# Starter trouble: Gear wont raise to flywheel.



## Lynxis (Sep 21, 2009)

Starter motor spins, gear spins, but it wont raise up and engage the flywheel.

I just stays down and spins.

Guy that saw me pull startin it said "your bendix isnt comin up". 

Am i in need of a whole new starter or is there parts that "raise" it that can be replaced.

The gear is pretty worn but again, i dont now if replacement parts for this stuff are available, or if its best to get a whole new unit.

Its a late 80's early 90's 28spl johnson.

Thanks for the help.


----------



## floater99 (May 21, 2010)

Call custom electric on spring road,he can repair or rebuild,very dependable.


----------



## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

when my bendix won't come up. But I hear it happens to everybody sometime.


----------



## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

My mechanic just fixed this problem on my boat on Thursday night.

It's your starter. If your bendix is in good condition you can just get a starter, but if it has the teeth pretty worn might as well buy the starter & bendix. I was able to get a used starter replaced at my home and another small problem fixed for $125 on an '01 Merc 75 HP.

Lucky for you, I have heard 70-80's Johnsons are not expensive to work on/fix. 

Good luck hope your fix was as easy as mine.


----------



## Ken G (Apr 9, 2004)

A little lubrication on the shaft may help several of the posters' problems.


----------



## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

dirt or too much grease will prevent it from rising. clean the shaft and try some light lubrication. i had the same problem when my mota was a lil younger. cleaned and oiled it and the problem went away.


----------



## Workdog (Jan 10, 2007)

Had this problem a couple years ago. The worm gear/toothed gear that engages the flywheel may have a rubber o-ring inside it. In my case, the rubber o-ring tore and got lodged between the gear and the starter drive shaft resulting in the gear not raising up to the flywheel upon attempting starting. I had a spare starter so I just swapped that gear.


----------



## oarfish (May 12, 2004)

Before you do anything take the starter motor ground cable nut off and clean the connection area with sandpaper and contact cleaner. You must do this when there is a possible bad connection. I had this happen to me and bought a replacement starter for a 1979 85 Hp. Johnson. Later found out that all I had to do is to tighten the ground connection. Bad connection caused the starting motor spin slower and so the centrifugal force was too weak to throw the gear up.
It sounded perfect though so I had no clue the motor was spinning fast but not fast enough.


----------



## WishinIWuzFishin (Jun 17, 2009)

I 2nd oarfish. I think the first place you need to look is your battery charge and all batt/starter/solenoid connections and cables. A weak battery or bad connections could certainly cause the symptoms you are describing. Not saying for sure that's what it is but it is the cheapest and easiest place to start.


----------



## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

have you checked the shaft for dirt ,and lube ,sometimes they are dry or gummed up,,especially if had to much grease on it over time


----------



## johnrude (Mar 29, 2009)

remove the nut on top the starter and remove gear clean inside the gear and clean the shaft it rides on only use a very light amount of oil. give it a try.


----------

