Reply To: Plastic pinion gear on recoil.

[Don]

It is pretty common for those pinions to crack along the opening for the roll pin…I wouldn’t worry about it too much unless a piece has broken off. And yes, there are two styles of these recoils..The early style has two separate aluminum spindles that the roll pin runs through, along with the pinion gear http://www.marineengine.com/parts/johnson-evinrude-parts.php?year=1968&hp=6&model=6802A&manufacturer=Evinrude&section=Carburetor+And+Starter+Group
The later style has a single plastic spindle that the roll pin runs through http://www.marineengine.com/parts/johnson-evinrude-parts.php?year=1975&hp=6&model=6504R&manufacturer=Evinrude&section=Rewind+Starter
I suppose it would be possible to run a shorter loose fitting pin through there (driving the roll pin out) that is roughly the length of the diameter of the spindle, then sneak the pinion off….But that seems like a long shot, you don’t want to accidentally let that rewind spring uncoil on its own, might damage it…