help with fixing the starter.

[dj]

one of the brushes is about 1/3 of an inch and the other is about 1/16th of an inch (these measurments are made past the holders).  the longer one is making contact, but the other one doesn't even come close.  It is just a wee little nub!

[Night Vision]

one of the brushes is about 1/3 of an inch and the other is about 1/16th of an inch (these measurments are made past the holders).  the longer one is making contact, but the other one doesn't even come close.  It is just a wee little nub!

yep, you're short on the one, better do both. read my pm and let me know what'cha going to do

[dj]

looks like i'll be getting the chalupa!  I would feel better replacing all of the parts that are in that "kit" anyway.  It is kinda old and banged up, but the "coil" part of it is still in perfect condition (on my starter).

[dj]

just got the brushes in and put everything together, but it don't work! ;D

everything has been cleaned up, brand new brushes, brand new seal, and when I hook it up all that happenes is the selnoid clicks.  no motion from the starter at all.

the only issue that I know is happening is that the battery is only charged to 10.5 volts.

please help.

[ps2/bikevision]

should still try to start. charge the battey then go from there.

[QBS]

Make sure your starter planetary gears are correctly aligned.  Even one tooth off is very wrong.

[Night Vision]

dj.... remember?... bench test first?? use your car battery (off, not running)
if you need to. make sure the starter works b4 you install

battery drop to 10.5v won't do either... that can be addressed after you tell us starter tested out

[dj]

okay here is the update.  bench tested good.  tested it through the car battery and it turns.  tested it hooked up to the vehicle battery and it turns.  Put it back into the bike and put oil in, and it turns, but the engine wont crank over.

All I here is the clicking of the selniod and the whirring of the starter as it turns, but no sound of the engine turning over.

HELP ME!  WHAT COULD BE GOING WRONG!!

[MotorPlow]

You need to charge or get a new battery. My starter will not turn over the engine with anything under 11 Volts. 11.1 Volts and it will turn over real slow. Anything over 12 Volts and it will start with one touch of the starter button.

[dj]

battery is charged to a little over 12 volts and still the engine wont turn over.  the selniod clicks on and off properly and the stater is turning fine.  what else could be happening to make it not turn the engine over?

[MotorPlow]

Check all the fuses in the fuse box. Not so much that the fuses are good (I guess they have to be good to work), but that they are all getting good contact. 23+ years with one of these fuse boxes and the tabs get brittle and stretched.

[dj]

fuse panel checks out good, and I checked all of the elctrical connectors that I could see in the dark/rain and they are all tight and shiney.  what else could be going on with this??

[dj]

okay, here is another update.

I checked the battery again and it is about 11.25 volts.  I checked the selnoid and when the starter button is pushed on the outgoing line from it has 11.25 volts on it.  The starter turns, but it still doesn't engage the engine.  How can I tell if the inside gear is turning with the starter?

[Night Vision]

was the bike running before?
did you put the gear on at the end of the starter nose?
is it pushed in far enough? should be if the mounting holes lined up....

sorry, just thinking out loud......

Did you try jumping with the vehicle (not running) battery.
The reason I ask is...even a motorcycle battery with two dead cells will show 12v on a volt meter. I've seen it. PO said battery was a new AutoZone bat. Had two dead cells.

If the starter doesn't spin fast enough, the starter clutch won't engage... no turn over.

[dj]

NightVision - yes, the bike was running before.  at least until enough oil seeped in through the old seal and gummed it up. 

Yes, I put the gear on the end of the starter.  It is pushed in all the way (the mounting holes line up).

Yes, I tried jumping the bike from 2 seperate vehicles (not running) and it always does the same thing.  Starter turns over, but no cranking of the engine.

It sounds like the starter is turning pretty fast (I don't know how fast it is actually going, but it sounds like it is moving fast enough).  It seams like it is not mating up with the gear on the inside of the crank case, but I have no way of verifying this.  Is it possible for the starter to be mounted in close to being right and not lining up with the inside gear?

[Lucky]

at this point your trying to figure out if the starter clutch is turning & not grabbing, or if the starter isn't turning the clutch at all, correct?

you can try using a mechanics stethiscope to listen to the left side engine case (or a nice long thin screwdriver: put the tip to the case & the handle to your ear, it works)

your trying to hear if the clutch is turning but not the rotor.  if the clutch is spinning you'll probably hear a rattling type noise, if it isn't it'll be quieter at the left engine case, you should still hear the starter turn at the ft of the engine though.

if you do this & then think it may be cranking the engine over, even though you didn't think it was before, you should hear noise at the valve train, or do a compression test to prove the engine is cranking.

have you done the starter clutch repair?
I've said it before, it's not uncommon for any vehicle of this age to have multiple problems, where one problem masks the symptoms of another.
--Lucky

[Night Vision]

I'm a slow typer...

you can drain the oil back out... a clean aluminum turkey pan works nice...

pull the starter back out, and shine a light in the starter hole... can you see the gear that the starter gear should be engaging with?

see pic below..

starter gear is connected to the...
(1) gear...
the (1) gear's connected to the..
( 8 ) gear...

you should be able to spin the (1) gear and tell if it's connected to the ( 8 ) gear. should be some resistance (ie not free-wheeling)

[Lucky]

and you should be able to turn it only in one direction

[dj]

Lucky - yes, I am trying to figure out if the inside where the starter motor conects into is turning (starter clutch??).

no, I haven't done the starter clutch repair yet.  I don't even know exactly where the starter clutch is.  Is that what the starter motor connects to by the gear on the inside??

[Night Vision]

and you should be able to turn it only in one direction

good point... I've never done this... but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night