[inspectorudy]

Today I opened up my 1811 to get to my starter to clean the Bendix gear. I discovered that my Bendix engages the starter gear but then the drive turns but not the gear. It seems like there is a clutch inside the big ring that is behind the gear. On the rear side of the starter there is a long black plastic cover that moves fore and aft with the gear so I couldn't see if there was a nut or not on the end of the drive shaft. Does anyone know exactly what is in the ring around the drive shaft that is behind the starter gear? The gear jumps out to engage the ring gear on the engine every time but then the starter will run and the shaft turns but the gear does not. I had sprayed carb cleaner up in the starter gear to clean it out and after that it would not turn the gear at all. After a while, I think it dried out, it started every time I turned the key. Also, on the rear sheet metal screw that is on the rear bottom, how do you get it started in the hole again? I could not get it in. I'm also worried about how to get the two starter nuts on if I have to replace the starter. Taking them off will be tricky but putting them back on will be a doozy. Any ideas?