hard starting, need some input tonight

[OldVet66]

Could be. Problem with old electrical systems is that sometimes there is no smoking gun and an issue is the cumulative effect of bad connections everywhere.

I think Brendan W is probably right. Since the negative for the starter motor is the ground from the battery to the transmission case I would look for lurking corrosion in the main ground terminal lugs. They can corrode and wire strands break while they look fine from the outside. At any rate it's time to chase down those problems by cleaning with contact cleaner and coating with dielectric grease every electrical contact point on the bike, grounds, fuse box, switches (best done in a clear plastic bag so small parts and springs are not lost), bullet connectors and plugs. As stated, cumulative high contact resistances can having you chasing your tail big time.

[azr]

This bike was a frame up restoration about 10'000-12'000 kms ago including wire harness gone thru but I'll definitely be going after every ground cable and pulling the relay.

[OldVet66]

Try sandwiching your ground connections with star washers, seems to maintain good contact a lot longer.

[azr]

Well I've replace and cleaned the starter relay, cleaned the fuse panel, checked the connections at the relay, starter, fuse box, etc..etc.. everything looks fine. Voltage to the starter relay is good, drops to 9.5V when trying to start but that's identical on my other bike and that thing starts amazingly quick. Here's a video of the sound.

any other ideas??

[BigD_83]

Video is private, Rob.

[azr]

Try the video again, seems there was one more thing I had to do to publish it.

[JTGS850GL]

To me it doesn't sound like the starter is turning the engine over at all. Pull a plug and see if you can tell if the pistons are going up and down. My bet is a starter clutch problem.

[JayWB]

Sounds to me like it's cranking slowly, but it also sounds like it's got no compression.

Did the cam chain jump a tooth or three?

[BigD_83]

Are you sure the engine is turning over? It doesn't actually sound all that "slow". I have one foot in the starter clutch camp.

[Redman]

Good video.

Sounds like starter motor turning something, and something is putting a load on the starter motor (isn't just spinning freely like is just the starter motor out on a bench connected to nothing), but engine crank not turning (pistons not going up and down). COuld verify that by listning more at end of exhaust, or by removing a plug to hear if air blowing out and sucking in.

Sounds like starter motor is turning, and probably turning the starter clutch, but starter clutch not turning engine, starter clutch grabbing some but not turning engine.

.

[Redman]

I suspect they are all the same but here is microfiche for 80 1000G starter clutch.
The entire mechanism relys on that spring (6) and roller (5) .
Any problem with the spring or that roller or the surface it goes upagainst... and it will slip and not turn engine.

[Redman]

hey,
found this
video of starter clutch, shows it slipping a few times and then shows it grabbing.
and, hey its a GS1000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CGfStxPaF8

.

[81GS850]

Thinking the starter clutch...

[azr]

That's a pretty funny video indeed. I'm going to pull the stator cover off this weekend and see what's going on in there. Something has obviously come loose/broken. Someone questioned the cam chain but it's fine because when the bike does start it runs perfectly and I have been into the cams last week checking the valve clearances and everything was fine. Thanks for all your input everyone, I felt it was in starter clutch as well but I wanted to get a consensuses before I pull the stator cover and have to order another gasket. It's weird though, since I was last into the starter clutch/rotor I've put probably 6000km or more on the bike with no issues, I'll be interested to see what has given.

[Brendan W]

To me that sounds like the battery is toast. 9.6 V is way too low imho. Have you tried jumping from a car battery direct to the batt +ve and a lug on the crankcase. If not I would before tearing in to a starter clutch which sounds ok to me.