Yanmar Starter motor - repairable, or strip for the bits?

[BobnLesley]

Fortunately, we have three starter motors on board for our 3GM30F, but over the last couple of months the one fitted has had an occasional problem of 'not engaging' with the flywheel; this problem's become more regular over the last week or two, so today I've pulled it off and replaced it, discovering:

The ends of the teeth on the starter-motor's hub have been ground back by 3-4mm, though fortunately, the teeth on the flywheel must be significantly harder as they appear to be undamaged. The damage appears to have occurred because rather than the hub being tight inside the starter and needing pushing into the engaged position by the solenoid, it appears to be loose on the shaft - tip the starter vertically and it simply slides up and down on the shaft - though the solenoid must be connected as it still 'throws' albeit inaccurately to the engaged position.

I've not stripped it apart, but wondered if (A) anybody got any ideas as to what's gone wrong? and (B) even if I can fix it, is it worth it? Or will the cost of a new splined -hub be more costly than just extracting what spares I can from this one and then just looking around for another matching secondhand one?

 

[pampas]

sounds as if the Solenoid spring is AWOL, take to any decent auto lecky and they can overhaul at about 1/4 the cost of a new one. could be also the fulcrum arm pin is worn.

 

[ghostlymoron]

A friend replaced his after it was damaged by water ingress with one from a tractor dealer. From memory it was £70 against £280 for a yanmar and identical apart from colour.