BENDIX engaged while riding! WTF?

[shawn_NJ]

I have no @$&%ing luck....

So I took my 780 X2 out for a test ride after rejetting it and it ran amazing. I just started to tune the HIGH in, and was going to do a few plug chops. I was tooling around just running it before I started tuning. On the 2nd run (25mins in) the ski bogged down hard after a real sharp turn. It did not stall but it just limped back, it was running HORRIBLE! Almost sounded like a blown coupler. So I opened the hood expecting smoke city, but there was none. Temps were fine on the motor and pipe. At this point I thought it was an electrical problem so I put the ski back on the trailer and pulled it out of the water. Tried to start it, but it would run like complete ass and stall out as soon as I let go of the throttle. But it didnt sound right. There was alot of noise from the bendix. At this point I thought I sheard the flywheel key as it backfired once and was either running or not running. Compression was fine 160 each.

Took it back home and pulled the flywheel cover off. The bendix was stuck ENGAGED to the flywheel!!! I checked the key and it was fine. The bendix I took out had very little "spring back" to close itself. I held it next to the new one and it would hang down alot further when held upside down. Reinstalled a NEW bendix and now the ski starts awesome and revs fine?!? So my question is, has anyone ever had a bendix engage while riding? If so what happened to your ski?

Thanks.

 

[h2odesperado]

i feel like this was happening to me at the end of the summer. It would start funny and if I didn't give it gas it would die immediately. No sputter just stop.

 

[keefer]

You have to consider that while it was stuck the starter was being spun at hella high RPM. This will usually shorten the life of the starter motor, so don't be surprised if you buy a starter sooner than later. If it is still starting ok then just run it until it craps out on ya. I have had this happen as well as a few of my friends and it makes the ski feel like it is dragging or sluggish.

 

[Superjet3]

The main thing that happens is they explode and take out your stator.. If your running fine consider your self lucky.

 

[shawn_NJ]

Ya, it didnt explode, and the flywheel looked fine. I threw out the old bendix just to be safe. It was real ********ty after. After thinking I had another major problem I drove to a big parking lot an hour ago and ran it for 30secs or so. Started it a few times and it starts better than ever and revved really clean. I hope thats all it was. The 20min I got on the ski were really great. It ran awesome, but is a tick lean on the lowend with the 112.5L. Going to bump it to 120L. I can imagine the starter was being spun real fast for a minute. I have spare starters so I dont really care if that dies. I cant catch a break with my skis.

 

[ANT]

it can happen i had a bendix explode this summer. luckily it didnt take out my stator. I took it out and it litterally fell apart taking it out.