bendix help

[Mostin3]

First off, apologies for posting so many threads on this topic.

Can somebody in the know please explain the function of the three weights in the bendix starter unit please?

My electric start has never worked and i have decided to get it sorted. Ive stripped the bendix down numerous times and everything at first appears ok. This morning i have read numerous threads about this and have found many pictures on here showing a spring that wraps around the three weights, known as a gathering spring. It seems a previous owner of my bike had been inside the bendix unit and has not put the gathering spring back in, the three weights are just loose in there. What effect would this have on starting as im just getting loads of noise and little engagement.