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Starter won't stay engaged

S

Swagonmaster

Regular Contributor
1979 140 hp 6 cyl 2 stroke engine. The starter won't stay engaged long enough to start the engine easily, it kicks out or the bendix retracts too quickly as the engine is just trying to start. It seems that I've seen some posts that indicate that this is not unusual buit would like to know if there is anything that can be done or is it a matter of just live with it.
I've taken the starter apart and it seems to be in fine shape and has a new bendix but this is agrgavating, just as the engine starts to fire up the starter poops out.
 
While I still haven't fixed this to my satisfaction I think I should share what has been found out so far. After two new starters and not much progress I took the starters to my starter/alternator shop to let them be tested. They both checked out ok but durning our conversation I realized what the problem was and why so many people have been able to remedy this problem in different ways. An automobile starter has an overrunning clutch that will ratchet and still stay engaged when the engine speed is greater than the starter speed, our starters do not have that, if the engine speed goes above starter speed the starter drive is forced down and this could make the starter seem to be defective. So you will have this symptom if the starter is really defective or the battery is weak and also if the engine tries to start but doesn't really catch which could have a multitude of reasons. The bottom line is that if the starter tests good and the battery and cables and connections prove to be ok then the issue is really in the engine somewhere be it compression, ignition, carburetion or fuel.
Perhaps this will help the next boater that is beating his or her head against a wall because they can't start their engine.
 
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