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Starter Clutch Issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter seb333
  • Start date Start date
S

seb333

Guest
Just a shout out to see if anyone listening has encountered this problem.

I have a GS1100ESD 1983 and have broken the 3 bolts holding the starter clutch to the rotor a few times now.

So far I have changed the copper shim and replaced the bolts. Each time I lose a few of the bolt heads into the engine and now the bike is losing power at 3000rpm.

Could this be a cheap oil issue or could it be due to the damage caused by the bolt heads. I'd like to be able to start the bike for more than a week and address this new power issue. Any thoughts? My next plan is to get a scrap Starter Clutch.
 
Yep, usual suzuki starter clutch.

Power loss to my knowledge is not down to oil. I would be worried about lose bolts in my engine. If they have come off while being run then its likely that they are in the sump pan which you can remove with the engine in situe in the frame. 12 bolts and a new gasket, so while you in there clean out the oil strainer too!

How often does you starter clutch fail? Are you using the right bolts or is there a more sinister problem going on?

Power loss would be due to over heating, lack of fuel, valve clearances or loss of compression.

Suzuki mad
 
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How did the bolts come out when they're captured between the starter clutch and rotor? Does that mean your rotor is loose and slid down the taper?

After having similiar problems on an 1150 (4 times now) I JB welded the bolts to the rotor. There is also a dowel pin machined into the back of the rotor and into the starter clutch housing.

I'd take the oil pan off and see if the bolt heads are tucked under the oil pan gasket.
 
weld it!

weld it!

Is the dowel stock? I never saw a pin but the hole is there on the shim and rotor at least. I am ready to weld the thing since that would be the most straight forward solution. The startor clutch seems to function properly but now there's the power issue. Thanks for the advice and any other suggestions.
 
Answers

Answers

This has happened 3 times now and to my knowledge I have used the right bolts in replacement although the last ones were jobber.

The bolts have always sheared from the force of the rotor against the starter clutch so a dowel or welding might help. Once it seemed like the bolts were headed when I was trying to start the bike since that's when I first noticed the noise of them falling free and the starter motor no longer engaging the rotor.

I could not imagine the force of the starter motor ripping the bolts so the rotor being loose on the taper is something I will look into as the root cause.
 
starter clutch

starter clutch

This is what happened to mine.....

The bolt heads stayed in the starter clutch! the scoring on the left hand starter clutch ring was the rotation each time I try to starter her and the three indents on the rotor was were I tried to remove it with a three legged puller as I didn't have a Suzuki tool to get it off. (i now have the special tool and a new rotor!)

suzuki mad
 
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My 1150 engine had no rotor or starter cltuch when I bought it. I got the missing parts from Steve's Cycle in Tifton Georgia and I believe whatever they sent me had a dowel pin stock.

The problem with the original dowel was its length. It press fit into the rotor, but if was jarred loose it would fall into the starter clutch cavity.

So I had a machine shop make a longer dowel that couldn't fall out of place.

Actually one of the incidents destroyed all the magnets on that rotor so I got another from a friend with out a dowel boss. I snapped those bolts after a few months (12-9 strength allen head) and had the shop machine the rotor and starter clutch for a new dowel.

Even with the dowel the last incident had all three bolts back out, spinning in place against the starter clutch. I found numerous metal shavings on my magnetic drain plug, which led me to pull the alternator cover off.

I guess the only benefit in this is serviceability vs. welding. Mine is semi welded now anyway and I think I've abused this starter clutch enough to warrant finding another if I have future problems.

Anyone have a rotor and S.clutch for sale?
 
resolution

resolution

seriously, I need a new bike.
opening a new thread for lastest issues
 
I am going through this right now myself. I was keeping the bike ata buddy's house and was ready to bring it home. The clutch locked up as it was idling on the curb and killed the bike. I changed the starter and now it just spins. Time to pull the cover...

BTW seb I'm starting to dfeel the same way. I've done lots of work and little riding the last few months.
 
Work in progress

Work in progress

I've been working on this issue since I bought the bike 2 yrs ago. This will be the fourth time I'm replacing this and am not convinced it will work. It seems here that the root cause was this petcock leak causing hydralock so I'm not convinced replacing the starter clutch will fix it. Welding it seems like the ultimate solution but I'm going to try putting in a dowell first.
 
sympathy for the dowel

sympathy for the dowel

Yes gentlemen, feel your pain. after installing Electronic ignition, new R/R, petcock rebuild, dunk the carbs in the bath, etc my stater clutch is toast. Have not removed it yet as I don't have the tool, but I will weld that SOB when I get my hands on it. If it goes out on me again I will just stick a new motor (450) in my piddly little 425!
 
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