starter replacement 550E

[550ERAT]

83 GS550E. Think the starter is bad. When thge bike gets hot, it won't start. Started right up today, rode ot fer about 1/2 hour. Got home. shut it off (sorta stalled it), wouldn't re start. Pushed it into garage, 5mins later, started right up. So...How hard is it to remove the starter? replace or rebuild? Thanks

[jbs80106]

Its an easy job...

First question though, when it won't start when hot, does it crank at all? If not, I'd pull the starter, take it apart first and clean it out. Probably full of grease and dirt which will loosen up when its hot. This keeps the brushes from making enough contact with the unit to make it turn.

It could be that you're brushes need replacing too. You can buy them for cheap, or buy the whole unit that holds the brushes (costs much more). I've gotten by with just cleaning the thing out.

You'll probably need to get your carbs free (either removed or just freed from the boots so you can move them up outta the way. Starter lies underneath them below the cam chain tensioner.

Need some small wrenches and sockets to get it out but not disassembly is required (atleast on a 650)...don't have to take the cam tensioner off....

[550ERAT]

Nope, bike won't turn. Almost like a soleniod issue, but that isn't at all hot. The cover of starter is hot, so that's why I'm thinkin it's that.

[Blueandorangefish]

This is almost exactly the problem I just fixed on my 83 GS550E. Welcome to the goofy technical problem club.

My first thought was a grounding problem. I checked with a couple local mechanics I know and they both agreed that it was distinctly possible that once the engine gets hot that a grounding point may lose contact.

What threw me off was that my starter solenoid burned out, with the starter side wire actually glowing red (wanna talk about a sight that will freak you out). I replaced the solenoid, but the original problem still was not fixed.

I finally gave up and picked up a used starter from ebay for a pretty good price and the whole thing works like a champ now.

As long as you're hearing that solenoid clicking, take it totally out of consideration for troubleshooting.

The starter is challenging, but not overly hard to get out. Here is my method I used a couple weeks ago:

-Remove battery and battery box (this requires removal of fuse box and two electronic parts on the other side of the box).
-Remove screw on top of airbox and bolts holding down the tank, then remove the hose connected to the top of the box and loosen up clamps on the carb boots.
-Slide air box back as far as possible
-Remove boots that sit between airbox and carbs.
-The choke cables will cause some difficulty, but I simply removed the cable from the choke slider on the left handle to give slack.
-Remove fuel lines from petcock
-Remove carbs to the right side of the motor and rest them on the right side of the block (unless you have something better to support it handy)
-Remove cam chain tensioner.
-There was a lot of oil and debris sitting on top of the block, so I used this opportunity to clean up as much as possible.
-Remove starter cover
-Remove two bolts holding starter to the block and remove the wire running from to the starter
-Here's where it gets tricky. The oil lines will get in the way, so as you are backing out the starter, you will have to turn it slightly so you can angle it around them.

I found when I was putting everything together, the boots were the most difficult thing to get seated properly. After much frustration, I found that installing them on to the airbox first then use the airbox to push the boots onto the carbs worked best. You will probably be wishing you could grow an extra arm or two to get the boots on.

Best of luck!

[550ERAT]

HOLY CRAP!!!!! lol.....I have a manual and suprisingly, it says nothing about the carbs/airbox etc....being moved.. Just the cam chain tensioner. I am werking on a bid now for a new/used starter, so once I get one, i'll get the process going. Thanks.

[Blueandorangefish]

You probably don't absolutely have to, it just makes things TONS easier if you remove the carbs. Plus, it really doesn't take that long. I used the opportunity to get a good look inside the carbs while I had them out, plus check the tensioner.

[rokacook]

Good idea to replace starter before riding again as the can result is spike in current draw and short out battery, CDI, and various lights on the bike.. Do not ride until starter is replaced. If you do you may be sorry as I was!

[550ERAT]

Thanks for the info. I am goin away ona mini vacation so not riding will not be a problem

[jbs80106]

sure sounds like a lot more work...

I just:

• loosened up hose clamps on boots (both sides) securing the carbs
• pop out the airbox side first (on mine this is just some wiggling/tilt and pull)
• tip carbs up to get them to slip outta the engine-side boots.
• manipulate them up to get as much clearance as possible (removing the tank helps alot!)
• Use either 4 or 6mm (I forget) box wrench to get the 3 bolts out holding starter cover in place (do the single one near center of engine from the right side of the bike!).
• (STOP HERE TO TEST), tie some rope around ur clutch to keep it pulled. Put voltmeter on to DC volts, put red probe on connect to the starter, put neg probe on battery, turn on the key and hit the start button to see if you got voltage there.....12V-ish most likely. If so, continue. If NOT, you've got another problem somewhere.
• use 6mm socket to get off the 2 hex-head bolts holding the starter in place. The one under the cam-chain tensioner can be a beeatch...
• manipulate the starter motor to get it out. This probably takes some fiddling with the carbs too unless you've removed them from the bike already. It will come out, just keep angling it and rotating it one way or the other.....

Do the reverse to get it back in. Its tricky to get back in but just keep playing with the angle you're putting it in (putting in the gear end first obviously.....

That's the way I do it.

[chuckycheese]

Different?

The 550E must be a lot different than my bikes. I can remove the starter on either one of my bikes in about 5 minutes. My manuals say to remove the carbs and cam chain tensioner...which is totally unnecessary. (By the way, both of my bikes are totally stock.)

[rokacook]

On my 750e I just removed carbs and said so what it was easier to do and less stress just take off the carbs rear bolt not a problem with extension

[hampshirehog]

I've heard tale of being able to get the starter out without pulling the carbs but it's bloody tight in there and I can't see that it can be done easily. It's not too much hassle to pull the carbs and it gives you soooo much more room.

[Headphase]

I removed mine the other day, on a 1980 gs750L (16 valve) I just managed to remove it without taking anything else off.

Anyway, back to your problem. While you have the starter out, slide a bit of sandpaper up and down on the end of the brushes, they can end up not seating properly, might just help.

[MelodicMetalGod]

I removed the starter in my 85 GS550ES last year and I gotta tell ya, it was a PITA!!! I was only pulling it to clean out an insect mud home in the starter bay and I considered many times as to whether or not it was even worth the trouble.

I already had the carbs out anyway, but to get the starter out I also had to remove the cam chaing tensioner and I had to loosen the oil line banjo bolts just a touch so that I could rotate them out of the way. Even then I had to work the angles to get the starter out.

Here's a pic of the starter in the bay. You can see the cam chain tensioner and the oil line banjo's and how they infringe on the exit path for the starter. If you can remove the starter without touching the tensioner or the banjo's I'd be very surprised.

Best of luck!

[p_s]

Weird carb club:
I have to pull the starter on my '85 GS550ES.
I also have no garage and not many tools at the moment.
Had to make two stops today to find a 7mm wrench to get the lid off.
What sockets do I need for the rest of the job?

I have 8/10/12/14 sockets and 7/10/12/14 wrenches (and bigger stuff I'm sure I won't need). I saw the cam-chain tensioner locknut is 12 mm. Sounds like I need a 6 mm socket for the starter motor mounting bolts, but that sounds really small. Anything besides a 6mm socket I should pick up? Once I take the bike apart it will be a major pain in the ass to get more tools.