Starter?

So, I thought I had her mostly ready. Went to start my 82 XJ 750, and would hear a spinning sound. Turned over a couple times and would then begin to spin and not start. Now, there is nothing. Lights on but nothing when i hit the start button. Is the starter the problem I’m having?

 

Try jumping the two big terminals on the starter solenoid. If the engine turns over then troubleshoot the start button side of the circuit. If it doesnt then I would look at the starter and battery cables. Has there been any starter work done since you have owned the machine? It is possible to clock the starter brush plate incorrectly and cause it to spin backwards

 

Check your battery.

Don't bother to say "But it's a new battery".

CHECK YOUR BATTERY

It wouldn't be the first, or even 10th, time that a brand new battery was flat.

 

Okay, checked my battery. Battery is good. It will start to sound like it will start, but then it goes into a spinning sound. Like something is not catching. Next place to look?

 

Was your starter clutch making any noise. Like a bunch of rocks in a coffee can? Does the motor spin over if you take an end cover and use a wrench to turn it?

 

Sorry, amateur here. I haven’t noticed where the spinning sound is coming from. Where is the “end cover” located?

 

That's alright, we all started somewhere. There are 2 end caps on the sides of the engine. Yours will say Yamaha YICS. I believe the left side cover is for the pick up off the Crankshaft and the other side is just a bearing and seal. Turning the motor over will only tell you it's not seized up. From what you're describing it could be your starter clutch may have finally given up or the shaft coming out of your starter motor has broken. I would pull the starter, it's not very difficult and seewhats that looks like. I will send a picture of my manual with the starter cut away.

 

Thank you. When i pull the starter out, what should I look for? Recommend a rebuild? Thanks again for the help.

 

When you pull the starter motor. On the 750 engine there is a gear on the end of the starter shaft. That spins a gear, which you can kind of see in the first picture. Which then drives the starter clutch. You can't really see the starter clutch without splitting the cases.

 

Where my finger is pointing too is your starter clutch. Typically if these bikes have been sitting for years it is possible that the oil slugged up in the starter clutch, not allowing the rollers to engage.

 

Have had her for a year. Ran perfectly all last summer. On occasion it would spin but catch right away and start. How difficult is a rebuild? If that’s what I’m looking at.

 

A rebuild of your starter clutch would require pulling the motor and splitting the cases. I would check all possible options before diving into that. Since there would be more thing I would do once you pull the engine. As preventative maintenance

 

Rebuild the starter motor first. Cheap and easy.
Replacing your starter motor brushes w/ pics
What oil are you using?

 

Thank you for all the information. Starter rebuild looks like it’s something I could do. I’m running 20W-50 vavoline motorcycle oil in her.

 

That's a bit thick for this time of year, and even for summertime where you live.
It may be contributing to the problem.

Choosing Oil for a Wet Clutch Motorcycle

 

A 20-40 would be the better choice?

 

Yes. Or 15W-40.
A 20W-50 is really meant for very hot running conditions (100ºF and above, ambient), or engines that are burning oil.
Your starter likely does need cleaned out and new brushes, but the oil isn't helping the engine turn over easily, which may be making it harder for the starter to spin fast enough for the starter clutch to stay engaged since it doesn't like to flow well at temperatures below 55ºF.

 

I use 10w/40 in all of mine

 

Thank you for the help!!

 

I had the exact same problem, but I was using synthetic motorcycle oil, and I read that is why these starters spin like that. If you are using synthetic oil, switch to dinosaur oil run it and drain it, you need to flush the synthetic oil completely. It might take you two or 3 changes. After doing mine this way, the starter never spun like that again.

 

That advice is slightly out of date. Synthetic oils that meet JASO MA specs have been available for several years now, and do work well with the Yamaha starter clutch.
But then there are still synthetics out there that do not meet the required spec.

 

The biggest enemy of a one way clutch is sludge, next too thick oil.
Both dont allow the "peanuts" or clutch dogs to move freely, also sludge can build up between the coils of the springs, not allowing proper tension.
A good engine flush and proper weight oil is the best, remember, thicker isnt better.
If the engine is desighned for 10w40 just run it, not 20w50 you dont know better than the manufacturer,trust me.

Not sure what people here recommend but good ol fashioned few hundred mills,cup or 2 of gas in the ckankcase when warm, run for 5 minutes, frap a bit, NOT over 3000 rpm recommended! Drain, let sit for an hour r so to evaporate gas, re fill. Bit redneck, bit dangerous, but works.

 

Seafoam works safer.

 

I dont like seafoam, IMPO
Id buy a klean flo flush first, but i got lots of gas incase of an apocolypse.