Pandora's ( 850G starter) Box

[Brendan W]

I'm new so go easy. I'm looking for an educated guess as to what is going to happen when I go in the left side of the 850G motor. Oil pump, clutch, oil pan, shims,forks,brakes either sorted or in progress but I'm looking up the road to the fact that the cable terminal on the starter motor is at 12 o'clock not 2 so the cover does not sit flat and I have a clack/loose marble at shut down both with the kill or key switches. I have read lots about the starter clutch and feel happy enough to go in.
This is a long winded way of asking why would the starter motor terminal be at 12 o'clock and have I got loose screws, broken springs, worn pins or all three in the starter clutch ?
Thank you for looking.

[850 Combat]

I didn't touch the starter to do the starter clutch. Its on the end of the crankshaft. there are a couple gears between the starter clutch and the starter.

Buy the starter clutch kit with the bolts. I got the idler gear too, as it seemed to be loose on the shaft. Its been a while. It wasn't a hassle except that I have an 1100G motor in my 1000G and didn't know it at the time. I bought the wrong starter clutch. Also, I had soldered my stator leads and had to redo that too.

[tom203]

"This is a long winded way of asking why would the starter motor terminal be at 12 o'clock "

It's possible that starter motor was worked on and reassembled wrong-though 30 degrees off is odd)- any numbers on this starter?

[Brendan W]

PO said he had worked on starter and rewired the stator - you can see three newish looking grey wires in the attached pic which I assume are not original.
The only mark I can see on the motor is a Suzuki S logo on the far end cover at the 12 o'clock position.
The tapped holes for the cover screws have seen better days In fact only the near screw is fitted because of the terminal interfering with the lid.
I suppose it's too much to expect that I can reposition the motor without removing the stator cover.
There is quite a bit of what appears to be rough grinding damage on the left side of the front end plate of the motor - just visible in the pic.

OK now I get it. As I look at the starter she rotates clockwise and the reason my terminal has gone anticlock is someone didn't or couldn't pin the motor foot at the comm end to the deck

[Steve]

I suppose it's too much to expect that I can reposition the motor without removing the stator cover.

You can remove the starter without removing the stator cover.

In fact, it's tricky, but you can remove the starter without removing the carbs. Or the cam chain tensioner.

Once it is removed, you might be able to loosen the long bolts on the sides of the starter enough to rotate the center barrel enough to re-clock the terminal, then snug everything back up.

.

[tom203]

"......OK now I get it. As I look at the starter she rotates clockwise ...."

Looking at your pic- your starter with external thru bolts should be easy to reposition terminal stud. BUT remember looking at drive end, the starter turns counterclockwise, so check before reinstalling as the PO might have mess up on brush orientation.

[Brendan W]

You can remove the starter without removing the stator cover.
True

In fact, it's tricky, but you can remove the starter without removing the carbs. Or the cam chain tensioner.
True again

Once it is removed, you might be able to loosen the long bolts on the sides of the starter enough to rotate the center barrel enough to re-clock the terminal, then snug everything back up.
I do might with my eyes closed Luckily a po used hex head screws with cross heads so I had options.
You didn't say the trickiest bit would be getting them back in

.

Anyway we're back in business and I've had a tour of another corner of the bike and thankfully haven't broken anything. If I may I would like to draw attention to some things I learned today which could be of use to intrepid wrenchers in the future.
There is a tang on the brush plate which appears to locate in a recess inside the cast end plate. This recess ends up inline with the terminal. The motor in my case had been reassembled incorrectly. See pic showing tang at 1 o'clock on brush plate and recess in end plate casting. See also reassembled motor with scratch on end plate inline with terminal to help me line it all up.
See also pic no. 3 for an unusual mystery hole ( there is always a mystery hole, right) I reckon some spot welding gone wrong in the past.

[Brendan W]

I haven't got the hang of multiple pics yet but here is the cover plate that got welded.

[Steve]

I haven't got the hang of multiple pics yet ...

Here ya go: Posting Pictures on GSR.

.