Mechanical Grinding Noise

[fret not]

You are using a big hammer on the center bolt of the puller, right?

[Conrad]

So I get the puller on, tighten everything down, then whack the puller bolt with a huge hammer?  Since we don't have a hammer (going to go buy one right now), we were trying to just turn the puller bolt with a breaker bar.  I could also rent a pneumatic impact wrench if that would work?

[QBS]

Be careful.  It's designed to come apart with a shock, not Chinese water torture.

[Conrad]

Great success!  We got it off without too much water torture...  And I think we found the problem. http://imgur.com/a/QtKBN Are there other models that have the same starter clutch?  I can only find one from a Vision on eBay that happens to be right by me, but its cracked: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4046-Yamaha-XZ550-XZ-550-Vision-Electric-Starter-Clutch-/360902324948?hash=item54077472d4&vxp=mtr

[QBS]

Yes.  There have been reports that the same part is used by the V Max and several other Yamaha models.

[The Prophet of Doom]

That crack in the cover needn't stop it from working.  Mine was exactly the same - actually a bit worse.
Undo the two bolts and inspect what is underneath.  Unless the cast iron part is cracked, then you can possibly dress the rest with a file and some shiny new bolts.

[fret not]

The sheet metal cover keeps the rollers from escaping, otherwise there should be no stress on it.  The one in the eBay pic shows the assembly was loose.  For about $140 usd or so you can get a new one from a Yamaha dealer.  Part number 11H-15580-00-00

PS, just found it at Carolina Cycle for $115.  had to look it up as a VMAX part  because they don't have parts fiches that go back far enough but the part number is the same.

[Conrad]

A bolt was also sheared off in the flywheel, and we don't have the means to remove it.  Also I forgot to show that where the crack is, the metal is bent into a hole in the clutch, seizing it up.  However, we do have a parts bike that I can probably just pull the whole bit from.  Its just that I won't have access to it for a few weeks, that's why I was wondering about just buying it. 

[fret not]

Conrad, before you try to run this motor again you must flush the oil and change the oil filter at a minimum.  Metallic particles floating around in a motor with plain bearings (rods and mains) can be the death of it.  You caught this in the process of total self destruction if allowed to go farther.

Usually a bolt broken off in the flywheel should be able to be worked out without too much difficulty, but if the threads in the flywheel are distorted it would probably be best to replace that part with a known good one.  It's good to have a parts bike. ;)

[Conrad]

Ok, so I finally got everything replaced (flywheel and starter clutch) and put back together in the past couple days.  Started it up today to begin the oil flush and of course that damn sound started right back up.  Still coming from the lower part of the engine, still producing a weird smell, and still staying a consistent pitch no matter the engine speed or whether or not its in gear.  I'm 99% sure everything was put back together in the correct way, and there was no visible damage to anything except the flywheel and starter clutch when we pulled everything apart.  If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears.  Thanks!

[jefferson]

Is the starter solenoid sticking and causing the starter to stay running?

[Conrad]

Is the starter solenoid sticking and causing the starter to stay running?

Might be.  Its weird because the sound stops and starts at random from what I can tell.  I'll check that out though, thanks.