Starter

[russellsea]

What dose it mean if I have to tap on my starter every once in a while to get it to turn over, but sometimes it just crancks right over first try. 

Will I need a hole new starter or just a rebuild kit

[kwells]

It means your starter solenoid is not engaging the starter gear to the flywheel all the time.

[h2olawyer]

You may just need to clean the contacts in the switch.  Hopefully, that's all.  Otherwise, your brushes may be due for replacement.  If you haven't been into the starter recently, it will benefit from a rebild.  Kits are available on eBay.

H₂O

[Lucky]

how would tapping the starter mean the switch contacts are dirty?... same for the solinoid.  neither are attached to the starter.

you probably have oil in the starter (common failure with the OEM non spring seal in the nose of the starter.)

drain the oil, pull the starter clean it out, replace the seal.  check the brushes replace if needed. the brush plate is ava from Yamaha for about $55, or you can get a whole rebuild kit on Ebay (i don't have the link to the seller)

--Lucky

[h2olawyer]

Reading the post, it just sounded like he was tapping the button - my starter had that type of problem when the brushes went out.  I just made an assumption . . .   I know, never assume anything - it makes an ass out of u & me.   ;)

H₂O

[Tiger]

 :) Here is the e-bay seller's link for a rebuild kit... 8)

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Yamaha-Starter-Rebuild-kit-1982-83-XZ-550-VISION-XZ550_W0QQitemZ320132374748QQihZ011QQcategoryZ35594QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

                   8).......TIGER....... 8)

[YellowJacket!]

Yup,  I have to agree with Lucky on oil in teh starter.

A couple years ago Mutt and motorplow came over my house for some burnt, I mean burgers.  Mutt brought along his famous "Starter Rock" which he used to gently persuade his starter to engage.

You either need a starter rock or a starter nose seal.  ;D

David

[QBS]

Lucky has it right.  Another option for replacing the brushes is to take the starter apart, give the internals a real good bath, replace the oil seal with a spring lip design...then take the whole thing to a good local independent automobile alternator/generator repair shop and ask them to replace the brushes in the brush plate.  Should cost under $35.00.  You take the whole thing in so that the repair person can get the replacement brushes ground down to the correct length in relation to where they contact the armature. Have done this twice in the last 23 years.

[Lucky]

I agree with QBS, save a few sheckles where you can & have it done localy. Unfortunatly for me I have found those places to be harder & harder to find...  :(

QBS, if you have a local place like that, perhaps you can find out if you can buy the parts outright from them, there might be enough interest to do a group buy??

there is very little art to grinding brushes, even smooth concrete will do the job, so that could be done 'at home'

--Lucky

[YellowJacket!]

I took mine to a local alternator shop when I first got my V a few years ago.  It was a true "hole in the wall" shop with piles of literally thousands of alternators scattered around the shop.  The guy totally rebuilt my starter for something like $20.00 to $30.00.  It was well worth the 45 minute drive.

David

[Rick G]

Mutt , great minds turn in small circles. I too had a starter rock . My starter crapped out in the drive through line at the pharmacy.  This being AZ. I was able to find a suitable rock, accross the street in a vacant lot. I carried it for a week untill I had time to rebuild the starter.

[Lucky]

I took mine to a local alternator shop when I first got my V a few years ago.  It was a true "hole in the wall" shop with piles of literally thousands of alternators scattered around the shop.  The guy totally rebuilt my starter for something like $20.00 to $30.00.  It was well worth the 45 minute drive.

David

Where Dave?
BTW, I found a great machine shop right here in town, the best kind too: lots of old machines.  now i just have to find out when they are there, lol

be careful about the getting altenator brushes by mistake, they are a different material & will wipe out in a week.

--Lucky

[YellowJacket!]

Its off Ruteledge Pike in East Knoxville.

It looked like crap when I brought it in.  Was filled with oil and had crusteaceans and concrecians and all sorts of other crap all over it.  Looked almost new when I got it back.  ;D

David