not turning over

Hey guys, I just got a new to me '81 650 maxim. i'm also new to the forum.

Anyway, i got a brand new battery for it, and put it in.
When i go to start the bike, the starter clicks, but won't turn the engine over.


After i let go of the button, i hear the starter spinning. I went and pulled the starter out and it spins when i hit the button.

When i put it back in, it wont turn the engine over, and just clicks...what could be wrong?
I'm thinking maybe the brushes are worn, and it does not have the power to turn the engine...but would like to hear your guy's thoughts.

So any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

EDIT: the bike has been sitting for 8 years under a tree. i got it for free from a friend. if that helps...

 

Hopefully the engine isnt locked up.

Ive read that its a good idea to take the spark plugs out, pour some oil in the combustion chamber and let it sit, then slowly turn the engine by hand. To ensure its not locked up, and to ensure that when you do crank it its not going to lock up from being exposed to the elements, and no oil flow.

If its still clicking once you get the engine free, worn starter brushes are a good possibility.

You could give it some light taps with a hammer to get a few more starting cranks out of it. Atleast to make sure the engine turns, then youd want to take it back out and fix it the right way, and if you can, do a compression test if the starters strong enough.
If its been sitting THAT long, it wont actually start, its gunna need work.

Youre gunna have alot of work ahead of ya on this bike. Its worth it though.


oh yeah, hello and welcome!

 

Ok thanks for the reply.

Oh forgot to mention the bike has 13,929 miles. so not A LOT. that is could be dead/shot.

I thought about the engine being locked up.
So i tested it.

I put the bike in 5th gear, pulled the clutch lever, disengaged the clutch, and started jogging with the bike...then let go of the clutch lever, while in gear, and the rear wheel turned, then slowed down and eventually stopped...so its not seized/ locked up.


Wait so, you said you can turn the engine over by hand? how do you mean?

I know it won't start, but i just want it to turn over, if it does, then i'll tear it down, carbs, clean everything....


Thanks again!

 

The pick up coil cover, on the sifter side of the engine. You can pop it off and turn the engine with a 3/4 open end wrench. Ill post a picture of the cover here in a second.


Its the circular cap with the yamaha yics logo on it (bottom left). Four screws, they can be a bitch, and youll see a weird square nut looking thing. COUNTERCLOCKWISE *oops* is the normal direction. Watch it when your turning it, dont break anything off thats sticking out down there when youre turning the wrench.

 

ok, which way do i turn it?

 

ok, thank you. I'll try it, if it turns all right, then its the starter.
Could it be the starter clutch?

 

COUNTERCLOCKWISE!

lol.... sorry.

If youve got a new battery in there, and the engine spins freely (make sure to take the spark plugs out) the its most like the brushes, maybe a bad connection. Ive been told that if its the clutch youll hear more of a grinding noise.

 

19mm works as well. once the cover is off and you know the motor is in neutral place the wrench on the square nut

maybe on the other side of the bike. but if you are regarding the way to turn the motor by hand with wrench, NO!!

its counterclockwise. your crankshaft is turning in the same direction as your tire wheels

 

ok, ill try it tomorrow morning. going to bed now. im thinking its all in the starter....but ill see tomorrow.
Thanks a lot guys.

 

It really doesn't matter which way you turn the crankshaft. It's all up and down at the pistons, the alternator doesn't care, the starter isn't attached, and the oil pump isn't going to mind.

You have to move it both ways to use the valve shim tool anyway.

 

A word of caution!
When turning the motor with the spark plugs removed you run the risk of damaging the TCI. Make sure the TCI is unpluged or the spark plugs are grounded.

Ghost

 

So I tried removing the cover this morning, no luck, those bolts are on there really good, and the bolt head is soft metal, they were going to strip if i tried any further.

But i pulled the starter out completely, and it doesn't sound right when its spinning...I'm leaning more towards the starter being the cause of all this.

I have a friend that fixes car starters for a living, so i'll bring it over to him to see whats up with it.

Last question, could the TCI get damaged when im pushing the bike in gear down the street, the rear wheel was turning, so the motor was not locked up....the spark plugs were still in the engine...

Thanks in advance

 

Update, i tried taking the plugs out, and one of them was REALLY screwed in there, and the it being so old, the plug snapped in half....great....now i gotta take the engine apart.

 

Know what you mean. Impact drivers come in real handy. I've even gone so far as to clamp a set of vise grips on the outside of the bolt head and break it loose that way.

 

I had to do that the other day to split my carb rack. Everyone of those bastards were completely stripped. Vice grips actually worked pretty good.

Your right about the impact driver. That thing has saved me a lot of time on cars, and now bikes. Screws, torx, or Allen heads. Works em like a charm

 

How bad did it break? You sure anything fell out of the other side?

You gotta get that sucker out one way or another, pull it and look. don't give up yet!

Pb blaster, or kroil (fitz speaks highly of kroil) does wonders

 

Ok. i gotta take the engine apart now, this impact driver idea will be good.
Thanks.

 

If you broke a Spark Plug, ... don't despair.

Get a 1/2-Inch Drive Spark Plug Socket.
(A 6-Point, Deep Socket)
6-Inch 1/2-Inch Drive Extension
Pry-Bar; 1/2-Inch Drive.
A Hard-wood, Replacement Hammer Handle for a 20-Oz. Framing Hammer.

Remove the tank for safety.
Get the Socket on the Plug.
Put the Extension in the Socket.
Hook-up the Pry Bar so that you have a CLEAN shot at striking it with the Hammer Handle.

Get everything all lined-up for your turn at-bat.
Apply a generous amount of undo torque to the arrangement of Tools.
Hold the torque steady.
SMACK the end of the Pry-Bar with the Hammer Handle.

(( NO Downward Impact -- ONLY the Vector to Undo the Plug. ))

One good whack usually does the trick.
A second whack might be needed.

 

Umm, I think I've been misunderstood, ill post a pic of what happend. It broke flush with the engine case...the only way I see is to unscrew it from the inside of the engine...

 

Usually when someone refers to breaking a spark plug when wrenching it, theyre referring to the ceramic insulation, lol.

If its stuck enough to break like that, how are you gunna get it out from the other side?

Some penetrating lube and an ez out are probably your best bet. You dont even have to drill it out first, however you might be fishing some crap out of the jug, depends on how bad it broke.