Shift lever assembly for an electric starter motor

A shift lever assembly includes a shift lever having a fulcrum portion provided with a pair of pin bores for supporting portions of both ends of a pin, a first arm portion extending from one side of the fulcrum portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pair of pin bores, a second arm portion for engaging the overrunning clutch extending from the other side of the fulcrum portion in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pair of pin bores, and a housing recess formed from a root portion of the second arm portion across to the first arm portion so as to be open on one side in a direction perpendicular to both the axis of the pair of pin bores and the direction of extension of the first and second arm portions; and a lever spring housed within the housing recess such that a first end thereof is placed in contact with a surface at the tip of the first arm portion and a second end thereof is placed in contact with the floor of the housing recess at the end nearest to the root portion of the second arm portion, the spring being bent towards the floor of the housing recess and elastically held against the shift lever by the pin inserted into the pair of pin bores, and the first end thereof engaging a hook on the plunger.