Outboard Starter Issues

1994 Johnson 25 horse. Starter wouldn’t always engage today while hunting. It would just spin in place and not make contact with the flywheel. Solenoid or whole starter replacement?

Solenoid or possibly starter drive fork.

Hard to tell with out seeing in person and bench testing it.

JMHO Jeff

If I remember correct they are a bentax gear.

Pull start or electric?

I had one break down on me and had to manually lift it to engage the flywheel then start it.

Look at the gear closely sometimes they are plastic, sometimes there is a broken pin, cold and dirty grease can get gummy and there is a lift spring too I think.

Electric start schematic

Recoil Schematic

Had same issue–easy fix–spray bendix drive with wd 40 on the shaft does work fine–gene

Some times cold temps will make it from engaging properly. Good luck.

First check the battery make sure it has a good charge, then make sure the engine leads are tight on the battery, wrench tight and the terminals aren’t corroded. I have also seen the bendix just need lubricated with some wd-40 or something like that and then work it up and down by hand to get it freed up.

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I have also seen the bendix just need lubricated with some wd-40 or something like that and then work it up and down by hand to get it freed up.

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X2 – this has worked for me in the past.

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I have also seen the bendix just need lubricated with some wd-40 or something like that and then work it up and down by hand to get it freed up.

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x3! Also, check the battery terminals for corrosion. I’ve had both easy solutions work for me in the past.

There also a nut on the top of drive that can got loose….
My son-in-law had the same thing happen to his 40hp..

As others have said, the Bendix gear and the shaft it rides on is proably the issue.

As the starter engages, the Bendix gear is that little gear that “flies” up to engage the teeth of the flywheel and then drops back out when the engine starts.

A big percentage of the time, what happens is that the helical shaft that the Bendix gear runs on is lubed and that lube gets old, attracts dirt, and dries out.

Make sure the Bendix gear doesn’t have damaged teeth at the top of the gear. Sometimes the teeth get chewed from incomplete engagement with the flywheel such that the Bendix won’t smootly engage and it “bounces” out just as it touches the flywheel.

Clean that shaft the Bendix runs on with spray degreaser and then re-lube it with either silicon spray or a spray oil. Test and there will be a strong chance that will solve your problem.

Grouse