'81 850GLX - A Whirring Starter Motor

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Welcome, Steedracer.
Introduce yourself and your bike w/some pics in the GS Owners forum. Great to have you here and great that you may have found a clue to start digging into your problem. Start a new thread in the appropriate forum once you get to digging around inside the stator cover and scratching your head. Lots of people here eager to help.

[Steedracer]

I don’t have any manuals as of yet. What’s the easiest way to get the 8mm bolt out that is in the middle of th engine (as opposed to the outer side of the cover?). The engine was still a bit hot so it was hard to work my wrench in there. My socket wrench with the adapter was too tall. Also, As I tried to loosen that 8mm bolt, I kept knocking off th electrical connector right by it, as it looks like it is clipped onto a small screw/terminal. I think it may be the oil pressure switch connector.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

You'll find owners manuals, service manuals and wiring diagrams here:

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Don't know which bolt you mean but someone else may. Really sounds to me by your mention of middle of engine and oil pressure switch that you might be removing the oil filter cover and not the stator cover. Removing the oil filter will get you half way to an oil change in a hurry. Removing the stator cover (left side as you're sitting in the bike) will dump just a little oil if you don't tilt the bike as has already been described in this thread. You really should start your own thread with your bike in the title and brief problem. Ex. '81 GS 1100L remove stator cover.

Put your bike info in your signature. Then you'll never need to answer that question. Use the search function.
Read about the top newbie mistakes: https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ewbie-Mistakes

[Steedracer]

Thanks Rich. I was actually referring to the screw on the stator cover. I just had to go and buy a small 1/4” drive socket wrench so th slower profile would allow me to get in there and remove the cover. Tom203 has been very helpful in talking me through the starter clutch repair/issue in another thread I posted (at your suggestion). Learning lots. Tremendous advice being offered here. Thanks.