KZ550 Starter Clutch?

I have a 1981 KZ550-C that I have starter issues with and was wondering if someone could help me. The starter will not turn the bike over at all. All I get is a grinding or loose noise from inside. I figured that that the clutch was bad and bought a used one off E-bay. Started taking mine apart yesterday and found that the teeth on the used clutch gear and my starter don't match. Let me stop here and say I bought the bike used with the starter issue and was told that they had replaced the starter to try to fix it themselves. Then I look up inside the engine and the large gear in there dosen't look the same as the used one I have and doesn't appear to be the same tooth pattern as the starter. I can stick a screw driver inside and turn the clutch to the front but not to the rear so I don't think it's the clutch causing the problem. Can anyone shed any light on this problem?

Lynn

The starter doesn´t engage the clutch gear directly, there´s an idler gear inbetween (no. 24 in the pic below). I don´t know too much about the 550s, but I think you can see the idler gear if you look through the hole where the starter mounts (you can on a 650).

Hard to see from the diagram but it looks like the two sets of teeth on the 550 idler gear are a different pitch, my guess is one set of teeth fits the starter and the other set fits the clutch gear.

yeppers like i said deff the starter clutch

Thanks, I should have done a little more research before posting. I didn't realize there was an idler gear between the starter and the clutch. Maybe I'm good to go now.

Thanks,
Lynn

Im new to this forum because i was reading about your problems and had to join in order to talk you guys which is pretty cool. SO, "lhemrick" you and i have the same exact issues and symptoms with our 550s. could you please let me know how the repairs went and which parts you replaced to get that starter to turn the engine over? Thanks

I have mine apart at this time and plan to put it back together today. You can get the starter clutch out through the oil pan and it came apart fine; I hope it goes back together as easy. Send me your email I have a step by step process list and pictures that were sent to me by another bbefore I started. They "WILL" help! Do you have a manual? It will too.
Lynn Hemrick
mdhemrick@yahoo.com

great to hear from you...my email is: bowes20@gmail.com
You mean a Haynes repair manual? Yes i do, it is being shipped to me now.

I will need to do this in the very near future as well. If you could send me the info as well I would appreciate it.
provencherinba@valornet.com

Thank you
Jason

Got mine back together yesterday and went for a ride. Thanks to all for your help and advice.

Lynn

Hey Lynn can you send those emails again my email is acting up. Try sending to joesfishingbud@yahoo.com

Thanks
Jason