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Bad Starter?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
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Anonymous

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I have an 82 GS 650 that I was trying to get started the other day and after a while the starter stopped turning. The relay clicks but nothing else happened. I decided to pull the starter and try to test it. I took it out and put the jumper cables to it and get nothing, but if I turn the starter by hand while giving it power it will occasionally spin for a moment and then stop. What sort of problem would this be and is there a way to fix it? Would I have to rebuild the starter? Any help is appreciated.
 
sounds like fried, worn, or stuck brushes, you will need to open it up and look at the brushes.
a good alternator starter repair place should be able to rebuild it pretty cheep.
where in Texas are you located at, and have you read the topic on the spring GS/KZ hill country ride? the more the merrier!!!
 
GeneralFailure said:
I'm in San Marcos, just south of Austin.
Click to expand...

lucky you! there is mile after mile of great motorcycle roads right in your back yard!
we poor flat landers up north have to ride down three hundred miles to ejoy those roads.
 
Somehow, in the process of taking the starter apart and putting it back together I apparently did something that got it running again. I put it back in the bike and put everything back together again but now, the starter spins and nothing else happens I'm getting nothing at the plugs, is this most likely an unrelated problem or is there somthing that I could have done putting things back together to cause this? I wasn't having any other trouble with it before the starter went out.
 
I would check the coil wires make sure everything is pluged in
 
I've checked all the connections. There doesn't seem to be anything loose or disconnected.
 
"The starter spins and nothing else happens" What does that mean?
Does the engine crank over, or do you just hear the sound of the starter freewheeling and the engine is not turning over? What kind of ignition do you have. IE.......stock electronic, points, Dyna S, Dyna III, Dyna 2000 or ??

Earl

GeneralFailure said:
Somehow, in the process of taking the starter apart and putting it back together I apparently did something that got it running again. I put it back in the bike and put everything back together again but now, the starter spins and nothing else happens I'm getting nothing at the plugs, is this most likely an unrelated problem or is there somthing that I could have done putting things back together to cause this? I wasn't having any other trouble with it before the starter went out.
Click to expand...
 
If you take a starter with bad brushes apart and clean it you usually get a few more weeks of use before the next time it quits. Next time around (if it happens) I suggest you measure your brushes. The positive brush wears about twice as fast as the ground and when its shot it covers the commutator with carbon which prevents the starter from turning.

Steve
 
Brushes are inexpensive, just change them while you have it out. And as Earl pointed out, sounds like the started is freewheeling.
 
Yes, I can hear the starter spinnning but nothing else happens. What does this mean?
 
If the starter spins and nothing else, there are only two possibilities.
Either the drive gear/shaft is not in place or broken, or the starter clutch mounting bolts have broken off. Drain the oil out of the crankcase first. Put the bike on the center stand in neutral. Either way, you will have to remove the stator cover (left side of engine) You can use a piece of cord to hang the cover from a handlebar so as to take the tension off the stator wires. You do not need to remove the stator. Inside the case on the top right opposite the starter you will find a shaft with a couple small gears on it. The shaft will slide out and the gears can be removed easily with your fingers. Inspect the gears and shaft for damage. If they appear OK, reinstall them. Turn the ignition on and bump the starter lightly. You should see the gears move. If the gears move, you will see that one gear should turn the starter clutch assembly that is located behind the rotor housing. If you see this clutch assembly spinning but the crankshaft is not turning, then your starter clutch mounting bolts are broken off and will have to be replaced. You will need to remove the rotor and that takes a special rotor removal tool that will cost about $30. If you need to remove the rotor, BUY THE TOOL. Because, if you mess up the crankshaft threads or damage your rotor, it is going to COST bucks.......and without the right tool, you will. I dont know the size you would need for a 650. I think it is a 34mm, but that is just my best guess.

Earl

GeneralFailure said:
Yes, I can hear the starter spinnning but nothing else happens. What does this mean?
Click to expand...
 
