to lubricate the shaft.
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: Starter Gear Sticking In Flywheel - Where to start??

The gear is kicked down by the engine only if the key is held engaged after the engine fires. Engine running or not, the gear should drop down when the key is released. If it doesn't the small spring has lost its tension, there is a burr in the starter shaft grooves or on the splines in the bendix, or the starter shaft as been bent and bendix is binding. It is also possible the starter bolts have loosened but my bet is a sticky or bad bendix. Don't use heavy oil on the starter grooves. Rather disassemble the bendix, clean the grooves and the splines inside the bendix and then reassemble it. Use a very light machine oil (sparingly) to lubricate the shaft.

Well, there's another opinion.
 
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
29
Re: Starter Gear Sticking In Flywheel - Where to start??

Thanks for all the replies guys. That's how I thought the starter worked. Pretty sure we got the problem taken care of. Found 4 corroded connections on the starting wires from battery to block. Replaced all connections and got rid of the messy connections the last guy rigged up in there. Also found a loose spark plug wire. Boated yesterday for 5 hours and motor fired everytime! Boy that's a good feeling when the motor runs when you need it to! :)

Thanks again guys!
 
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