850GS Starter cover.

[Guest]

Just a small note to the other GS850 owners, there must be an easier way to change a damaged starter motor cover.
There's no room for fat fingers to get to inside 5mm bolt, I had to use a allen key rachet tool to reach inside and tighten the screw/bolt.
But guess what, the negative starter terminal is in the wrong alignment, this causes the cover to sit on the insulated terminal and won't go all the way down. Leaving a clear 8mm gap all the way around.
This may mean taking the starter motor out and realigning the terminals to the correct position.
Oh, The joys of home mechanics!

[tom203]

I hope you meant " the positive starter terminal is in the wrong alignment" !

yes, the terminal is slightly off- is it a rebuilt unit?

[sinkankan]

The terminal has a black rubber isolator boot on it, so one presumes it's the negative.

[Steve]

The terminal has a black rubber isolator boot on it, so one presumes it's the negative.

And one would presume INCORRECTLY.

The starter is earthed to the crankcase ("earth" is the negative side).

The large black wire that goes to the starter comes from the starter solenoid, which is fed by the POSITIVE side of the battery.

The boot is there to keep the POSITIVE terminal from shorting out on the EARTHED cover.

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[Chris G]

No sir, the rubber boot will be there to prevent the positive terminal touching / grounding to metal work, or at least it should be.

[bwringer]

You don't need to remove the starter to fix this. As noted above, the terminal is for the POSITIVE connection and really needs to have the rubber boot in place. Loosen it a bit and rotate, then carefully re-tighten (just snug -- don't crack the plastic insulation around the terminal). Ground is through the case.

If you've had the starter out, you will want to watch for an oil leak emerging from the Mystery Hole. If you didn't replace the old hardened o-ring around the nose of the starter, it's quite likely to start leaking.

[tkent02]

Looks like it might be the wrong cover for an 850. The different models have different covers.

Not sure.

[sinkankan]

Looks like it might be the wrong cover for an 850. The different models have different covers.

Not sure.

Tkent 02, it was quoted as the right cover by the Suzuki dealer, but even with the "black non- positive" rubber boot on it it won't clear. So as originally stated it seems that the starter has been moved/ modified by the previous owner.
And this needs to be rotated around to clear it. A small job but annoying.
And one has done electrical work on bikes, cars, boats before. Usually the positive terminals have a red rubber boot over to signify a power cable underneath.

[cowboyup3371]

Please listen to the information being passed to you. That wire goes to the starter solenoid that is fed by the positive side of the battery.

How would you mean the starter post is not aligned properly? Can you take a picture of the starter itself?

[sinkankan]

Whoa Partner.

Lets not blow this up into something big partner, it's a trivial matter of checking it out the problem and coming up with a favourable solution.
I checked out the starter schematics last night and yes, it does only have the one wire going to the casing terminal.
If I can rotate the starter 30 degrees it'll clear the cover, if not I'll have to research and find out out if there's an alternate cover, but as stated before it was suppose to be the right one, and I'm pretty confident the seller at the Suzuki dealer I go to knows his GS's.
And as the writer of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle repair once said "“Logic presumes a separation of subject from object; therefore logic is not final wisdom.This is Zen. This is my motorcycle maintenance.",

And one shouldn't presume because my tag says "Junior Member" that I'm 16 and still wet behind the ears, I'm in my mid 50's and have an Engineering Diploma.
But thanks for your kind words, and encouragement.

[tkent02]

Most likely someone previous used a different starter, so the connection is in a different place. Check the part number on the starter.

[cowboyup3371]

And one shouldn't presume because my tag says "Junior Member" that I'm 16 and still wet behind the ears, I'm in my mid 50's and have an Engineering Diploma.
But thanks for your kind words, and encouragement.

No one presumed anything about your knowledge but whatever.

[Steve]

The terminal on the starter should be pointing toward the back edge of the cavity in which the starter lives. Although you have not said in so many words, I get the impression that it is pointing a bit more upright.

Remove the starter. Loosen the two bolts that run down the length of the starter. Rotate the starter case to align the terminal, you may see some 'witness marks' at the seams to assist you. Tighten the two bolts you loosened, re-install the starter, install the cover, GO FOR A RIDE.

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[sinkankan]

Starter fix.

Yeap steve all good, going to attack it tonight.
I also have to try and find the brake cable brackets for the front wheel which keep the cables off the guard. If not I know of a spring maker here in Perth that can whip them up out of stainless.
I also ordered another pair of side covers, as these old ones are starting to get fine cracks in them again, they were repaired and repainted but age seemed to catch up on them.
I'm seriously happy that you can get most parts for these GS's, unlike the BSA I have were I had to scrounge beg and make some hard to find bits.

Happy trails and stay upright!

[Chris G]

What year is your GS850G, new side covers looked a few times on a parts company but they show as no longer available for my 86 GS850 when these guys state no longer available, my main dealer normally echo the same, do you have a link to where you got hold of them, thanks