Removing starter motor - advice sought

[Malvern_Beemer]

Guidance appreciated from anyone who’s had a hexhead starter motor off. I have a long standing issue with intermittent starting on my 2010 GSA. I’ll go to start the bike and although I get a clicking from the start switch nothing at the starter motor. A light tap of the starter motor with my heel usually does the trick. When it first occurred my dealer had the bike in and diagnosed corrosion in the wiring loom power supply to the starter motor. This is not covered by warranty so they did some remedial touching up of the power cable and since then as long as I liberally dowse around the starter motor with WD40 after the bike gets wet it seems to keep the issue at bay. For the first time in over a year, this week after washing the bike prior to its MOT and forgetting to spray the required WD40 on afterwards, the problem has returned. I’ve got a 10 day tour of Italy coming up in May and I’d really like to do all I can to ensure that this doesn’t rear its head during the trip. To this end I want to remove the started motor and check the wiring behind it, if necessary coating anything relevant in something like Vaseline to protect it as much as possible from moisture.
My question is, how big a job is removing the starter motor? Can it be done without removing other major components? The Haynes and BMW workshop manuals would seem to suggest that it is fairly straightforward but I would appreciate any hints and tips from anyone who has done this on a hexhead.

 

[Oldie]

One of the easiest jobs on the bike, from memory.

Why not just replace it while you're at it. The £60 ones on ebay.de will probably be fine - mine was. (1100GS)

 

[Malvern_Beemer]

Nothing wrong with the starter motor, it's only a year old, it's the loom cables that connect to it that are the problem.

 

[Bendy toy]

I took my starter off with a Torx socket set and small spanners for the wiring. I also stripped it cleaned the brushes greased its gearbox and put it all back. Apart from needing some small cable ties to hold the brushes while assembling it was a fairly straightforward job.

If the wiring is failing you could consider splicing in new wires or even fitting new wires and connectors.

Question is why has the wire deteriorated so much?

 

[MattW]

I would also be interested in how the dealer knows it's the wiring and how they did their (it would appear, ineffective) repairs?

If the wiring to the starter has corrosion issues, spraying with WD40 wouldn't fix it (nor would tapping the starter). However tapping the starter can free a stuck solenoid... Could the dealer be trying to sidestep a warranty claim?

 

[Malvern_Beemer]

No, I have no issue with the diagnosis or quality of work carried out by the dealer (Benham, Wolverhampton). The issue was diagnosed while the dealer was carrying out an engine core plug replacement procedure under warranty and the entire back end of the bike was off allowing good access to the area around the starter motor. The remedial repair work that Benham's were able to carry out on the loom cabling (not under warranty and at no charge to myself) has lasted for over a year and I have no issue with this.
The starter motor was replaced at the time that the issue first occurred by the dealer in Scotland (Inverness) that I was recovered to by BMW breakdown recovery. They failed to spot the corrosion. The issue was still present immediately (i.e. later that day) after the starter was replaced with a new one. It is beyond question that the issue is being caused by corrosion and the treatment with WD40 will absolutely alleviate the issue which as I stated above is always preceded by the bike being soaked in water. This is why I wish to remove the starter and see if there is anything I can do to repair/protect the wiring prior to a long trip around Italy. The alternative is to have the entire loom replaced, the cost of which doesn't bare thinking about.

 

[Bendy toy]

You could wrap the cables with self amalgamating loom tape. This seals out water and binds the wires together. Its non sticky but sticks to itself.

When I had the back end off my bike, the starter and gearbox wiring turned out to have a very strange routing. It's basically wrapped close to the engine before the rear subframe and airbox are fitted. If the wires are left outside while the frame is fitted the connectors will not reach and frame has to be removed/refitted. Its another example of BMW's Department A not talking to Department B.

PS Ive always liked Benham though have now moved away.

 

[Malvern_Beemer]

You could wrap the cables with self amalgamating loom tape. This seals out water and binds the wires together. Its non sticky but sticks to itself.

When I had the back end off my bike, the starter and gearbox wiring turned out to have a very strange routing. It's basically wrapped close to the engine before the rear subframe and airbox are fitted. If the wires are left outside while the frame is fitted the connectors will not reach and frame has to be removed/refitted. Its another example of BMW's Department A not talking to Department B.

PS Ive always liked Benham though have now moved away.

Many thanks for that Bendy, useful to know. Anyone else looking for self amalgamating loom tape I found this source:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/2709...1=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0