Starting / Starter motor problems.

[(RIP) MOTÖRHEAD]

Yup another one of 'those' threads.

Bike is an 03 1150GSA

Just had the bike back together after two weeks of preening & cleaning after a winter of riding & green laning.

Stuck the tank back on, connected the fuel lines, checked the throttle cables are seated correctly in the throttle bodies.

Ignition on, fuel pump makes all the usual noises & HID lights up.
So I go and press the starter and all I hear is the starter spinning up like a good'un.
The engine isn't turning over, just the starter spinning up.
The battery has loads of juice and before I took the bike off the road for cleaning up, it was running fine and always starting on the button.

I've just taken the side cover off the starter and given it a few firm taps with a leather headed mallet while on the starter button, but still the same.

So, any clues as where to start looking?

 

[hodge1150]

possibly solenoid sticking, not throwing the starter gear out to engage with the clutch housing gear.
remove, drill out small rivets, clean up and replace. dont worry its a piece of p---s to remove and strip.
cheers
hodge

 

[(RIP) MOTÖRHEAD]

possibly solenoid sticking, not throwing the starter gear out to engage with the clutch housing gear.
remove, drill out small rivets, clean up and replace. dont worry its a piece of p---s to remove and strip.
cheers
hodge

Sounds like it's could be that and worth a 'shufty' as I'm not hearing any solenoid style clicking while the starter is spinning.
I suppose I petter find a pot rivet gun and correct size rivets to put it back together afterwards.

Any more for anymore?

I'll use this as my course of action. I'm sure other bods may have some other theories but your solution seems very feasable and conducive to what I'm hearing my end when I try to get the bike fired up.
Probably won't get a chance to strip it until next weekend.

Cheers fella.

 

[Roger Chatterton]

Hi Motorhead,
don't know if it helps at all, but I have a spare , fully recon starter motor (Valeo) , which was on my 1150 GSA. Not been used since its recon; if you were closer you'd be more than welcome to borrow and fit,and see if that worked. At least then you'd know then it was a starter problem.
Also, if it helps, I have, (thanks to Noddy !) the details of a Thetford company that did the recon for me.
PM me if you need the info
Good Luck

PS as above, it's dead easy to get the starter off !!!

 

[(RIP) MOTÖRHEAD]

Thanks for the offer Roger.
I'll strip the blighter down first & see if I can sort it. Won't be a problem taking the starter out & by the look of the Haynes cartoon comic of wisdom, strip it down.
Just needed a vague pointer in the direction of common or recognised faults before I waded in.

If the solenoid has failed, I take it I can get one as a replacement from somewhere?

I've been to Thetford for than a few times.
Is it Jaws motorcycles that do the refurb?

 

[Roger Chatterton]

If the solenoid has failed, I take it I can get one as a replacement from somewhere?

I've been to Thetford for than a few times.
Is it Jaws motorcycles that do the refurb?

Hi again,
not sure if you can replace just the solenoid.....sure someone more knowledgeable than myself will advise...

no, I got the starter refurbed through Noddy, with a firm he has dealt with for years -Valeo's are used on Fiat & Citroen cars i understand. No time at the moment, but I will PM you this evening sometime with info on the guys that did my starter -

 

[(RIP) MOTÖRHEAD]

No time at the moment, but I will PM you this evening sometime with info on the guys that did my starter -

That'd be much appreciated.
Thanks again fella.

 

[Roger Chatterton]

PM sent with info

 

[(RIP) MOTÖRHEAD]

PM sent with info

Received

 

[hodge1150]

pop rivets

I didnt bother riveting it on rebuild, 3 capscrews hold it together anyway and its located by pins. Done 20,000 miles since strip.
Bet you find a good clean is all it needs
Good luck
Hodge

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

If the motor is turning full tilt, then it means the solenoid is making contact.
What could be is that the sprag-clutch under the bendix is slipping.
I think you need to put the shaft in a vise and use a long lever to test if it gives under load.

 

[(RIP) MOTÖRHEAD]

All sorted now.

As hodge1150 said, piece of p*ss to sort.
The small rivets that were drilled are just transit rivets that I recon are used during the initial assembly and aren't needed when putting it back together as (as stated before by hodge) there are capscrews already there doing the same job as the rivets.

The reason why my starter wasn't engaging with the engine was the starter pinion had got gummed up with crud and wasn't sliding up the armature.
I cleaned the armature & starter pionion as well as popping out the solenoid lever arm/copper barrel from the solenoid, cleaned that and gave it a light coat of clear grease.
Stuck it all back together & jobs a good'un.

Fired up on the button, first go.

A nice easy job to get you out in the garage for part of an evening.

It really is dead easy and considering how much crud gets in there, would be a good idea to do this strip & check as a bit of unscheduled maintanence once every , oooh, I dunno....20,000 miles?

Haynes manual section 8.24 or microfiche exploded diagram of the starter motor is all that's needed to see what goes where as you dismantle & put back together.

Cheers for your input guys.