I got a 23 go devil vanguard and I scouted for birds last week before split came back in Texas and it ran like a top (like it has the past 5 years). I went to go put it back in the river 2 days later and the motor would just click so I thought it was a battery or just the starter! I tried to pull start it and it wouldn't pull! So then I was getting pissed off and went to turn the prop and it would only turn a quarter of a turn! It wad making a terrible grinding noise inside sounded like metal shavings! So that's when I started tearing her apart! Heads are fine, rods n valves are golden! The only thing I have yet to pull off is the flywheel and check inside there on the front of the motor! I don't know much about these motors but it sounds to me like a bearing! You guys that know this shit I need some input! Thanks

Did you check the rear bushing on the output shaft. It's actually the bushing that is in the reAr motor housing. From what I have been told the older vanguards used a bushing instead of a bearing and they do go out occasionally. Mine just recently went out and I had to replace the entire rear housing.

I was thinking it was a bearing but you replaced the whole bushing ? How much was that fix ?
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Well, I really don't know why they replaced the entire housing. The shop that did the work said it needed to be replaced. I was kind of thinking like you though, why not just replace the bushing? The entire rear housing was $300.