Was having issues with my starter not engaging the clutch gear. After buying a new starter, a new battery, checking all the wires and relay for the starting system and all the wires on the bike for a bad ground or shorted wire, I've finally come to the conclusion that the jackshaft is binding up (because thats what the problem is). It only does this when I torque the jackshaft bolt to the specs 7-9 foot lbs.

After removing the jackshaft, starter shaft oil seal and inner jackshaft bushing, I remounted the starter and installed the jackshaft just to see what was going on. The jackshaft doesn't set center of the oil seal hole, Its kind of down and to the right, therefore rubbing hard on the side of the oil seal when it is installed. Both starter holes are lined up through the transmission case and the inner primary and I cant figure out for nothing what the hell the problem is, why this jackshaft is coming through not center of the oil seal hole. I've tried two different starters and at least 3 different jackshaft bolts along with 2 different jackshafts and couplings. Same damn thing with everything, not aligned center of the oil seal hole.

I'm going to remove the compensating sprocket nut and clutch nut tomorrow and pull the inner primary maybe I can see more of whats going on. The only two things I can think would be the problem is either the chromed primary is defective, made with flaws and sold (which I know happens a good bit, especially with aftermarket chrome), there is a flaw in the transmission case hole where the starter mounts or someone put a different year transmission or inner primary on the bike before I bought it.

Are there numbers on the transmission that will tell me if it is the stock tranny and what year it was made? and along with the inner primary even if its and aftermarket primary, is there a year stamped on it somewhere just to get my bearings straight here, cause I'm going apeshit trying to figure out WTF these two aren't matching up correctly.

And what gets me is the 2 bolt holes for the starter are matched up fine, I'm assuming that the tranmission shaft is lined up also or I would think there would be more problems than I'm having.

 

did you replace the solenoid as well as the starter. Remove the solenoid
cover and use a screwdriver to push the piston in manuley see if that helps.

 

I replaced the whole starter solenoid combo.

Pulled the compensating sprocket and the clutch hub and removed the inner primary. The numbers on the transmission are Safe-lite 34707-89A. I know the primary is a 90-91 and later model primary case because of the way the starter shaft oil seal seats in the primary case. Now the question is ...Will an 89 tranny match up with a 90 primary case? I'm going to say no, close but starter/ jackshaft doesn't line up correctly through the oil seal. Its real close if the jackshaft bolt isn't torqued down allowing for play.

Another question, should an 89 tranny and 90-91 primary match up perfectly? I have no idea if they are suppose to or not. Thats what I need to find out right now. I'd appreciate it if someone would help me out with this.



1991 FLSTC