Refurbishing a 1983 Special Edition Twin Belt Wide Glide.Stock shovel with .10 over Wisecos and Andrews A/B cam, stock 4 speed tranny, stock starter. The bike came with belt-drive, but I just installed a BDL bolt-in belt-drive (enclosed primary, stock look, modern performance, I hope). The starter engaged perfectly first few tries, but now it won't engage. It would do this once in a while with the original belt-drive. The BDL instructions say I may need to shim the starter or replace the bearing in the primary or the starter shaft.

Anyone know how to shim the starter? Anyone know what may be the issue or how to narrow down the possibilities?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

Describe starter won't engauge Possibly a whining noise? Like the starter clutch or thesolenoid doesn't throw out the starter gear?

 

Yes, a whning/whirring noise. You can hear the starter gear spinning, but it's not engaging the ring gear on the clutch basket.

 

Looks like the throw out solenoid is not working That throws the starter gear into the clutch housing ring gear Check the big wires on the solenoid for tightness 9/16 nuts check the small wire from the starter relay to the solenoid this pulls the solenoid into action when you hit the starter button

 

If the starter motor is running then the solenoid has reached full travel and therefore the starter drive (Bendix) should be engaging the ring gear. I'm thinking that your starter drive (Bendix) has failed. With the battery disconnected (safety item) rotate the starter drive gear to see if it turns both directions without turning the shaft it's on. If it does turn both directions, it has failed. It is only supposed to turn one direction and lock up when turned the other direction. Accel (and probably others) market a heavy duty one.
If you have looked up in there with the derby cover off while someone operates the starter and you have seen that the starter drive gear does not engage the ring gear with the starter motor running then you probably do have something VERY wrong in the solenoid. The starter motor should not run if the pinion gear on the starter drive is not engaging the ring gear.
When I used a BDL belt drive, there was a spacer that came with the kit that went behind the large gear in the reduction gear housing for the starter motor. That might be what your instructions are talking about. You might consider calling or emailing BDL or a local indy shop to see if they can clarify that issue for ya.
You probably know this this, but just in case you don't, make sure you ventilate your primary somehow. Belt drives generate a lot of heat and it will sustain damage if it doesn't have cooling air flow.

 

Thanks so muchfor the great tipssqdeal, mega and fret. I hadn't tried watching the starter drive with the derby cover off. We will try these suggestions later this week when we get to work on it again. I'll let you know what we find. Would be awesome if it just needed a good cleaning.

I will definitely space my Inspection cover. One of the reasons I replaced the original belt-drive is that with these HOT Louziana summers the clutches would heat up anddrag and were an absolute b%tch to keep adjusted.

 

One more thing to check ( I've seen three broken over the years) Something called the shift lever also called the starter drive lever That piece of hardware throws the starter drive gear toward the ring gear. The braze sometimes fails The solenoid pulls in allowing the starter to engauge but not allowing the starter drive gear to move Maybe

 

This is what I did to get some airflow through the primary when I ran a belt drive. I had a screen in the scoop to keep out big chunks of stuff. The scoop was made out of a piece of 2" exhaust pipe. The vent at the derby cover position was an old horn cover. Is my "cheap bastard" showing? I believe I got plenty of airflow. And, just like fretso, I left the drain plug out.

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Cheap Bastard or not that's a cool primary.

Mine never had a plug in the drain hole. I want to kep the original Inspection Plate and Derby Cover b/c they are a big part of what distinquishes this rare bike. I will be spacing them to some extent though.

Thanks again. Keep the ideas coming, I'm paying attention.

 

Hello, I have a 1984 FL and I had months of starting problems after a rebuild. The problem was corrected when I replaced the shift lever inside the primary that the solenoid engages to release power to starter motor. If this part is in any bind it will not let the solenoid pull in far enough to send power to starter motor. The part is hard to find, Harley finally had one. If your starter motor does engage with direct current it is probably is OK. Total parts replaced: Solenoid, plunger kit, shift lever. Problem corrected and I am elated. Rob

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