Same Thing Happened to Me - Waiting for Answer

Same Thing Happened to Me - Waiting for Answer

I have a similar problem. I've had recurring starter problems and first posted in August of 2003. I would hear a click sound and nothing would happen. Sometimes, if a smacked the starter engine just right in the bay, it would start and crank the engine.

I finally got my starter rebuilt - it works fine, but now it free-wheels in the bay and won't crank the engine. I've been told this is a starter gear/starter clutch problem, but why would this suddenly happen when I've never had an issue like this before? For the past 7 months, anytime the starter would turn, the engine would start.

Now that I've fixed the starter, the starter motor spins, but the engine won't turn. Could I have screwed up the gears pulling out/replacing the starter?

ANDYS116
 
Re: Same Thing Happened to Me - Waiting for Answer

Re: Same Thing Happened to Me - Waiting for Answer

I believe the most common cause of broken off mounting bolts in the starter clutch is a faulty petcock diaphram allowing fuel to seep into the intakes through the petcock vacuum hose. A leak can overfill the crankcase oil level with gas. You try to start the engine and it hydrolocks. The engine stops, but the starter keeps trying to turn it over. Starter torque breaks off the mount bolts on the starter clutch. Anytime, someone has broken starter clutch bolts, the first thing I do is check the petcock for seepage.

I dont think you could have done anything to the starter gears by re-installing the starter.

Earl


Andys116 said:
Now that I've fixed the starter, the starter motor spins, but the engine won't turn. Could I have screwed up the gears pulling out/replacing the starter?

ANDYS116
Click to expand...
 
I spoke to someone recently that had starter problems.
A refresh of the starter motor has resulted in the starter running in reverse. When he first explained what he had done and what was happening I was sure he had starter clutch syndrome..
But he swears blind the starter motor is running backwards.. battery polarity is correct so I can only assume he has wired the new brushes backward..

Simon

Thats not a bad tip of fuel tap seep and starter clutch problem..
I have two bikes that suffer periodic starter clutch problems.. one is high compression driven. the other I am not so sure.. I check the oil level and do not see excess fluid from fuel tap seepage, but wonder if I get a build up in the cylinders
 
It seems you may not be the first to come across a backwards running starter. :-) :-) what can go wrong will........as they say. eh eh

Earl

simon lambert said:
A refresh of the starter motor has resulted in the starter running in reverse. When he first explained what he had done and what was happening I was sure he had starter clutch syndrome..
But he swears blind the starter motor is running backwards.. battery polarity is correct so I can only assume he has wired the new brushes backward..
Click to expand...
 
You will need to remove the rotor and that takes a special rotor removal tool that will cost about $30. If you need to remove the rotor, BUY THE TOOL. Because, if you mess up the crankshaft threads or damage your rotor, it is going to COST bucks.......and without the right tool, you will. I dont know the size you would need for a 650. I think it is a 34mm, but that is just my best guess.
Click to expand...

It looks like this is my problem. Where's the best place to find one of these tools and how can I tell what size I'd need?
 
I measured the threaded end of the crankshaft at the rotor with a set of calipers. any cycle repair shop should be able to order a rotor puller (for the stator rotor) in their aftermarks parts supplier books. You could also order one from cycle recycle online. http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/
I dont believe they list rotor pullers on their site, but their phone is
317 634 7550. I am sure they can order one for you. I have ordered a
LOT of stuff from these guys and they are great! I think you could call them, say what bike you have and they will probably have the book to look up the correct puller. Their prices are very fair too. :-)

Earl

GeneralFailure said:
You will need to remove the rotor and that takes a special rotor removal tool that will cost about $30. If you need to remove the rotor, BUY THE TOOL. Because, if you mess up the crankshaft threads or damage your rotor, it is going to COST bucks.......and without the right tool, you will. I dont know the size you would need for a 650. I think it is a 34mm, but that is just my best guess.
Click to expand...

It looks like this is my problem. Where's the best place to find one of these tools and how can I tell what size I'd need?
Click to expand...
 
The last guy to have his starter run backwards put the housing on facing the wrong way. I dunno if this can cause the same problem on a GS, I've never tried.

Steve
 
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