SFC1000 Starter Clutch

ngiles

ngiles

Senior member
Location
Sydney, Australia
The starter on my SFC1000 (50k kms) has a slight rattle immediately after starting - disappears after a second.  I figured I'd take a look and check all was well inside and renovate if needed.  So I took it apart, pulling off the alternator rotor and the starter clutch.  I was a bit surprised that the clutch has 30 or so sprags, not the 6 I was expecting - infact its an entirely different design.  It has obviously been worked on given the punch marks on the 'sprag cover'.  Can anyone shed light on this type of starter clutch?  See photos:
 

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the talking bit may have been me!

that is a Howdi clutch (an Australian after market kit) they used a sprag bearing from a GM auto transmission, where when flooded with oil in the car use, it gives massive mileage, and is rarely even replaced when rebuilding other types  transmission, with similar bearings, I did a lot of research on this mod for Nick Alcock (he bought two, both failed, full refund given) as I have connections with a close friend who is an auto transmission rebuilder, he allowed me access to his parts books and trade only suppliers of parts, the GM trans is so cheap to buy that not even Mick rebuilds them, he just buys new and scraps the old, his ability and wisdom, is so good that even Rolls Royce send him transmissions from the 50's to 80's, (they themselves having sold him masses of NLA NOS parts, in the 90's) to replace that sprag bearing is around 120GBP and it wont make it last any longer, they were not successful in the Laverda triple as you have found out, bin it and get a stock item.

CLEM
 
I still have the Howdi starter in my Rgs .The original GM gearbox component certainly was a failure , it has chewed up quite a few alternators on my  Lav but I don't give up very easily. With a little bit of help from a friendly lady in an auto transmission place  we managed to find another GM sprag . The original one held the sprags in-between 2 rings where as the revised one has another slightly smaller 2 rings as extra support . I have been running this new sprag  for over three and a half years ,was just before my argument with that pesky Commodore which ironically probably had that early sprag in it .I have pulled it out to check it on several occasions and looks as good as the day I put it in so am  pretty chuffed.  The part no is T700r4 and is also out of  a GM auto transmission.   
 
3 years of standing the garage (as an extreme) would not mean anything, so - how many kilometers and starts did you do on it roughly, please?
 
Laverdalothar said:
3 years of standing the garage (as an extreme) would not mean anything, so - how many kilometers and starts did you do on it roughly, please?
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I don't think anyone could accuse Levo of not using his bike enough. He's probably done more miles on his RGS than anyone else on this forum.
What's the total now Levo? Well over 300,000 km I suspect.
 
Lothar I live in Australia so we lucky aussies get to ride year round. I am retired so get to play on it quite often maybe three or four times a week so have done a considerable amount of ks but couldn't be exact. I rebuilt my bike seven months after my accident which was three and a half years ago and have been riding it ever since.

Clem you are right my mistake, that was the number I was given. Will check with friendly lady for correct part no.

Hey Cam well its a bit more than that now. Red rebuilt my engine about 4years ago it was showing 385000ks then quite unbelievable but true . I still remember him commenting when he saw the pistons and also the con rods as they were still good he was quite surprised. Of course they were replaced with Carrillo rods and Ross pistons. The only reason we pulled it down was it was leaking oil from the gearbox main shaft and we were keen to see the insides of it cause it was still running really well. I might add that I have changed my oil roughly every 1500 ks with Penrite HPR50 which is quite a thick oil at 40/70 . My RGS has been a remarkable motorcycle. Laverda's are a very underrated pieces of kit. I have tried to kill mine  a few times as it has me and we are both still here.
Levo
 
levo said:
4years ago it was showing 385000ks then quite unbelievable but true
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385,000km is pretty much exactly the distance between the earth and moon! You and the bike must be over 400,000km by now, so you've been around the moon and you're on the way back :D

I wouldn't be surprised if that's a record for a Laverda. It would be interesting to know whether anyone else can claim a greater distance travelled on one bike. Certainly not me. If I added up all the mileages on all the bikes I've ever owned, I doubt whether it would come to 400,000.

I guess that speedo with the big numbers got wiped out in crash, but if you can figure out its current mileage you'll have to throw a party for the bike when it reaches half a million km.
 
Cam all I know is it only had 39000 ks on it when I bought it 17 years ago. A bike I didn't really want ,I only bought it of a mate to help him out cause he was in a bit of a jam but so glad that I have it. Those figures I cant really prove Cam but you are right up till the head on with the Commodore the speedo had been around a few times.
Levo
 
What failed with Howdi, the maker turned up at a nsw club night years ago to demo it.It looked masive and weight lots.Years later after some catastruphes he recalled them and returned the moneys.Very sad busness alround
 
Vince the last  couple of times I rode with you I had the Howdi sprag installed am .As above am quite happy with its performance now.
Levo
 
Hope Nick has the same result,he might need the details of your mod.How long ago was that Oxley ride we did,between chisy and new year.Love that road
 
Vince will hopefully head in tomorrow to auto transmission place for part no, weather not too good up here at the moment. Not sure about that ride but I think it was the year before the big bang.
Levo
 
Ah your a pistal Cam I really enjoy your sense of humor. I am sure you know what I meant. Not god, I'm just a washed up never was........ but I'm still here and enjoying my  life and Laverda.
Levo
 
levo said:
Ah your a pistal Cam I really enjoy your sense of humor. I am sure you know what I meant. Not god, I'm just a washed up never was........ but I'm still here and enjoying my  life and Laverda.
Levo
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang
 
Onya, Levo!

400000+km is indeed impressive.  Reckon the short change intervals and 40W70 could have a lot to do with that, seriously doubt a bike would cope with it in a northern european climate though. :D

piet
 
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