starter!

so i disassembled the starter this weekend and took a look at the brushes and assembly. Anything look wrong with this piece? Also anything else i should be looking for in the starter? I have replaced the starter clutch and I still get starter slippage. Less, but still get some.

The brushes look fine. How does the bushing in the end plate look? A lot of the trouble the guys are having with the starter is how well the engine runs to begin with. As the engine is cranking and it starts to fire the engine will pick up speed and the overrunning clutch on the starter will disengage. If you are still holding the button in and the engine doesn't fire on the next cylinder the starter clutch reingages and you get the clunking sound from the starter. This is a common problem but I have never seen it addressed here. The engine has to keep firing for the starter clutch not to make that clunking sound.
The aaooga sound that the starters make is caused by a worn or dry bushing in the end plate. It doesn't make the noise as it is cranking because the magnetic for on the armature is helping to keep it centered in the bushing you only get the aarooga noise when you let go of the button and the shaft makes contact with the dry, worn bushing. I am still trying to find a replacement bushing for the starters. I haven't had any luck yet. In the meantime I just pack some Never Seize in the bushing when I put the starter back together. It cures the problem for me for the season.
Hope this helps.

Post edited by: The Milkman, at: 2007/04/23 10:59

Post edited by: The Milkman, at: 2007/04/23 11:00

Those brushes look REALLY good.
While You have it apart,make sure You take some scotch-brite(or steel wool) to the commutator(where the brushes make contact) and take something like a nail or a precision screwdriver,and clean out the grooves in between each contact point.Those grooves fill up with carbon particles(from the brushes) and that can short out the starter.When You have that done,give it a squirt of brake-clean to wash out the dust really good.

The Milkman wrote:

The brushes look fine. How does the bushing in the end plate look? A lot of the trouble the guys are having with the starter is how well the engine runs to begin with. As the engine is cranking and it starts to fire the engine will pick up speed and the overrunning clutch on the starter will disengage. If you are still holding the button in and the engine doesn't fire on the next cylinder the starter clutch reingages and you get the clunking sound from the starter. This is a common problem but I have never seen it addressed here. The engine has to keep firing for the starter clutch not to make that clunking sound.
The aaooga sound that the starters make is caused by a worn or dry bushing in the end plate. It doesn't make the noise as it is cranking because the magnetic for on the armature is helping to keep it centered in the bushing you only get the aarooga noise when you let go of the button and the shaft makes contact with the dry, worn bushing. I am still trying to find a replacement bushing for the starters. I haven't had any luck yet. In the meantime I just pack some Never Seize in the bushing when I put the starter back together. It cures the problem for me for the season.
Hope this helps.

Post edited by: The Milkman, at: 2007/04/23 10:59<br><br>Post edited by: The Milkman, at: 2007/04/23 11:00

milkman, that first paragraph NAILS my problem on the head! it WANTS to start but it immediately just kicks off JUST before it starts. like you said, before the next cylinder can fire and keep it running. also, what bushing am i looking for? can you point it on a schematic?

also sandy, i did notice that was gummed up as well and cleaned that. it did look pretty nasty though.

FreeByrd, it is the bushing in the end cap on the left end of the starter in that schematic you posted.

The Milkman wrote:

FreeByrd, it is the bushing in the end cap on the left end of the starter in that schematic you posted.

part #5 there?

freebyrd, what bike do you have? I just ordered a starter from ebay and turns out I got mine running. I was going to keep the new (used) one as a spare but I could see my way to selling it. I haven't received it yet,but according to the ebay description is supposed to work well.

freebyrd, what bike do you have? I just ordered a starter from ebay and turns out I got mine running. I was going to keep the new (used) one as a spare but I could see my way to selling it. I haven't received it yet,but according to the ebay description is supposed to work well.

1978 650 sr. let me know what you have, maybe. im going to try some cheap and very quick solutions first before i go out and pick another one. thank you tho

Freebyrd, the bushing is in the housing to the left of #5. #5 points to the gasket for it in the picture I'm getting.

The Milkman wrote:

Freebyrd, the bushing is in the housing to the left of #5. #5 points to the gasket for it in the picture I'm getting.

oh alright, they just dont label it. i figured, cuz after i posted that i saw it was a gasket in the part #. ill check it out! thanks!