question about starter clutch/bearing "feel"

[e9999]

the pinion gear that sticks out and engages the flywheel has a clutch of sorts, turn it one way and it locks and comes out, turn it the other way and it spins free. Well, when I turn it the way it's supposed to spin free, there is some resistance. I mean I can turn it easily enough with 2 finger tips but it's not as easy as, say, if you'd put a bearing on your finger and spin it. I'm trying to come up with an analogy but that's not easy. Maybe as much resistance as a "sticking" top on a soda bottle, and definitely more than a "loose" top? OK, never mind, that's not helping much .
I'm wondering if the bearing might be questionable. I'd rather not take it all apart if not necessary. Anybody knows what it's supposed to feel like when in good condition?

 

[Kernal]

Not the expert but I currently have my 2.2kW starter apart. The drive assembly locks in one direction and turns in the other. The larger drive gear (clutch assembly AFAIK) can move up or down on the shaft but should only turn in one direction. There are two bearings that should spin smoothly; those are what the whole assembly spins on when it's installed. At the bottom of the assembly there's a splined shaft thingy, inside that is where the large single ball bearing sits and what the plunger post pushes on when the magnetic switch is activated. That should push up with some resistance with your finger which then pushes the pinion gear out, when you let your finger go the pinion gear should snap back. I didn't take mine apart either but apparently there are springs of some sort inside and a bronze bushing. I used a ton of spray solvent cleaner on mine to completely clean out all the old grease and grime while working the pinion in and out, then I oiled the pinion shaft, bronze bushing and bearings using a light machine oil. Before I install it I'll grease it up and pack the bearings.

 

[e9999]

so let's say you grab the fat gear part with one hand and spin the pinion gear that engages the flywheel in the "free" direction with the other, how much resistance do you feel? (I'm assuming that the big outside gear is always engaged with the electric motor.)

How hard is it to remove the assembly you show from the whole starter bit?

 

[Kernal]

OK, I misunderstood, thought you already had your starter apart. The pinion gear on my starter (tested good) does not move at all in the counterclockwise direction and when turned by hand in the clockwise direction it moves with some resistance; it should not spin freely.

IMHO it really is not much more work to open up the starter, clean out the old grease and old brush dust, regrease the drive assembly, pull the armature out of the case and clean and regrease the armature bearings (which will be dry for sure).

Assuming you have a 2.0kW starter it comes apart a bit differently than the 2.2kW starter but the work is the same; two bolts that hold the aluminum housing halves together, then two bolts that hold the aluminum housing to the field coil case. Looking at the parts diagram in the FSM is may appear daunting but it really isn't. Once the aluminum housing has been opened up the drive assembly will come right out, no clips or anything holds it in place. Watch for the large ball bearing that sits up in the hole at bottom of the drive assembly (second photo above), don't lose that. Also, the idler gear is located between the armature pinion gear (smallest gear) and the large drive/clutch gear. It has a nylon bushing which holds five roller bearings. I had the starter standing up when I lifted the top half of the aluminum housing off as in the photo so as not to have parts rolling out onto the floor.

Then to remove the armature you first pull back the brushes by prying on the coil springs holding them in place using a small screw driver or other pointed object, and push them back out of the way; two will be attached to the brush assembly and two will be attached to the field coil case. Once the brushes have been pulled back the brush assembly should just lift off.


I'll post up a couple of photos

 

[e9999]

all right, if you are feeling some resistance as well, it's probably OK. And more so given that I would hope that freewheeling is only for a brief instant between the engine firing up and the pinion gear retracting so should not matter a great deal. (I did measure the length of the teeth contact area and the retracting length and it's very close, like within 1mm. I sure hope the flywheel does not keep the pinion gear spinning all the time...)
Thanks much for all the explanations. I will file those away for next time I take it out and I will likely do the whole disassembly thing then. No time now.

I have a 66060. that's the 2kw IIRC.


(Btw, in your middle pic, the middle gear, are those balls or fat needles? Should there be 3 more?)

 

[Kernal]

The idler gear is centered on a post by a nylon bushing that has five loose roller bearings positioned by the fingers of the bushing. If you look at the top photo in post #4 you can see the bushing partly popped up in the middle of the idler gear, the second photo above shows the bearings sitting by themselves after the bushing was pulled up, they just slid together once the bushing was removed. The bushing is upside down in the photos below to show how the roller bearings sit inside. The black color/coating is from a dry Moly lube I applied.