bendix not functioning. cleaning & lubing ???

[whennotsailing]

The bendix on my sj likes to not engage sometimes. At the recommendations of others I took it off last season and let it soak in some motor oil, that didn't work.

This time I have it off and soaking in gasoline so it gets good and clean... Question is, what do I lube it with to keep it moving reliably?

Also, I have read some talk about a spring that goes bad and the whole thing flys apart, what spring is that? I am assuming the one that is visible when the bendix is extended, it wraps around things?

 

[junkyardj]

you can take the thing all appart by pulling back the 4skin at the front and it'll show a c clip once you do that you'll see how the rest comes appart.. imo i would just clean, lube it and keep it as a spare insted of it completly going for a ride in your flywheel

 

[JetManiac]

Does it have visible corrosion?

 

[OCD Solutions]

I limped one along for a couple of years. It was a huge PITA but I still did it. You can strip them down and scrub them with a wire wheel and if you get most of the corrosion off them they will work longer between cleaning. Soak them in ATF, then assemble with a good grease, (I was using PJ1 chain oil for it's clingy effect). By the 3rd year I had to pull the cover and bang on it if the ski sat for more than a weekend, the corrosion was so bad there wasn't any smooth surface left on it.

You can usually find good used ones for around $50 and just be done with it for a few more years or you can continue to mess with it. Knowing what I know now and riding where I do, I figure it's something that absolutely has to work, everytime, no doubts and the $50 is well worth it. In fact the $100 or so for a new one is well worth it too.