Patent ID: 7464615

Claim:
A starter for starting an engine comprising: a motor generating a torque; a housing having a solenoid and fixed to said engine; a center case held between a yoke of said motor and said housing; a clutch housed in said center case and having a clutch outer and an inner tube, said inner tube being rotatably supported by said center case through a bearing, said torque of said motor being transmitted to said inner tube through said clutch outer; a pinion shaft spline-connected to an inner periphery of said inner tube at one end portion thereof, and supported by said housing at the other end portion thereof so as to be rotatable and movable in an axial direction thereof; and a pinion gear mounted to a tip of said other end portion of said pinion shaft, said pinion gear meshing with a ring gear of said engine when said pinion shaft is moved by an action of said solenoid in a direction opposite to said motor; said housing having a tubular wall section through which said pinion shaft extends and to which said center case is coupled in said axial direction, said tubular wall section being formed with a through hole penetrating a wall thereof and extending in a direction perpendicular to said axial direction, said center case having a bearing holding section holding said bearing and a cylindrical projecting section projecting in said axial direction towards said housing at a position radially outwardly of said bearing holding section inside said tubular wall section, an outer periphery of said cylindrical projecting section facing said through hole.