Is this normal? (Starter Clutch Issue)

[schott1984]

Ok guys. got home and messed around with it. Put two quarts of oil back in it, the starter clutch does occasionally engage, so the bolts aren't sheared right? The best way I've found to start it for now is this:

Put the bike in first, keep the clutch disengaged,
with key on, switch on run, get in the bike, shove it forward just a little, while it's still moving, engage the clutch, then hit the starter button, then immediately disengage the clutch again.
With this little help from the bikes momentum, the starter clutch will remain engaged until I let the starter button off.

Yeah, it's awkward, but worked for now to get it running and put around the neighborhood practicing. This is my first bike.

[txironhead]

That's almost exactly how mine acted with a broken clutch plate. Still needs to be fixed.

If the threads are on the outside of the inner shaft on the rotor, you need the special puller. If they're inside, you can use the bolt.

[schott1984]

So, if nothing is "broken", can't I just replace the springs/pins/rollers? The whole set itself is a little more expensive than I'd like to spend on it.

[txironhead]

If nothing is broken or excessively worn, then your springs are probably weak. Replace them, and go ahead and replace the bolts. Check the sprocket area that the rollers grab on to for excessive wear, and if any of the rollers are out of round, worn or galled replace them.

[schott1984]

Alright, thanks. I just bought a used "working condition" whole clutch set on ebay. Hopefully it works ok, at least better than the old one heh.

[maxpower_hd]

I just suddenly ran into the same problem with a 79 GS1000L. At first I thought for sure it was the broken bolt thing described earlier. I took the cover off and hit the starter button and saw the gear spinning behind the clutch without doing anything else. I do have the threads on the outside of the hub on the clutch so I guess I need the special puller. No one has mentioned where to get one yet. Has anyone bought one? I also have a bolt in the center as well. Sounds a little different than what was described previously.

Anyway, later on, I started removing the bolt. It seemed a bit hard, so I ran it back in. Then I hit the button and it worked correctly. I guess that means that the bolts are not broken. Does that mean the clutch is bad? I'm kind of stumped.

As far as the puller goes, I was thinking of finding a nut to fit on the hud threads and then using a puller on that. What do you guys think?

Thanks

[gert du prez]

do a search on the forum on
'how to lock rotor', that thread will solve your issue

seems to be the same problem that I had, nothing is broken, but the flywheel is turning loose without contact to the crankshaft

[maxpower_hd]

That looks like it may solve my problem. I was stupidly searching 'starter'
and 'starter clutch'. For some reason that thread did not come up.

There was also another thread with the rotor puller. I thing I'm going to try to make one first. I'll see if I can get the appropriate nut and then try a puller on that. If that doesn't work, I'll start welding the nut to stuff until I can make it work. $50 is a bit steep for a tool I will likely only use once. If all else fails, I'll beg the machine shop at work to make one for me.

Thanks for the help.

[txironhead]

If you insist on using a puller, make sure you don't mess up your crank threads. If you could put a nut on there and somehow use a slide hammer on it that should work.

[maxpower_hd]

Upon closer inspection, it seems that there is a threaded section inside the hole where the crank bolt goes that is larger than the actual mounting bolt. It looks almost like it is there just to pull it. Since I could not find a nut anywhere near large enough, I may try to find a bolt that fits those larger threads and use a slide hammer on that. I think I may have to weld the bolt I get to anoother bolt to get it to work with the hammer. We'll have to see.

Thanks

[txironhead]

You don't need to go to all of that trouble, all you need is a 14mm X 1.5 thread pitch X 3" bolt and an impact wrench. Thread the bolt into the rotor, carefully give it a shot or two with the impact wrench and the rotor should pop right off.

[maxpower_hd]

I'll give that a try and see what happens. I actually already have one in my Toyota parts collection.


Thanks again.

[maxpower_hd]

You don't need to go to all of that trouble, all you need is a 14mm X 1.5 thread pitch X 3" bolt and an impact wrench. Thread the bolt into the rotor, carefully give it a shot or two with the impact wrench and the rotor should pop right off.

Well I don't know if this one is different than others or if I am just not doing it right. I'm guessing the ladder.

If I stick a pen or something in the hole, there is an easy 5" of space from the surface of the hole to the deepest portion, so I'm not sure how or why a 3" bolt would pull the rotor off. I did try it however and the bolt just bottoms out without contacting anything or removing the rotor.

I can't seem to find a nut large enough to fit over the threads on the outside portion of the hub on the rotor so that is out. And I have not yet found a bolt that will fit the larger sized threads on the inside, larger threads on the outer portion of the rotor that I can use with the slide hammer.

Should I place something inside the hole, like a pin or threaded rod, to take up some space between the 3" bolt and the back of the hole so there is something for it to sort of push against? I really don't want to screw it up but I really don't want to buy this one time use $50 + shipping tool either. There HAS to be another way, even if it takes a little longer.

Thanks again and sorry for all the questions.

[txironhead]

The bolt has worked for me and others, but then mine did not have the external threads. The crank bolt on my GS750E is 12mm, and the larger interior threads on my rotor are 14mm, so there is a lip for the 14mm bolt to press against and therefore push the rotor off of the crankshaft. Yours may only be able to utilize the exterior puller. However, if the threads on the inside of the rotor are larger than the threads on the inside of the crank, a sufficiently sized bolt should be able to take the rotor off. If you don't have an impact wrench, I've heard that threading the larger bolt in until it bottoms out and rapping it with a hammer, tightening the bolt while doing so, will take the rotor off.

You really don't want to attempt anything that might damage the threads on your crankshaft, as I did when I attempted to remove the rotor using a three-jaw puller. Now I've got to fix the threads on the crank before I can do anything else.

[maxpower_hd]

Thanks TX. I guess that is where the confusion lies. My larger thread sizes are different. I am still hunting for the bolt.

I'll let you know what finally works.

Thanks again.