Starter question

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

So I have minor problem with the starter in the new POS boat. It starts fine every time, but the starter will stay engaged for a second or two after releasing the key.

I pulled the starter (easiest ever, 2 bolts, took 5 minutes), and bench tested it. I expected to find something rusty/sticky but it looks brand new. In fact it was replaced in 2008.

So here's the odd thing. The solenoid itself clicks on and off just fine, thrusting the starter gear immediately and disengaging fast. But when I spin the starter motor also on the bench, it stays forward until the spinning slows down, then will click back.

Nothing is sticking, but it almost seems like the return spring is too soft, or maybe the bearing is hanging up on something when it spins?

Anyone seen this problem before? Any tips or tricks? I'd rather not replace it outright since it looks really nice except for hanging engaged when spun up...

Thanks.

RichardNuss · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:57 am

You can disassemble the "nose" of the starter yourself to mess with that spring, drive gear, and "twist shaft" that the gear rides on. Maybe the spring is bad. Maybe the shaft needs some light oil?

I've taken this apart on GM starters before, but it has been years. I can't remember exactly what you need to remove, but in the end, there is a clip on the end of the shaft that holds the spring on, and that's what you pry off. If you can't find instructions online, let me know, and I'm sure I have a repair manual here that has the diagram.

If needed, you can buy all the "drive gear" related parts at stores like Advance Auto.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:43 am

Mike,

According to this description below the spring may not be the issue since it appears the higher ring gear speed as the engine starts provides the force to push the pinion back. Then the spring may take it the rest of the way. I realize that the description applies to older designs which pre-date the modern overrunning clutch but some of the principles may still apply.

What helps my race car starter engage and release properly is grease on the pinion and the ring gear. Make sure (if you can) that the starter is properly aligned with the ring gear (good luck with that).

An intermediate development between the Bendix drive developed in the 1930s and the overrunning-clutch designs introduced in the 1960s was the Bendix Folo-Thru drive. The standard Bendix drive would disengage from the ring gear as soon as the engine fired, even if it did not continue to run. The Folo-Thru drive contains a latching mechanism and a set of flyweights in the body of the drive unit. When the starter motor begins turning and the drive unit is forced forward on the helical shaft by inertia, it is latched into the engaged position. Only once the drive unit is spun at a speed higher than that attained by the starter motor itself (i.e., it is backdriven by the running engine) will the flyweights pull radially outward, releasing the latch and permitting the overdriven drive unit to be spun out of engagement. In this manner, unwanted starter disengagement is avoided before a successful engine start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starter_motor

Dick

THSCC Forums

Starter question

Who is online