Starter issues
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 103
From: Ghent NY
Had a chance to take the primary off tonight and was happy to say it looks excellent! no metal slivers on the drain plug and both gears look like new.
My question is whats making the grinding & bang? does the noise come from the clutch starter it self? Or is it because i caught it in time before it did any damage to the clutch hub gears? I have to order a clutch starter next. Boy it sure looks tight getting the starter out with the exhaust on...
My question is whats making the grinding & bang? does the noise come from the clutch starter it self? Or is it because i caught it in time before it did any damage to the clutch hub gears? I have to order a clutch starter next. Boy it sure looks tight getting the starter out with the exhaust on...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,489
Likes: 34,582
From: Pine Flat Dam/South Bay Area, CA
It's the starter clutch & if it is doing as much grinding & banging as you say I wouldn't ride that bike until you fix it. Do yourself & your wallet a favor & don't buy a starter drive (clutch) from HD. Go to your local auto electric rebuild shop & get the part from them. It's a very common part used in many applications that use the 1.2 & 1.4KW Nippondenso starter.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 70
From: Oakdale Ca.
The grinding and bang in my application was the starter gear slamming into the starter gear but not fully engaging. In turn it wiped out my starter ring X2 and 3 starters. Ended up being knock off battery cables. As well as a sub part battery to push my 127ci.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 103
From: Ghent NY
So i got the starter clutch today, And for anyone thinking about doing this job its really not that bad at all. The exhaust (stock head-pipes) and the oil filler cover does not have to be removed. I did take the heat shield off. The long screw on the jackshaft, two allen bolts a few wires and it slipped right out,
I cracked the starter open and installed the new clutch. Making sure not to lose the ball bearing which stayed put because of the grease anyway. To look at the old parts I could see nothing wrong or worn? I reinstalled the starter and tomorrow I'll get the primary cover back on and try it out.
I'm beginning to think it was just a dirty connection on the battery cable where it hooks to the solenoid. But if nothing else it gave me a chance to cleans areas that were not accessible before.and get to know the bike a little more personally.
I cracked the starter open and installed the new clutch. Making sure not to lose the ball bearing which stayed put because of the grease anyway. To look at the old parts I could see nothing wrong or worn? I reinstalled the starter and tomorrow I'll get the primary cover back on and try it out.
I'm beginning to think it was just a dirty connection on the battery cable where it hooks to the solenoid. But if nothing else it gave me a chance to cleans areas that were not accessible before.and get to know the bike a little more personally.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,489
Likes: 34,582
From: Pine Flat Dam/South Bay Area, CA
The worn parts are inside the starter drive. Remove the 2 bearings on the starter drive shaft using a small bearing separator, then push the shaft out of the drive as you turn the shaft with your hands. You will see 5 roller bearings held in place by 5 springs inside the drive. I bet where the rollers ride on the shaft as well as the rollers themselves are worn through the hardening & look like ****. Let us know what you find.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 103
From: Ghent NY
The worn parts are inside the starter drive. Remove the 2 bearings on the starter drive shaft using a small bearing separator, then push the shaft out of the drive as you turn the shaft with your hands. You will see 5 roller bearings held in place by 5 springs inside the drive. I bet where the rollers ride on the shaft as well as the rollers themselves are worn through the hardening & look like ****. Let us know what you find.
The shaft didn't look to bad, It had some markings but nothing unacceptable. But none the less the bike starts beautifully now. And I took the lowering shocks off and put the regular height shocks back on it. It looked good a little lower but wanted standard hieght. Thanks for everyone comments, not a hard job to do
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,489
Likes: 34,582
From: Pine Flat Dam/South Bay Area, CA
The shaft didn't look to bad, It had some markings but nothing unacceptable. But none the less the bike starts beautifully now. And I took the lowering shocks off and put the regular height shocks back on it. It looked good a little lower but wanted standard hieght. Thanks for everyone comments, not a hard job to do
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 856
Likes: 9
From: North Carolina
Totally out of my league here, just thinking out loud so-to-speak. I had an issue with a hot motor where occasionally the starter would sound like it was coming apart. I came to the conclusion that it was a shade flooded and kicking back while trying to light off. When I got that worked out it never did it again. These old starters are pretty darn tough to make all that noise and have no damage.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 103
From: Ghent NY
Yea I know what shaft you are refering to, I initally bought a starter clutch advertised a a Spyke part (with bearings) from a local indy and installed that one, I also orderd one from a starter repair facility for $28 dollars. That one did not come with bearings. So i removed my bearings form the original starter clutch and reinstalled them on the new one. (that sits on my shelf just in case) so i did take a look at the shaft on the original. It really didnt look bad. But the bike starts perfict now... No banging or grinding.
