Desperate Need of Starter Help

[gasser]

What did I do? My starter was working 95% of the time but would sometimes disengage from the motor before the motor started. I tried stretching the little spring in the bendix but that made it worse. The starter quit engaging at all. It spins fine when you hit the button but doesn't even try to turn the motor. I thought I screwed up the spring so I installed a new bendix but nothing changed -the starter spins great but still doesn't try to engage the motor. What have I done?

[BSM2]

Originally Posted by gasser

What did I do? My starter was working 95% of the time but would sometimes disengage from the motor before the motor started. I tried stretching the little spring in the bendix but that made it worse. The starter quit engaging at all. It spins fine when you hit the button but doesn't even try to turn the motor. I thought I screwed up the spring so I installed a new bendix but nothing changed -the starter spins great but still doesn't try to engage the motor. What have I done?

Mine was engaging 90% of the time, but not holding.
Especially at cold starts when starter has to work a little bit longer, it disengage after engaging and stretching did not help.

It helped to give more play between bendinx and flywheelgear. 1 have removed one shim 0.2mm.
Now it is holding better.
However it is still making a lot of noise.

[Neil E.]

Stretching the bendix flyweight spring only helps with initial engagement problems. If it is stretched too large, the sprag elements won't hook up to drive the gearing. Then you get a quiet motor spin and nothing else happens.

It's a tricky balance of forces. Rotation drives the camming action. As soon as the engine fires the bendix return spring shoves the unit back to home position.

The issue might be that the engine fires without actually catching enough to run.

Gasser, how does the bendix feel when you operate it by hand?

Old bendix with stretched spring = no action due to loss of sprag engagement?
New bendix with stock spring = no action due to firm flyweight spring?

Maybe the best solution is BobT250's Honda sctooter bendix mod.

[shang]

I did the Honda scooter mod on my '13 and I have positive engagement every time. I have hundreds of starts on it.

[gasser]

Originally Posted by Neil E.

Stretching the bendix flyweight spring only helps with initial engagement problems. If it is stretched too large, the sprag elements won't hook up to drive the gearing. Then you get a quiet motor spin and nothing else happens.

It's a tricky balance of forces. Rotation drives the camming action. As soon as the engine fires the bendix return spring shoves the unit back to home position.

The issue might be that the engine fires without actually catching enough to run.

Gasser, how does the bendix feel when you operate it by hand?

Old bendix with stretched spring = no action due to loss of sprag engagement?
New bendix with stock spring = no action due to firm flyweight spring?

Maybe the best solution is BobT250's Honda sctooter bendix mod.

Engine can't fire because it never turns over - starter turns great but now it never engages the gear on the flywheel to spin the motor. I did do the Honda bendix mod and both the old bendix and the new one seem to work fine but still no engagement with the flywheel. I can't see how it wouldn't have to work.

[liamthom]

After i cleaned my bendex out with toothbrushes q-tips and break cleaner it did not engage it had plenty of grease too. I had to have it spin a little, i think the grease was not spread out well enough. Also i feel like a new Bendix's spring might be a bit stiff, maybe using the estart a little every now and then will losses it up but i don't know for sure.

[Neil E.]

Originally Posted by gasser

Engine can't fire because it never turns over - starter turns great but now it never engages the gear on the flywheel to spin the motor. I did do the Honda bendix mod and both the old bendix and the new one seem to work fine but still no engagement with the flywheel. I can't see how it wouldn't have to work.

What happens if you jump from a car battery? That might accelerate the camming to start the engagement. We need to be clear on one thing, is it a quiet motor spin only or is there a slight gear clash sound?

Is your Honda mod using the stock Honda flyweight spring? Have you changed anything else like the thickness of the ignition cover gasket? What are you using to lube the inside of the Bendix unit? Are you testing in the garage at room temperature?

[gasser]

Originally Posted by Neil E.

What happens if you jump from a car battery? That might accelerate the camming to start the engagement. We need to be clear on one thing, is it a quiet motor spin only or is there a slight gear clash sound?

Is your Honda mod using the stock Honda flyweight spring? Have you changed anything else like the thickness of the ignition cover gasket? What are you using to lube the inside of the Bendix unit? Are you testing in the garage at room temperature?

Starter spins free (no gear clash or engagement), stock honda flyweight spring, ignition cover hasn't been removed since starter was working near perfectly, sprayed new bendix liberally with white lithium grease, temperatures in the 60s.

[Biff]

You sure inner helical gear on bendix is ok?

[shang]

Maybe pull the starter and hit the button to see if the bendix it operating properly?