help with fixing the starter.

[Extent]

No cranking like the engine isn't trying to fire or no cranking like the starter is just spinning free and not engaging the engine?

[dj]

No cranking like the starter is not engaging the engine.  The only sounds are the clicking of the solenoid and the whiring of the starter motor.

[Night Vision]

NV - I checked it off of the car battery hooked up to the bike cables and it is still doing the samething.

The solenoid clicks right away.

12.9 - 13.0 volts under no load and 11 volts under load, checked at the battery cables, solenoid (the thru side), and at the starter.

Starter turns very fast and no engine cranking.

ok, sounds like the stater / solenoid is working....

so....if the starter is just whirling, and not cranking the motor over, the only thing that can mean is the starter - to gear on the rod you lost - to starter clutch connection is not happening or not happening consistently (you may have got lucky the other night and caught it at the right point...

you should have pulled the rotor and starter clutch when you had the case off the first time, checked your stator's condition, replaced your starter clutch bolts and peened the over the new bolts.....

did you try to take the rotor off at all? did you put the puller bolts in too far and bend the plate on the back of the starter clutch? are the cams and springs in the starter clutch gummed up and not working?

I'm not accusing you of all or any of those things.... just trying to figure out why you're just spinning the starter and not cranking the engine.

btw... blinker is going in tomorrow's mail... nitey night

[dj]

NV - I didn't pull the rotor and starter clutch because every picture that I saw of the starter clutch in good condition is like the way mine looks.  I didn't want to tear something apart that looked to be in good condition, plus I don't have the right tools for it (not really a good excuse, but it is my thought process).

I didn't do anything with the starter clutch, so that might be my problem.  I don't have a garage, so I am very reluctant to pull things apart that have really small parts in it.  Plus I do almost all of my work on the bike by headlights (at night with one of the vehicles pointing down the drive way so I can see).

If the starter clutch is the most likely culprit then it looks like the bike will be going into the bike shop.  That is way out of my leauge for a fix action.

[Extent]

Well I don't know if it's the starter clutch, especially if you didn't pull the rotor.  I'm thinking more the gear that goes between the starter and the starter clutch.  Maybe it slipped off or out or the shaft didn't get back in or something.  If the start is just spinning free then there's really no way around it, the side case is gonna have to come off again.  I say pull it and look things over, if you have something to lean it (sturdilly) against on the right side then you can even do it w/o draining the oil again.

And bollocks on a fix being out of your leauge.  If I can manage anyone can.

True story: I once installed a sprag clutch (not a V) backwards = starter motor grenading within about 70 miles.  Ahh good times.

[Lucky]

i think his problem with doing it himself is that it's generally at night, & not much time/space to do it, not so much an issue of his ability...

[dj]

Lucky is right.  If I had a well lit garage with a cement floor (to easily find dropped parts) and a few workbenches to put the parts on in the order that they came off of the bike, then I would just buy the tools that I need and work on it.

However, trying to do an extensive repair like that in the dark on a drive way by headlight/flashlight just doesn't work very well.  On top of that I only get about 2 hours to dub around with the bike per night if I am lucky.  I never get a full weekend to work on it during the day light hours.

TO MUCH TO DO AND NOT ENOUGH DAYLIGHT TO GET IT DONE IN.

I'll be checking with my local mechanic to see if he can get the bike in anytime soon.  I'll most likely print out the sections on the starter clutch fix and the brake bolt fix and have the parts with me so that all he has to do is take things apart, fix them, and put them back together.  I was hoping to avoid taking it to the bike shop.  They treat me pretty good on labor costs because I have taken all of my other bike issues to them in the past (my suzuki) and I have referred business over to them.

I'll keep every one posted on the bike's progress.

[Night Vision]

it's unfortunate you don't have the workspace.... guys in apartments run into the same problem... too bad we all don't have 2 1/2 car garages with bike lifts and a snap-on tool chest full of goodies

well, you gave it a shot - learned a bunch - and made some progress... nothing wrong with that  ;)

look on the bright side: you have a new battery (trickle charge it good and maintain it) starter works now, you did have it running, you'll have another turn signal (sans bulb).....

I really don't think it'll take long for your shop to fix it.

Then we get to help ya lose the stumble..... start thinking about where you can dip your carbs this winter.... the dip isn't overly smelly, but you will need some carb cleaner. Also, make yourself the homemade manometer, get some 15wt fork oil instead of the ATF (too thin).

Come spring, your vision will run so good you'll get the iron butt award riding it to Colorado  ;D ;D ;D

[dj]

My only problem right now is that the wife told me I have to wait until my other bike and half (79 Suzuki GS1000 with parts bike) sells so I have the money in case any parts need to be ordered.  :'(

So it looks like my riding season is now unofficially over, though I might get it back to ride for about another month (it is already starting to get chilly in the wee hours of the morning during my comute). :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

But I am already looking forward to next season.  ;D

I do have some things planned for during the snowy season (all 5 months of it).  Getting ride of the stumble will be on the top of the list.  I also need to replace some of the screws and bolts on the fairing (to stop it from rattling around), the bike needs to be painted (the paint on the tank looks like someone overfilled the tank before the paint was fully dry and it caused vein like bubbles under the paint), move the R/R to a better location, replace the old in-line bus fuses...  I will need to save