Hope someone may have an answer to this ongoing starter problem. Here is the history. 1989 FLHTC, S&S 124 engine with automatic compression releases, S&S 6 speed gear set. The original tapered transmission main shaft has been converted to a newer style splined shaft. Bandit clutch with 66 ring gear and 9 pinion gear. Since 2006 I have been using the Ultima 2.0 KW starters. That worked well except that I have gone through 3 starter clutches. Since these starters are cheap I would simply replace the starter. On the last Ultima starter, on occasions, the starter jack shaft would stick not allowing the started to disengage after the engine was started. May of 2013 the Ultima starter went out so I switched to a Tech 1.7 KW starter. Since then, here is the problem.

About 50% of the time the starter jackshaft will not fully come out and the pinion (jackshaft) gear spins behind the ring gear, not engaging it. Let your finger off the start button and try again. It may catch the second time or it may take several attempts for the jackshaft to engage ring gear.

I have replaced the battery 350 CCA, biggest battery that will fit in the bike. I have rewired a second starter relay to include a separate wire to power the starter solenoid direct from the battery bypassing the wiring harness. New battery cables. Two battery cables each. One negative cable wired to the starter and one negative cable to the frame. I have even tried two batteries wired in parallel to increase amperage with no luck.

Here is what has been tried from 3 separate shops.
First shop - It was suggested by Tech starters to run the jackshaft center bolt hand tight. No luck. Installed a new spacer on the transmission main shaft behind the clutch basket to be sure there was no binding and the clutch basket was properly spaced out. While the clutch basket was off the run out on transmission main shaft was checked - OK. Switched to an All ***** jackshaft.
Here is a link to that All Ball jackshaft.
http://www.dragspecialties.com/produ...ocType=product
All ***** state that this jack shaft is stronger and helps with alignment problems.
Ball honed the outer primary area that the end of the starter jack shaft throws into. All with no luck.

Second shop - Set air gap on the starter jack shaft. Tried to shim the jackshaft. The All ***** jackshaft was sent out and had the tooth ends machined down to give it a little more bevel to improve contact and help engagement. - No luck.

Third shop - Since the pinion (jackshaft) has been spinning on the back side of the ring gear, now there was slight wear on the back side of the ring gear. New Bandit clutch basket was installed. Also installed a second All ***** jackshaft as it had wear. The Tech starter was taken apart and the internals along with internal starter gears were rem polished to ensure smooth operations. No luck. This shop suggested that there just may be something going on in the starter, maybe a bad one from the factory. Installed a new 1.7KW All ***** starter. - No luck.

Of course all shops checked the alignment from the engine to the transmission. The engine has been loosened and retightened to the inner primary so it's not binding.

Sorry for the long post but there has been a lot of things tried. Don't know what to try next. Ongoing problem for over a year.

Hope someone may have an idea.

 

I had problems with my 01 fxdl.i switched my ring gear to a 66/9 combo,this did pretty good for awhile..then I switched that out to a 84/10 and now it starts with out any lag ..ie:starts a lot quicker that it scares me ..lol,doesnt even turn over hardly before it starts.i am very happy with this set up..

 

Starter relay. is your light on when you crank your motor? I had a 127 in my bagger and it needed all the help it could get manual comp releases 500cc battery ect. ect. if you dont have a starter relay that cuts the headlight off while you are cranking the motor get one or wire your headlight to a switch so you can manually turn off/on the headlight. Might not seem like alot but our headlights draw a bit of juice that could be going to the starter.
I also went with the old pinion gear and starter ring by primo $100 bucks bigger teeth I was shredding them and burning starters every other month.....
there is also a starter bushing on /in the outer primary cover make sure its not all gualed up.

 

The starter relay has absolutely nothing to do with this issue. The starter solenoid is getting voltage. This is not an electrical problem.

The issue is a mechanical fit problem, the pinion gear is not running in the right position.

You mention a spacer behind the clutch? There is no spacer, the clutch hub has an internal shoulder that holds it in the correct position.

When the pinion gear is set in the correct running position, the starter will not be energized until the pinion gear is engaged into the ring gear, and the motor will be de-energized before the pinion gear disengages from the ring gear.

This is not a starter motor issue.

 

Another double post...

 

So did you figure it out? Dan 89 what size motor do you have on your bike?

 

It seems that the last shop replaced the clutch basket and starter but did not shim the jackshaft to set the air gap. I ordered a jackshaft shim kit that Rivera Primo sells. The shim kit just came in 7-24-14. Going to try this next with the OEM jackshaft.

This was shimmed before, at the second shop, but with the old starter, old clutch basket, and the first Tech starter with no success.

The third shop (shop that has the bike now) feels we should give it a try.

Also brad75raiders this is an older dresser and I have the headlight wired to work with the ignition switch so I can shut if off.

 

A little 80 incher.