1999, STX 1100 Kawasaki. Motor locked up. Help please.

[FX10Sport]

I have a 1999 STX 1100 that I got as partial payment for a fiberglass job that I did. It was in storage for over 10 years, and fully winterized. I cranked it over (with spark plugs out) at the beginning of the season to get all the oil out of the cylinders and cranked it a little more to make sure. I put new plugs in, and it fired right up, and shut off. When I tried to start it again, I got that click, click, click from the starter. The pump assembly is off the ski, but the shaft is still on it. Shaft wont turn. Seems to be locked up. Question is. Is it possible that the starter locked up on the flywheel, locking up the engine? Or does it sound like a bigger problem? Thanks in advance.
Rick

 

[bently]

Re: 1999, STX 1100 Kawasaki. Motor locked up. Help please.

The starter does not contact the flywheel, a spring loaded gear called a bendix transfers the power from the starter to the flywheel. They can come apart and posibly locking up the flywheel. you can take off the front engine cover to gain access to the area in question and to see if there are parts where they are not suposed to be. The bad part is this is very difficult to do because of the room between the engine and gas tank.

 

[FX10Sport]

Re: 1999, STX 1100 Kawasaki. Motor locked up. Help please.

The starter does not contact the flywheel, a spring loaded gear called a bendix transfers the power from the starter to the flywheel. They can come apart and posibly locking up the flywheel. you can take off the front engine cover to gain access to the area in question and to see if there are parts where they are not suposed to be. The bad part is this is very difficult to do because of the room between the engine and gas tank.

Thanks for getting back to me on this. I took out the bolts on the front cover and was able to pull it forward about 3/8 of an inch. Something is holding it back, and won't let it come off. I've done a hundred outboard starters in my life at least. And know about the bendix. All the photos I've seen of this starter show no bendix. Photos just show a splined shaft coming out of the starter. Is the Bendix incorporated into that front cover? Thanks in advance.
Rick

 

[bently]

Re: 1999, STX 1100 Kawasaki. Motor locked up. Help please.

See attached parts diagrams, your ski does have a bendix. It is shown in the starter picture (upper left) but is inserted into the cover.

 

[FX10Sport]

Re: 1999, STX 1100 Kawasaki. Motor locked up. Help please.

Ok, I finally got the front cover completely off. The shaft coming out of the bendix, facing forward is really loose (woobly). Also the Bendix gear is engaged into the flywheel. Reaching under the bendix towards the rear. I can feel other teeth, not flywheel teeth. Are these alignment teeth for pressing the Bendix into the rear, I gueass you would call it Bell housing. Bendix is out of there, and wobbling around, and will not dis engage the flywheel. Thanks in advance.
Rick

 

[shagy959]

Re: 1999, STX 1100 Kawasaki. Motor locked up. Help please.

does the motor turn over by hand take the plugs out take the cover off the cupler and see if it turns over freely if it does try putting a jumper box to the starter positve cable to starter and negative to the motor see if it will crank over then if it doesnt and the motors free then the starter is shot you can find a good used oem starter for 35 dollars shipped on pwctoday.com look me i can help upi find one if the motors free turning and the starter turns over then its the bendix and you have to pull the flywheel but id guess on if its just clicking it your starter could also be a bad starter relay open your ebox and jump it with a screw driver see if itll turn over