While we're on starters, another question...

A

andre

Senior member
Wise men

I've had a couple of recent instances starting my SFC1000 - when I push the starter button I only hear a click noise. Push button again, same thing. So I put it in gear, rock bike back forward and back briefly, then into neutral, push starter button and bike starts fine.

So I figure sprag clutch needs a clean and new springs, or does starter motor need the same?

I dont want to lash out and unneccesarily service both, although after 22 years they deserve it. Went faster when I gave it a new throttle cable

Advice pls. Andre
 
Andre,
from the symptoms described it seems to me that  your starter motor needs repair.
When you push the bike back, the starter clutch engages and turns the starter rotor back. It regains contact and can start the next time.
It may be the brushes, or in a worse scenario the rotor.

When you press the button and nothing happens, can you sense a burning smell? Does the starter motor or the + wire get hot?
These would be the signs of short circuit.

Boba
 
Andre, is the click coming from the engine or under the seat? Had a similar problem on a bike many, many moons ago, turned out to corrosion on the battery terminals and earth connections. Once cleaned all was fine, low current draw was ok but not the large amount needed by the starter, the click I could hear was the solenoid. Bump started the thing for a week before I found the reason, it was about this time I began to realise the importance of general maintenance as well as routine servicing ::)

Maitland.

 
Boba is right, I had the same on mine and the contacts were simply to short to be pressed against the rotor. One had no contact at all and the other one wasn't able to turn the engine alone.

replace them (available) and clean everything, check the bearings and off you go.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.
I'll strip down the starter motor. And if I feel energetic, may strip sprag clutch anyway. (Battery terminals all good).

Yes, preventative maintenance. Must get onto it
 
Had starter into auto electricians. They replaced brushes (which had been jamming in the guide slots), and bushes. Starts better all round. NZ$85 well spent.
And having read about exploding starters I might get on with servicing the sprag clutch.

Regards, Andre
 
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