Need help with the starter

[rhedayi]

Hello gang. I have a 96 bayliner trophy 2002 with the force 120. This weekend my boy and i went to Catalina island. Since purchasing this boat a year ago the starter has never acted up. Of course while at the island boat fails to start. Thankfully this happened in the harbor. We had a mooring so we were safe. However 30 miles from shore. Batteries are new. When i tried to crank the engine i could hear the starter spin. I pulled the cowling and can see the starter spin but the bendix? Gear doesn’t pop up. So i pry it up gently with screw driver from the bottom. I g try start again and it starts. It is not intermittent in its starting. I do some searching here and it seems the issue could be several things.
Electrical. Could be solenoid, corooded wires. Battery bad
Starter. Getting weak.

My batteries are new and one battery was used all day to start and run electronics. However the second battery was fully charged 12.65v and also made starter behave in the same manner. The battery switch is clean. No corrosion.

I’m guessing the starter is either going bad or the bendix is sort of sticky.

 

[rhedayi]

My question is how do you clean this mechanism and lube it. When looking at the shaft i was thinking of putting a vise grip on the left side of the gear and spin the nut off but i wasn’t sure if that would bend the shaft. Is the nut on there in normal rotation? Or shall i use brake cleaner spray while the starter is upside down so as to not get it inside the starter? Then use sewing machine oil lightly


I may add the grease spins on there but isn’t very smooth and i can make it sort of stick in the up position.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Be careful when lubing the bendix. Too much grease can ruin it. One tiny bit of grease on the rubber up in the bendix will destroy it.
Clean the worm gear and lube it, just don't over do it.\
That starter is real easy to open and clean. You'd be surprised how much crud ends up in the bottom where the brushes and springs are. That can cause the starter to fail.

 

[Chris1956]

Remove the starter gear and clean the grooves with paint thinner or some other gentle solvent. Do not use acetone, or it will melt the varnish on the windings and ruin the starter.

Lube with motor oil and reinstall. Grease is usually too heavy, and causes the gear to stick.

 

[rhedayi]

Where is the rubber in the bendix? I didn’t see any

 

[Chris1956]

No rubber in most bendix's.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Up inside the outboard starter bendix is a rubber shock like you have in your propeller.
It's encased in the brass bell.

 

[rhedayi]

Thank you all. I opened the unit as well. fairly clean just magnet dust. I cleaned it all. I need to reassemble tonight. Should be good to go.

 

[rhedayi]

Gang i ordered a replacement starter. It worked. I cleaned the bendix on mine and it works. One will stay as spare. Thank you all

 

[topgun3690]

I would keep the original starter for sure......they can be cleaned/overhauled and will be better than most any new one you can buy. Lots of China made stuff out there that is low quality/junk.

 

[cyclops222]

Remember
The customer wants the cheapest crap possible.
China builds what you want to sell.

 

[jerryjerry05]

The starters on my 1988/85 twins: had the boat 30 years and the starters were rebuilt many times. Every 2 years they would get broken down and cleaned and new brushes installed if needed.
Topgun's right Chinee crap.

 

[rhedayi]

Yes. I installed the original one back on. I trust it way more. The spare is in case starter goes bad while out.

 

[racerone]

The nut on the bottom of bendix is there for a wrench.-----Used to do simple repairs.-----Easy to install new brushes and do ohm check on armature.