It's not the gears in the EZ Start. It's the one-way bearing (which is what the EZ Start spins to turn the motor over). The wand itself is just electronics, no moving parts. You access the OWB by removing the EZ Start from the motor, the bearing has little ridges on the inside of it that allow it to grip the connecting rod when the EZ Start is being used, when the EZ Start is not in use the shaft turns freely inside the bearing. It's kinda hard to explain, but once you take it apart, you'll see how it works.