1975 Johnson 85 - starter pinion not engaging flywheel

[hcontreras]

Quick question: Today we took our boat on the water, everything ran fine, until we suddenly were trying to move to a different fishing spot. As I went to start the engine, I heard sort of a humming sound, I took the cowling off, and the starter pinion was not moving up to engage the flywheel, when I turned the key. I then tapped around the pinion gear lightly with the handle of a screwdriver, tried it again, then it engaged the flywheel, and started right up. It did this a couple of times today. Does anyone know if this could be a starter problem or just a pinion gear needs some lubricating, etc?? Your help is appreciated. Thanks.

[alan white]

Yes, that is very common. The spiral gear rides up by inertial action---- the Inner shaft starts so fast, the gear can't catch up and so it travels up the shaft instead. The system requires good lubrication, otherwise the gear won't easily ride up.
You should be able to spray lithium grease from a can onto the shaft but you might want to loosen it up with wd 40 first. Just make sure to add grease after or it will stick again once the WD evaporates.

[pistnbroke]

what it does not need is good lubrication ..particularly grease ...it should be oiled like a rifle barrel ..film of oil and no more ...the oil atracts dirt and that gumms it up ...you can lub with parrafin and spinn it so it all shoots off and thats it ....

Ahhh the old wifes tales die hard ... techo crap alan white


I speak the truth so I get bad rep .....life is difficult

[thudpucker]

Pistonbroke's right on with that one. Its the same with all your outboards, lawn mowers etc.
Dont lube it. Clean it good.
Also check to see if there's not a thin-wire spring that has'nt fouled in the Gear.

[pistnbroke]

I gave you some rep thudplucker I see you are struggling .....ha ha

[thudpucker]

LOL, I been struggeling all my life.
The long way round and the hard way through!
Thanks.

[Frosty]

Grease is a no no on a bendix starter dog,---- On a car!!

But on an outboard there is no clutch dust, and road dust etc to clog.

The beauty is that you only need to remove the cowling and its there looking at you.

[gonzo]

Once they are corroded it may be better to change the bendix. It should slide easily and has a bronze bushing. When it gets worn and rough it won't go up as it should.

[pistnbroke]

for gods sake get with the programme ..it not a bendix its an inertia drive and it has a pinion on the top ...bendix is a brand like Hoover ....will the old misconceptions ever die out .......ha ha ...and whats all this dog rubbish ....I got one of them with 4 legs and a dick ......could not start and engine in it wanted to ( nice german shepherd old and cranky like the wife )

[Frosty]

Are you sure you want to go for this word perfect posting thing it will be you that will have the most difficulty.

Ha,-- German shepherd --its an Alsatian, well until the war then no one wanted a German Shepherd,--misconceptions never die out.

[pistnbroke]

Frosty get with the programme ..german shepherd is the correct term to use in 2009 ...ha ha who cares ...upside down oil filters are much more important!!!! like you carnt say mogel you have to say downs syndrome ..etc etc ....you carnt say coloured ( they might be green ) you have to say black.......life is difficult unless you live in thailand ......

[Frosty]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your as barmy as you look. Go get another beer and chill out, go fight a crocodile or something.

[CDK]

Originally Posted by pistnbroke

what it does not need is good lubrication ..particularly grease ...it should be oiled like a rifle barrel ..film of oil and no more ...the oil atracts dirt and that gumms it up ...you can lub with parrafin and spinn it so it all shoots off and thats it ....

A spray can of silicone oil can do miracles there. Reduces friction to almost nothing, yet leaves no sticky surface. Avoid spraying it on anything you intend to touch in the next few months and certainly not on a surface people can stand on, because after the silicone treatment they cannot for quite a while.

[Frosty]

No No CDK you cant put sticky **** on it. Pistn broke will be here in a minute with his dog and a crocodile under his arm telling you again that you cant do that ,--but I have to agree its paraffin only.

If its not sticky why cant you walk on it. That stuff is handy on door rubbers as long as there isnt a spray booth within 100 miles. Really!!!

[CDK]

Originally Posted by Frosty

No No CDK you cant put sticky **** on it. Pistn broke will be here in a minute with his dog and a crocodile under his arm telling you again that you cant do that ,--but I have to agree its paraffin only.

If its not sticky why cant you walk on it. That stuff is handy on door rubbers as long as there isnt a spray booth within 100 miles. Really!!!

Pistn broke likes oil, he is probably oiling his crocodile right now.
Silicone oil is everything but sticky. In fact, once the solvent has evaporated, there are almost no visible traces. That makes it all the more dangerous when sprayed on a boat deck.
But you're right about the spray booth. GM used it once to make overhead conveyors run more silently, but the stuff kept on creeping down the hooks that held newly pressed bonnets to be spray-painted....