2001 Seadoo Challenger 2000 Starter Issues

[Tvieth]

My 2001 Seadoo Challenger 2000 with a Mercury 240 V6 EFI is having issues with the starter. When I turn the key over the starter will not pop up the small gear and engage the flywheel and instead will just making whirring sound while not engaging. I've tried to hit it with something hard with no luck. Do I need to replace the starter or does anyone have experience on why the top of the starter with the small gear will not pop up and engage the flywheel? I've been rotating it in the meantime upwards to start in an engaged position in order for the boat to start.

Thanks,

 

[skrillac]

I think I'm having the same problem on my 96 gti. Took the ski out last weekend and got it home fine. Went to fog the cylinders and just the whirring sound. I pulled the starter off and opened it up. Cleaned all the contacts with fine grade sandpaper. Brushes looked fine. Reassembled carefully the way it came apart. Went to bench test it and noticed this

. Starter sounds stronger, and the bendix gear engages, but only for a second. As you can see in the video, the bendix clutch pushes it forward but the bendix immediately falls back on the shaft of the starter. I bought a new starter from a local powersports dealer and the exact same thing is happening with that starter. And I swear that aftermarket starter spins slower and sounds weaker. I went ahead and put both starters on the block separately and verified the same whirring noise. Both starters have 9 tooth bendixes. I also spent last night charging the ski battery, thinking a weak battery might be the issue. No change.

At this point, I have the following scenarios in mind

1. Both my oem starter and the new starter have bad bendix clutches
2. Starter solenoid isn't allowing enough amperage to the starter to hold the bendix clutch for more than a second (might be the battery at fault)
3. Maybe both starters are functioning fine and something else is to blame.

Engine isn't seized. Turns via pto flywheel. I've taken plugs out and result is the same. No fuses are blown in electrical box. Anyone else had this situation before?

 

[skrillac]

Spoke with the guy who sold me a new starter. Apparently these starters are designed to shoot the bendix gear forward momentarily and retract if it doesn't or can't grab anything (i.e. the flywheel).

So apparently both starters I have are functional. I'm gonna pull the starter off and take a look at the flywheel.

 

[skrillac]

So it turns out i was able to get the starter to spin and grab the flywheel. I guess I just had to bump the starter 5-6 times, then it operated like normal

This is after charging the battery for a few hours last night (until the charger said the battery was full). I'm gonna hook the battery up to the charger for a little while longer and see if this issue completely disappears.


@Tvieth sorry to hijack your thread. Does your starter sound like mine when you press the start button? Or is the starter spinning and you hear the spinning sound? If its spinning and not grabbing the flywheel, I'd take your starter off and verify it works like the video above of my benchtest. May just be the bendix and/or clutch isn't engaging.

 

[ripcuda]

I've experienced starters doing the same thing (bendix not engaging or staying engaged) when there is a tired/weak battery. Put a voltage meter on your battery. What is your resting volts? Now try cranking the engine... what are your volts when the stater spins?

 

[Tim75]

Spoke with the guy who sold me a new starter. Apparently these starters are designed to shoot the bendix gear forward momentarily and retract if it doesn't or can't grab anything (i.e. the flywheel).

So apparently both starters I have are functional. I'm gonna pull the starter off and take a look at the flywheel.

it sounds as if both starters are fine. If the engine does not START, the starter gear may remain up or down. The key part is START. When engine starts, the flywheel ring gear drives the starter gear faster than the starter spins. The helix on the starter shaft will drive the gear back down. Sometimes this type of starter drive is called "inertia drive".

 

[lucaswtr]

I’m having the same issue on my 01 challenger 2000, it cranks for a second or two then the starter disengages and it just spins freely without making contact with the flywheel. What battery size am I supposed to be using and what type of voltage drop should I see?

 

[Tim75]

I’m having the same issue on my 01 challenger 2000, it cranks for a second or two then the starter disengages and it just spins freely without making contact with the flywheel. What battery size am I supposed to be using and what type of voltage drop should I see?

Lube the helix on starter shaft. Check voltage at starter when starter engages.

If starter is not getting enough power (current and volts) it will not have that “instantaneous” spin that drives the gear up the helix.

Should be a group 24 battery.