Trojan Boat Forum

I was looking at Carlywolf's post on the oil changing and Bendix and I thought I'd ask the experts a little bit more about the Bendix issue.

My port engine starter gear sticks engaged from time to time when the boat sits for a week or more. It's not the ignition, since I can hear the starter motor is not powered while the sound of the starter gear is whining away for several seconds after the engine starts. I took the starter out a few weeks ago and the very first thing I did was turn the starter gear with my fingers until it was in the "engaged" position (I can't explain why I did this - just playing I guess). Now I can't get the ratchet released. When I went to a web site that sells Bendix's, the site says "don't turn the ratchet by hand or you void the warranty". Is that all it really takes to mess the thing up? I bench ran the starter and the Bendix ratchet still won't release. I was going to take the thing apart to remove the Bendix ratchet and replace it anyways, but I'm thinking I better let a real starter rebuilder deal with it before I mess up something else on it.

Can any of you guys explain? - How does one release the Bendix by hand?
How about taking the starter apart to get at the Bendix? Leave it to the pro's?

Thanks in advance for your input.

when i had my issues with my starter the way i got my bendix reset was to hold it up to a bench mounted grinder with a buffing wheel and let the wheel respin it back into retracted position

That makes sense. I'll give that a try. Thank you