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Heavy Duty Equipment Technician Red Seal Exam Prep · Question

A technician observes that a starter motor spins freely but fails to engage the engine's flywheel. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

If the starter motor spins but doesn't engage, it indicates that the starter motor itself is getting power, but the mechanism that connects it to the flywheel i

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Question: A technician observes that a starter motor spins freely but fails to engage the engine's flywheel. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

Answer options:

  • A discharged battery.
  • A seized starter motor armature. ✅ A faulty starter drive (bendix) or solenoid.
  • An open circuit in the starter motor field windings.

Correct answer: A faulty starter drive (bendix) or solenoid.

Explanation: If the starter motor spins but doesn't engage, it indicates that the starter motor itself is getting power, but the mechanism that connects it to the flywheel is not working. This is typically due to a faulty starter drive (bendix) or a malfunctioning solenoid plunger.

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