Starter Pinion Unit Assembly - help please

[prentice]

On my 2001 GG 300 engine, I'm in the process of some routine winter work like a new top end, greasing the linkage, etc. I decided to replace the starter ratchet spring, the starter ratchet, and the starter pinion - these parts are shown in the diagram on page 53 of the Workshop Manual which I obtained after looking over some posts on this site. Some of these posts mentioned the clutch needed to be removed to replace these new kickstarter parts, and I did that, and replaced the 3 kickstarter parts, and reassembled the clutch parts.

Somewhere in this process I failed to get enough tension on starter spring - that's the main spring that moves the kickstarter back. Now I've two questions for the experts.

First, what is the process of getting the proper tension on the starter spring? I do see how the starter spring inserts into the two holes, and how the notched plastic bushing works.

Second, must I remove the clutch parts again to get that proper tension on the starter spring?

All help appreciated. If my problem is dealt with in another post, please point me to that post. In a brief search, I could not find such a post. And page 63 of the Workshop Manual discusses assembling the starter pinion unit, but that didn't help me. Thanks in advance.

[GMP]

If everything was positioned correctly the spring would be in a natural position and require pliers to insert the end into the hole in the cases for the correct tension. If you have no or little tension, something has either dislodged during reassembly or was not assembled correctly. Likely the ratchet has moved out past the stop, try removing the spring from the case, and rotate the starter shaft counterclockwise while pushing it back in to the case to realign it with the stop. Now if you rotate it clockwise with inward pressure the ratchet should hit the stop. If you can't get it you will need to remove the gear and clutch again. Its not hard for this assembly to pop out of position by bumping in while R&R the clutch with the side cover removed and the engine in the frame, as its under light spring tension. I safety wire mine in position to two case bolts halfway inserted if the cover/clutch will be off for any time. Good Luck!

[prentice]

Thanks GMP. I'd hoped I could fix my mistake without having to take the clutch off again, but it was not to be. Had to take the clutch off again. I took a pic to remind me how to correctly reassemble in the future, if I do this job again. Pic attached, may help others in the future.

After taking the clutch off again, and with the starter ratchet fully clockwise against the starter ratchet plate, the attached photo shows about where the starter spring should be - the red arrow points to about the 3 o'clock position for the hole in the starter shaft for the starter spring (plastic starter shaft centering bushing removed for picture here of course). Not sure if the 3 o'clock position is the factory setting; other positions near 3 o'clock worked well also. My initial problem was I had the spring hole in the starter shaft in about the 9 o'clock position, which did not give nearly enough tension on the spring. Works fine now, as it should.