Starter Chatter/Grind
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 350
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From: Reidsville, NC
Starter Chatter/Grind
1988 1340cc Hit starter button engine will rotate 2 or 3 times then grinds (like bendex is not quite hitting) has a new starter, solenoid, battery is a year old. (bike sat a year before I bought it) could it be the starter clutch ? rotated gear with my finger when starter was off. Teeth felt ok. Or battery problem? It will bump over if I bump starter button.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 350
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From: Reidsville, NC
Update
Pulled plugs and it rolled over smooth. Put one plug in and started it and it ran for a second or two. Put in 2nd plug and Rolled 3x and grinds again. Hit button and let roll about 10 sec got chatter/grind and then it cranked up and ran for few seconds (didn't have choke on) Tried again and got chatter/grind (but it was rolling over) then gas fouled the plugs.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
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From: Bluffton, South Carolina
If everything is as you stated then it sounds like you have more compression than your starter can turn over. This can be caused by a number of thing such as, too much compression, not enough cam timing, weak battery, poor wires/connections, starter not grounded properly, pitted solenoid, weak starter, worn/bad gears in the starter drive train, or smaller compensator/engine sprocket. Try jumping the starter first if it turns over then, you probably have a voltage problem. Keep us informed and we will talk you through this. Hope this helps.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 350
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From: Reidsville, NC
Right now I am aiming at battery, it is as I figure 2 years old or more and was not left on trickle charge or unhooked during storage. Starter is good (pulled it for a complete rebuild) and bought new solenoid. The old one wouldn't compress and inside was full of crud, gasket was broke. Thanks guys.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 350
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From: Reidsville, NC
Hooked truck up to bike (jumper cables) Took plugs out and rolled it over. Put one plug in and fired it no prob. Put plug 2 in and fired no problem and let it run. Unhooked jumpers. let it warm up and shut it down. Then it fired up ok. let set a few with light on and fired up but had some chatter. Let it set 15 min. switch off and it rolled but chattered and wouldn't start. So I'm saying battery, it is showing 15 volts but crank amps may be low. Ran into this on a Nissan car awhile back.So gonna get battery payday. Meanwhile will pull primary and check the ring gear and starter clutch just to ease my mind. Better safe than broke.
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Reidsville, NC
If the starter end cap has play the armature can move and cause the chatter right? Do they make a replacement end for the old style (Hitachi) starters?
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