Lost bolt

[TMarsh]

My starter would not engage flywheel. Discovered bolt came out of bendix. I suspect the bolt is in the bell housing. Should I be concerned with the loose bolt
and try to fish it out or just leave it in. Suggestions for getting the bolt out will be greatly appreciated, if the general opinion is to remove it.

[alexiskai]

I've heard of successful retrievals using something like this:
https://shop.snapon.com/product/Magn...(BLue)/DPTM24A

[Bill G]

I believe you should fish it out. When the same thing happened to me I researched past posts which concerned me enough to spend about 45 minutes on that same fishing trip.

[Dougs 28]

Use a short length of garden hose and tape it to the end of you’re shop vac hose so it transfers the suction to the short garden hose, after taking the starter out, shove the hose into the flywheel housing and you should be able to suck the bolt out.

[jak]

i put a large magnet on the flywheel. Than using the hand crank turned the engine over slowly. the magnet sucked up the bolt and any broken pieces of the tab washer. I tried all of the other methods out there, but this was by far the fastest way to do it. I know keep the magnet in the tool box for any future needs.

[Redbird]

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Don't forget that the bolts should have a French locking tab/ fold over washers for the bolt heads. Then it won't happen again.

[Rodrelic]

Had the same thing when I was working toward the power unit running. The starter was removed and it bench ran but bendix did not kick. The bolts were loose and only one had a point and the other was undersize. Found the right bolts and lock plate, used different spring. Cranks now, but can’t believe everything did not fall apart inside there. A good indication I should proceed with skepticism on this one

[TMarsh]

Just a little bit of follow up. I had just put on an Optima battery, 6 volt, and it has a lot of cold cranking amps. I suspect high amps caused the bolt to fail, it was installed correctly with bent over tab. I will follow up when I retrieve parts. Thanks for the suggestions on getting the parts out.

[nkaminar]

I like the US made modern Bendix drive because there is no bolt to come loose or spring to break. There is a screw to lock the drive on the shaft but it is captured by a spring loaded washer.

[Herb Concord Ca]

I used a flexible wand (that held its bend) with a magnet on the end. First try picked up the bolt!

[TMarsh]

Just a follow up, thanks Herb Concord Ca, used HF flexible magnet and picked up bolt and french washer first try.

[Redbird]

Was washer broken?

[gary678*]

Happened to me. Easy remedy: use a thin extendable magnet rod and fish arounds a little and it should come right out. Good luck!

[TMarsh]

The washer was bent a little, do not think I put a new one on when I rebuilt the starter.
Bolt was OK. Have new bolts now, and washers.

[Oldgearz]

Originally Posted by jak

i put a large magnet on the flywheel. Than using the hand crank turned the engine over slowly. the magnet sucked up the bolt and any broken pieces of the tab washer. I tried all of the other methods out there, but this was by far the fastest way to do it. I know keep the magnet in the tool box for any future needs.

That is most ingenious JAK. I've had this happen to my tractors but never thought of this. I will next time.