Starter Problems

These engines don't have a starter with a bendix like a car starter, they are just a motor with a gear that spins a gear set connected to the flywheel with a one-way bearing on the flywheel. The starter gets it spinning and then when the engine fires and takes off it overdrives the one-way bearing allowing the starter gears to disengage.

OP, you're going to have to be more detailed in what the starting issue is. I can't tell by your description if you need to be looking at the one-way bearing (mechanical issue) or the starter motor/system (electrical issue).

Biggen said:

Thanks for the information this helps. The starter will spin but will not stay engaged. Sounds like the old starter bendix of past not staying engaged and having striped gears. I had about decided it was the starter or starter solenoid. Question where do most of you buy your parts?

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That definitely sounds like a one-way bearing failure. It's behind the flywheel so you'll need a flywheel puller, as well as oil and filter change and coolant. I'd probably start with a service manual so you can see what's involved and go from there.

For OEM I usually look it up on RMATV for the part number and then do a search. Also usually call the local dealer to see if they have it in stock or can match pricing (this is also a great way to find discontinued parts sometimes).

It is like a bicycle.

The starter spins and the gears turn. The one way bearing on the final gear grabs the flywheel and starts to spin it. Once it gets turned over a few times, the engine fires and starts spinning faster. The flywheel attached to the crank starts spinning faster than the gear being spun by the starter, this frees the one way bearing as it's being overdriven so it is free to spin now.

So back to the bicycle analogy, you pedal the bike. You get to a hill and gravity makes the bike go faster than you can pedal. You stop pedaling and coast letting gravity take over.

ETA: to check the one way bearing interface is good, it should spin freely one direction (the gear should spin independently around the flywheel) and it should bind (grabing and locking with the flywheel) the other direction.

I'm not sure offhand, I'd have to sit down in front of it to figure it out or get the info out of the service manual. 1st check though would be that the gear spins free in one direction and grabs the flywheel in the other, then double check that those are the correct directions. It's been a while since I've actually looked at one, but I don't remember being able to install it the wrong way. It could be possible, just that I followed a service manual and don't remember any part of checking that.

Also I have read where people got cheap aftermarket starters, or rebuilt them, and the motor spinning the wrong direction if the case is flipped 180 degrees. If it were me, I'd first check that the one way bearing is working properly and note the direction. Then remove the intermediate gear and bump the starter and note direction. We should be able to diagnose from there.