New owner with a starter question

Hey guys and girls. Just got a new to me 82 xj750rj. All complete, trashed harness, but she has power. I have an issue with the starter. When engaged, the starter spins, but the engine doesn't. The engine will turn via the back wheel, so I know it's not locked up. This is my first xj so I'm new to these engines. Is there a Bendix spring that could be faulty or could it be something much worse?

 

Welcome....

Starter clutch... from what I hear not fun although I've never had to deal with.
Have you actually pulled the starter and watched it spin? Check the teeth on the starter clutch that should then be visible and the starter itself?

Mine does that for a second once in a while but I just hit the button again and it grabs right away. Maybe low battery not spinning it fast enough?

Oh sorry, no, the starter gear does not throw in and out like a car starter.

If you ever want to get rid of that luggage rack I'd be all over it

 

Not fun as in hard to reach, or not fun as in cracking the cases?

 

The latter.
Grab the low-hanging fruit first.

1. Load test the battery. Do this even if it is a new battery.
2. Clean all electrical switches, plugs, and posts in the starter circuit.
3. Rebrush the starter. Replacing your starter motor brushes w/ pics Also clean and re-grease the planetary gears.
4. Make sure that you're using JASO MA compliant oil. Some synthetics are too darned slippery.
5. At this point the cases will have to be split in order to rebuild the starter clutch.

 

Well, there’s no battery in the bike, so #1 is done! Ha! The wiring harness has seen better days for sure, someone went to town with their eyes crossed. Once I get the wires straightened out, I’ll go down this checklist. I’m REALLY hoping I don’t have to crack the cases, seeing as how this was a 250$ Budget find, and I was wanting to avoid opening th engine up. It only has 18k miles on it, so I’m crossing my fingers the clutch isn’t actually bad and maybe it’s just the starter itself.

 

Oh, and Tim O, if you really want that luggage rack, once I get it off I’ll let you know. Because I’m definitely not keeping it for anything. Haha

 

Sure, thanks!
I'll of course buy it... I'd make up a quick mount set-up for just in case the wife wants to take a quick ride with me

 

You make your wife sit on the luggage rack?! Nice!

 

Is starter wired correctly...if bushes are not clocked right starter can spin backwards hence engine not turning over. Ask me how I know my brush plate slipped when I rebuilt my starter there is notch in the plate my slipped out , reclocked it problem solved.

 

Ooh, good question. I haven't pulled it yet, but I will keep an eye out for that as well. All I know right now is that it does spin, that's about it.

 

No she just prefers a backrest instead of flying off the back...

 

When you hit starter button does it sound like rocks rolling around in a coffee can? This best analogie to what sound is starter clutch slipping .

 

No, it just sounds like the starter is spinning. Although, it sounds like a turbine spooling up vs just being instantly full speed.

 

Pull starter, put it on a bench take a 12 v battery with cables put negative on the body of starter . Then take positive lead to post see which direction gear on end of starter spins if I recall it should spin to the right. If brushes are clocked wrong there is your problem. Unless you stated wiring is a mess might have solenoid wired wrong.

 

I’ll do this for sure first thing! Thanks!