Starter Freewheeling.

[Billy Bob]

Ok I just pulled my bike out of the basement, havn't run it in 2 years, battery was completely dead, so I hooked a booster pack up, hit the starter button and the starter just free wheels, doesn't turn the motor over.  I pulled the starter out and checked the gear inside the motor,  it looks alright -  gears arn't broken off.  The gear it freewheels with my finger one way and the other way it binds up.   Is my starter running backwards or is something broken on my starter clutch???  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, BOB

[Lucky]

most likley the starter clutch rollers are just gummed up from sitting so long. 
charge/replace the battery & bump start the bike.  put 1/4 cup mineral spirits or 'GM crankcase cleaner' in the oil fill & run the bike for 5-10 min at low but varing rpms (stay under 4k).

drain the oil & change the filter use a good grade of dino oil, it's probable that your clutch plates are stuck together too, so you may need to gently rock it forward & back letting the clutch in & out before you bump start it.

--Lucky

[Night Vision]

if you can turn the gear (the one that the starter motor turns) one way and it freewheels, and the other way "binds up"... that's what it's supposed to do.. the rollers/cams are engaging the starter clutch onto the crank....

you may want to take a closer look at the starter. have you ever replaced the nose seal or brushes?
pull it out, see if you can turn the end gear.... it will be hard to turn but should not bind... and/or put it in a vice and hook a known to be good 12V battery directly to it. black wire to the mounting tab / red wire to the post... it'll spark a little when you power it up... but should sound like a power drill on steroids

[Lucky]

my starter clutch will freewheel once in a while if it's been really cold out & it doesn't want to start...  i consider the occasional freewheel normal for my bike.

--Lucky

[Walt_M.]

Never actually had a starter freewheel with my bike in 24 yrs of ownership. Also haven't done my starter clutch fix but, as I have under 14K miles it probably isn't needed, yet.

[Lucky]

that's why i said normal for my bike.. i've done the starter clutch fix, & run a full synthetic oil.. probably roller springs are a bit weak as well. i know the rollers aren't flat spotted.  i replaced the rollers with new ones but they were out of the spring & cap kits.

[Billy Bob]

I took the starter out and it works great I just had it rebuilt last year, but never ran the bike. (I put positive to terminal and negative to frame of starter).  The starter rotates the same way the gear free wheels.  I thought maybe it might be running backwards but I don't see how that is possible.  I'm gonna try the gm crankcleaner on it and see what happens.

[inanecathode]

Perchance the starter clutch cams are frozen?

[Billy Bob]

Well I tried running the cleaner through and no luck, starter still free wheels.  So I guess I'm gonna have to rip it apart and see whats going on.  Any pointers?

[Night Vision]

point youself in this direction>>>>

>>>> http://ridersofvision.net/forum/xzindex.php?topic=6525.msg56535#msg56535

>>>> http://ridersofvision.net/forum/xzindex.php?topic=6527.msg56551#msg56551

[Lucky]

did you run thebike with the cleaner in it? (you'd have to bump start it of course..)

[Billy Bob]

Yep I ran it for 5-10 min low rpm.  Still same problem, think I'll pull the side cover off tomorrow see whats what.

[ps2/bikevision]

you said you had the starter rebuilt. did it start the bike afterwards? if you didnt start it after haveing it rebuilt then who ever rebuilt the stater could of wired it wrong. id have to go check to see what direction that the starter is supposed to turn. ill go find me one and check it out.

[ps2/bikevision]

ok used a starter with a dead spot but it turns counter clockwise if your looking at the gear.

[Billy Bob]

Well that is likely my problem, because when I tested it, looking at the gear it would run clockwise, the way the geari inside the motor free wheeled, the other way it would catch.  The only thing that can be wired backwards  is what the brushes?  Would that cause it to run backwards if the brushes were wired backwards?

[ps2/bikevision]

im not realy sure how the starters are wired together. i would sugest that if you still have the paper work from who fixed it take it back to them. if not tear her apart and see if you can figure it out. some one here should know how to fix it.

[Lucky]

the starter can't be wired backwards, and the brushes can't be backwards either.
remember there are 3 gears inline so the first & 3rd turn the same direction:

O ()  0
r   L  r

pardon my poor rendering above.
if the gear on the left is the starter "O",  & turns to the right (for sake of argument)
it's going to turn the intermedeate gear "()",  to the left
and the starter clutch gear "0", to the right again.

someone needs to check to see which direction the clutch gear engages & the starter needs to turn in the same direction. (i forget)

quick stupid thought:

could you have installed the clutch housing backwards? (not sure it's even possable)

--Lucky

[Lucky]

  The starter rotates the same way the gear free wheels. 

then your starter is turning in the right direction, because the starter will turn the gear in the OPPOSITE direction (direction of lockup)

i still think your rollers are slipping...

[Billy Bob]

I'm gonna tear it apart and figure out what the heck is going on.

[Billy Bob]

Ok got side cover off, now is the fly wheel bolt reverse thread?  What size bolts do I need for puller?  Heres a pic with which way the starter is turning.

Thanks, BOB