Need help with new motor starter bendix gear.

Hope someone can help with some advice on a problem I am having with my new starter. I have a 25 ft 1997 Sun Tracker Pontoon boat with a 120 Force engine.

I just installed a new starter and starter solenoid and brand new battery. On occasion when trying to start, the bendix on the starter will just spins in place and will not rise up to engage the motor gear. When this happens I have to take the cover off and coax it a little upwards with a screw driver and spray some wd40 on it. This will most of the time get it to engage. Once it does engage, there is plenty of power and revolutions to start the motor. Any advice on what may be the problem, how to fix?

Centrifical force pushes the start bendix gear to rise and connect with the flywheel gear teeth. Something is stopping thebgear to rise, binding, friction or defect. Should be a bendix gear kit that you can replace. I would start with that first.