96 SPX 717 starter gear moved on flywheel

[ggrimes13]

Starter gear ring moved out of position and came into contact with magneto housing casting. My son was out on the ski last summer when it occurred (just now getting around to fixing it), and I don't recall asking if it happened while running or perhaps while restarting. By the time I got out there, the starter was spinning (just the starter, motor wasn't turning over), had to disconnect battery to stop it. Any thoughts on what may have caused the ring gear to move? Could a starter bendix problem have caused this?

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

The ring gear damage may or may not have been caused by a sticky starter solenoid. If the starter solenoid sticks the starter motor will continue running, so I'd replace the starter solenoid.

And since the starter solenoid sticking while the engine was running is likely, the bushings and brushes in the starter may be worn so I'd consider a starter refurbish using a bushing/brush kit.

 

[Jetskigoodies]

The teeth look a little worn too. On that flywheel you can press off the gear flip it and press it back on.

 

[ocod]

I have a FW for sale if your interested.

 

[ggrimes13]

I have a spare flywheel, but the teeth are worn quite a bit on it also. Jetskigoodies, you say the gear ring can be flipped. I wondered about that, the manual says to be sure to orient the side with tooth chamfer toward the starter when installing a new gear ring, so that concerned me. Based on your suggestion, that must not be a critical thing? I haven't seen a new gear ring so not sure how big the chamfer actually is.

 

[Jetskigoodies]

My Fiancee's brother flipped his on a 95xp 4 years ago and has worked fine. Starts right up and is still on the original starter.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Sometimes I just dress the burrs off the teeth with a file but mostly it's hard to justify when the entire motor has to come back out.

 

[Jetskigoodies]

You can get the flywheel off while in the hull. You just have to move the gas tank foward.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Yeah, I wasn't sure so I can't assume. For most (not all) boats, engine must be removed.

 

[Jetskigoodies]

You're 100% right about not being able to get to most, and this one wasnt easy to do either but the stator was dead and we did not want to pull the motor.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Right. I see a fair share of flywheels with missing and damaged teeth b/c somehow owners are particularly adept at filling sterndrive exhaust systems with water and hydrolocking the engine. This of course destroys the starter immediately, and takes a good bit of tooth off the flywheel as they try a dozen times to crank the hydrolocked engine.