Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Cleaned and reinstalled starter motor – cam chain tensioner messed up?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Cleaned and reinstalled starter motor – cam chain tensioner messed up?

    Hi, so I had to take my starter motor out to clean it. Works great now, except now my bike won't start. I'm hoping neither of these things happened:

    a) the cam chain tensioner (which I had to remove to get the starter motor out) was reinstalled improperly and is out of whack or
    b) there's a chain connected to the starter motor, and I need to take the cover off to reinstall it.

    I can't even bump start it now, feels totally different like something in the drivetrain is out of whack, and when I hit the ignition the starter motor just cranks with no sign of the engine turning over. all fuel sources are solid. Pretty bummed so any help would be much appreciated.

    Thanks in advance

    #2
    What bike? What year? Where are you?
    And....welcome to the forum!
    -Mal

    "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." - B. Banzai
    ___________

    78 GS750E

    Comment


      #3
      Just curious, how did you remove and especially how did you reinstall the tensioner?
      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

      Life is too short to ride an L.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by tkent02 View Post
        Just curious, how did you remove and especially how did you reinstall the tensioner?
        Just took the 2 bolts out, pulled the tensioner out, then put it back in after installing the starter motor and screwed the 2 bolts back in. Didn't adjust anything on the tensioner itself


        Originally posted by allojohn View Post
        What bike? What year? Where are you?
        And....welcome to the forum!

        Ahh sorry – forgot the basics. 1980 Suzuki GS550E. Brooklyn NY

        And thanks!

        Comment


          #5
          motor didn't get turned with tensioner out did it?

          did you remove the left side case cover on the motor while you were changing the starter? i'm not sure but i think the gear on the starter could fall out of place when the starter is pulled out....
          2002 bmw r1150gs 1978 gs1000E skunk les pew 1979 gs1000L dragbike
          82 gs1100L probably the next project
          1980 gs1000G the ugly 1978 gs750E need any parts?
          https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_m2oYJkx1A
          1978 gs1000E skunk #2 RLAP
          https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f1debec_t.jpg

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Eli69 View Post
            motor didn't get turned with tensioner out did it?

            did you remove the left side case cover on the motor while you were changing the starter? i'm not sure but i think the gear on the starter could fall out of place when the starter is pulled out....

            I'm pretty sure I put it back in before I moved the bike.

            I didn't take the case off... should I try this? sorta apprehensive because the screws are probably in there tight and I'll probably strip the heads.

            Comment


              #7
              i had forgotten exactly how the starter setup was inside the left cover area. the gears don't seem to be able to move when the starter is pulled out so you should be good there. so right now i got nothin.
              2002 bmw r1150gs 1978 gs1000E skunk les pew 1979 gs1000L dragbike
              82 gs1100L probably the next project
              1980 gs1000G the ugly 1978 gs750E need any parts?
              https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_m2oYJkx1A
              1978 gs1000E skunk #2 RLAP
              https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f1debec_t.jpg

              Comment


                #8
                you didn't have to force the starter back in at all? it might have taken a bit of wiggling but should have dropped right in eventually.
                2002 bmw r1150gs 1978 gs1000E skunk les pew 1979 gs1000L dragbike
                82 gs1100L probably the next project
                1980 gs1000G the ugly 1978 gs750E need any parts?
                https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_m2oYJkx1A
                1978 gs1000E skunk #2 RLAP
                https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f1debec_t.jpg

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Eli69 View Post
                  you didn't have to force the starter back in at all? it might have taken a bit of wiggling but should have dropped right in eventually.
                  no, it felt like it fit back in pretty easily

                  Comment


                    #10
                    "Just took the 2 bolts out, pulled the tensioner out, then put it back in after installing the starter motor and screwed the 2 bolts back in. Didn't adjust anything on the tensioner itself"

                    this is not the right way to remove the tensioner (thoughit might have been froze up anyways) go here, follow the right way.... The tensioner likely auto adjusted itself upon removal. You were supposed to lock the plunger in place before removal



                    When you cleaned starter motor, did you take brushes out? To be safe ,best to remove stator cover and make sure starter motor spins counterclockwise looking at it
                    1981 gs650L

                    "We are all born ignorant, but you have to work hard to stay stupid" Ben Franklin

                    Comment


                      #11
                      did this bike run before? sounds like starter clutch problems but if you can't push start it there may be more to it.

                      has this bike had basic maintenance stuff caught up? carbs dipped, intake seals replaced, carbs synced, valves adjusted? all these things usually need to be done on these old bikes. info is all on this site.
                      2002 bmw r1150gs 1978 gs1000E skunk les pew 1979 gs1000L dragbike
                      82 gs1100L probably the next project
                      1980 gs1000G the ugly 1978 gs750E need any parts?
                      https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m_m2oYJkx1A
                      1978 gs1000E skunk #2 RLAP
                      https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f1debec_t.jpg

                      Comment


                        #12
                        As stated above, you didn't do the cam chain tensioner R/R correctly. If you installed it without locking it down first, then it's extended too far out and likely has moved the cams out of whack. You're probably looking at removing the tensioner again and doing a reinstall. You should verify cam position as well since it's likely you didn't have it at top dead center on cylinders 1-4 so the cam may have moved. Hopefully you didn't damage the tensioner by installing it fully extended.

                        When you tried to start the engine did the starter motor turn the engine over?
                        http://img633.imageshack.us/img633/811/douMvs.jpg
                        1980 GS1000GT (Daily rider with a 1983 1100G engine)
                        1998 Honda ST1100 (Daily long distance rider)
                        1982 GS850GLZ (Daily rider when the weather is crap)

                        Darn, with so many daily riders it's hard to decide which one to jump on next.;)

                        JTGS850GL aka Julius

                        GS Resource Greetings

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Eli69 View Post
                          did this bike run before? sounds like starter clutch problems but if you can't push start it there may be more to it.

                          has this bike had basic maintenance stuff caught up? carbs dipped, intake seals replaced, carbs synced, valves adjusted? all these things usually need to be done on these old bikes. info is all on this site.

                          it ran before, was able to bump start no problem. Only issue was the starter commutator being fully crudded up but now it works fine. My worry is that tom is right and that I messed the cam chain tensioner up

                          Comment


                            #14
                            First thing I would do is pull the plugs and check the base timing, If you feel any resistance when turning it over by hand then Stop right away.

                            Cams most likely have jumped a tooth, hopefully you didn't bend a valve,

                            Comment


                              #15
                              If he did jump cam timing and tried to start it by starter motor and bump starting it, then the valves may very well already be bent. I'd pull the cam cover and verify timing. If it's off, then reset the cams and do a compression check.
                              http://img633.imageshack.us/img633/811/douMvs.jpg
                              1980 GS1000GT (Daily rider with a 1983 1100G engine)
                              1998 Honda ST1100 (Daily long distance rider)
                              1982 GS850GLZ (Daily rider when the weather is crap)

                              Darn, with so many daily riders it's hard to decide which one to jump on next.;)

                              JTGS850GL aka Julius

                              GS Resource Greetings

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X