Starter removal

My starter has been acting up lately. There are times when all I can get is a click from the soleniod and I have to tap the end of the starter to get it to turn over. Other times it seems like the starter is turningvery slow. (Compared to my '78 KZ1000) I have verified the battery is fully charged and even had it checked at the local parts store so I think the starter is in need f a little TLC.

I have been reading the Haynes manual and posts on this site but I want to be sure about this before I mess something up. Can I remove just the starter motor without haveing to break the case open? The Haynes manual does not have a good picture of this and I don't want to find out that I do by dropping any gears or the starter clutch inside while checking the brushes and doing general clean up on the starter motoer itself.

Any areas besides the brushes I should be sure to check while I have it apart?

 

I believe it will be the same as my Maxim.

Disconnect battery cable.

Remove 2 cap screws that go through end of starter into case.

Pull starter out.

 

Over time, the Planet Gear Arrangement can get awfully stiff in old dried-up grease.

That, and the Brushes will slow things too a halt if they are so short you have to Spur the Starter to get the Bike going.

 

Pulling the starter is very easy, MiCarl gave you the streamlined instructions. Pull it apart, clean it up and regrease it.

 

Speaking from experience, make sure you get the brushes reseated correctly! Otherwise they don't wanna work right! I'd take the end of the case of REALLY slowly and take a picture. It's not hard just a little finnicky. Make sure the they're not backwards (don't ask how I know) and that they're seated all the way in.

 

If its the same as the 550 starter it will come out very easily , but dismantle over a clean bench, just in case the little locator pin drops out from the outside of the planet gear. The brushes do wear out and then dont 'reach' the copper plates on the spindle. This means that you might have to replace the brush assembly, they cost about 60 bucks for all brushes and plate. Tapping the starter causes the starter to 'arc' a connection, not too healthy. Check for coil resistance with a multimeter once you have it apart, there should be no resistance between copper plates and the center steel shaft.

 

Babaloo....

I've just pulled my starter motor apart, cleaned it up and replaced the brushes. I tested it but it didn't spin. It was working, but it was tough to start and the brushes where WAY GONE.

I have to admit that when I put them back in it was a bit of a guess. Have you got a photo of them placed correctly - or anyone else for that matter.

Thanks,
oby

 

Got it out and torn apart today. Really was very simple. The brushes were shot and everything inside was covered in grease and carbon build up. Cleaned everything with brake cleaner and a lot of rags. Regreased the planatary gears and installed the new brushes. It spins like a champ now.

I got the starter brushes from partnmore for $14.00 I went ahead and got the alternator brushes as well but the old ones still have plenty of wear left based on the wear indicators.

Thanks for the help and insights!

 

Hi oby_2,

Sounds just like mine. You might have the brush plate backwards or just not quite seated right. I'm going to load a schematic that I found here somewhere in my gallery. If they are in the right direction, try wiggling the holding plate side to side just a bit and see if it seats itself, you should be able to tell it kind of drops in and "feels" right. Alsso make sure you have the gears nice and gclean with new grease. There should be a RickCoMatic write up on here somewhere.

 

Cheers Babaloo. I noted that I was missing one of the washers, so I grabbed one on the weekend and will pull it apart, reclean it, regrease it, put it back together and give it another go.

 

Funny how those washers just blend into the landscape of the part and then manage to fall-off when you aren't looking.

 

You are so right, I found one of those in the floor of my garage after everything was put together and came back from a test ride...

Mine was really hard to turn, a little grease and now they work as if they were new.