CRUNCH - think my 2010 FatBob has eaten the starter motor

[Kenny]

Just done 150 miles around lovely North wales. Bike perfect. Gets onto my path and tries to start it to ride in the garage...horrible crunching noise and now just clicking behind the left engine case. I think the starter has broken up ( hopefully not the starter ring ). So, never worked on a HD before...does the left hand engine casing simply come off and will I need a new gasket etc., so I can inspect the starter motor ( looks like I will TBH ) ?

 

[Kenny]

Little bit of research shows starter motor access from other side and is straight forward to do....but the feckin' price of Fat Bob FXDF model . Hopefully it is that. Just the clunking on the left side when starter pressed. Hate to buy a starter and it isn't that !!

 

[Hairnet600]

rebuild?

starter is a starter not parts of a unicorn innit

 

[boxer]

Could be the compensator. Weak spring causes the two halves to ride over each other and make a noise you won’t forget.
If it is the compensator fear not, by chance, there’s an updated compensator in the SE catalogue.
Starter motor is top rhs of image

 

[Kenny]

Thanks. Interesting. Mine made a similar awful racket and now just clicks and won't turn over.

 

[squibb34]

It sounds like it's either the primary ring gear or the compensator.

The ring gear will throw up metallic debris in the primary oil & on the drain plug, but you would usually hear the starter motor spinning up as it fails to engage the stripped teeth.

This leaves the compensator as the most likely candidate, sometimes said to be caused by running with a low primary case oil level, but you won't really know until you get in there. Upgraded compensators are available, or go solid. Maybe talk to Hogparts or ARH.

Just a final thought - we are being guided by your description of primary side noise. Problems with the starter motor itself, the solenoid, relay or a low battery condition cannot be discounted. Having just replaced the Yuasa battery on my EG (after 14 years!) I found that whilst the CCA had degraded, the terminals were,'t exactly snugged down tight either.

 

[Kenny]

Thanks for the replies..all appreciated. Newish fully charged battery. Bike getting collected on the 29th July for repair at local Harley mechanics. From reading up, I will also go with the compensator but having never worked on a HD I'll let an expert do the repair.