When perusing the forum I could not readily locate any info about identifying or fixing a stuck starter bendix. I was convinced that the problem I was experiencing was just that, so we decided to pull the starter and see if we could free up the bendix and pinion
gear. A few hard whacks with a hammer on the side of the pinion
gear next to the large shock absorber spring and the pinion gear freed right up. We cleaned it good, lightly greased the big screw assembly the pinion rides on, and we were back in business! A final bleeding of the injectors, after a filter change, and the 45-year-old Westy 4-107 fired right up. The rust on the pinion was apparently the result of a charge of
salt and fresh
water in the
bilge, from
winter layup, that got picked up by the flywheel and thrown on the pinion gear and bendix before the
bilge pump could clear it out. Due to other circumstances, the
boat sat for a couple of weeks on its'
mooring, after the first run of the
engine, and that was long enough for the
salt bath to seize the pinion gear. I hope others will find that their starters are fairly rugged and, with a few loving whacks, they can be encouraged to keep on working!