"ed" wrote in message
...


The plastic pawl looks perfect. There must be something that makes it
engage
that is not working properly. I can move it easily by hand but when the
cord
is pulled it stays in the same position. The wire springs look perfect
also.
What kind of trouble am I looking at if I further disassemble the starter?
Will the starter recoil spring jump out? I can't really tell what makes
the
pawl make contact with the notches on top of the flywheel, or what causes
it
to move in that direction. This outboard had only been on the water three
times before I bought it, and is clean and shows no wear on any part.
Would
inactivity cause something like this?



Friction from the "half round" spring that encircles the metal center metal
hub is what moves the pawl outward.. Remove the snap clip, then the pawl and
springs carefully. Bend the 1/2 round spring slightly smaller and reinstall.
Also make sure the center hub is tight and does not rotate when you pull the
cord. If you remove the center hub, hold both halves of the starter together
or the coiled spring will unravel and could draw blood or even take out an
eye. Use caution, common sense, and safety glasses.

Bill Grannis
service manager