🔍 Key Concepts

• Starter drive (Bendix drive) operation – what is supposed to happen to the starter gear right after the engine fires? • Relative speeds – compare normal starter-motor RPM to the RPM of the engine/flywheel once it is running on its own. • Mechanical vs electrical effects – think about whether the first problem would be to the engine, the electrical system, or the starter itself.

💭 Think About

• Once the engine is running under its own power, which part is turning faster: the starter motor or the engine flywheel? What happens if they stay mechanically engaged? • Would the first logical result be that the engine suddenly stops, that current reverses direction, or that one rotating part starts being driven much faster than it was designed for? • In a real engine room, which component would you be most worried about damaging immediately if the starter pinion stayed meshed with the flywheel ring gear?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify what the starter drive mechanism is designed to do as soon as the engine fires (disengage to prevent damage). • Consider which option describes the most direct and immediate consequence to the starter assembly if it remains engaged with a running engine. • Check whether any option implies a condition (reverse current, engine stall) that is less likely than mechanical overspeeding or damage when two gears remain meshed.