Trouble with Starter 1982 XJ 750 Maxim

Hello, so today I attempted to do my first start after cleaning carbs and valve adjustment and so on. Well when I press the start button the front headlight goes off but nothing happens, no noises or anything. I checked to make sure the kickstand was up and that the bike was in neutral. So I instead just touched the positive lead from another battery to the starter lead on the solenoid, the starter began to spin, except, its spinning freely... I could let off and then reconnect multiple times and I would either spin freely, or the starter would engage and turn the engine for one or two revolutions then it would disengage again and spin freely. Sometimes It would make a "box of rocks noise" and then stop and then engage and disengage again. Point is, it was unpredictable. I took the starter out and the gear the bendix engages was clean with no scoring on it, including the bendix. I am not really sure where to go from here, any help appreciated!

Thanks

 

Sounds that a bad starter clutch makes and a bad solenoid or starter button.
The wrong oil may cause the starter clutch to slip. 10/40 or 15/40 with a JASO rating. Many automotive oils are too slippery for m/c engines.

 

A weak battery may also cause a starter clutch to slip, resulting in the box of rocks" sounds, etc. Try cranking it with another battery or use jumper cables from a automobile battery (make sure the engine in the car is NOT running!).

 

I am currently using 20/50 valovline moto oil. I can try something lighter though.

I was using a car battery to jump it.

 

20/50 is fine as long as it is not synthetic oil. The starter clutches don't like it, makes them slip.

 

headlight on a 750 maxim is supposed to shut off when starter button is pressed. the starter button is the headlight connection as there is no headlight relay.
open the control and clean starter button with electronic contact cleaner and work button when you spray. then a light coat of silicon grease. also make sure the control connector to main harness is clean and tight the ground for starter button is in that connector.

clean battery cables and connections to solenoid and motor.

 

What is the control?

 

The handlebar control that has the starter switch in it. Clean the switch out and make sure it's making good contact.

 

Weak battery not enough centrifugal force l assume for the clutch rollers to engage?

 

I'm starting to think this may be it, I used an old automotive battery hooked up to a 50 amp battery jumper and I noticed it will usually hook and turn the engine as soon as I touch the alligator clip to the starter but for some reason it then drops out and is then free spins or makes a box of rocks noise and then free spins.

 

do a voltage drop test . hook a meter to battery and see what voltage drops to when cranking motor.
you can do this at battery then each cable connection of the solenoid then at starter to eliminate them as problems