Starter/ questioning my mechanic

[Migueldlf]

How are you guys.

Ima new 1980 xs650 owner and have had crappy luck with my mechanics.

I have read almost all of the starter 4th gear repair and instructions. But I went ahead and paid a mechanics to do the fix for me because I though I would have him do it in no time and I'm on the road again.

Apparently has he as trying to do the bendix fix, some how he finds a loose gear which he claims to be attached to the starter shaft inside the engine by the crank shaft. He doesn't know if this loose gear was a result of his work or if the gear was already like this. He claims he cannot take this loose gear out due to it's logged position within the engine. We have to split the cases and remove or fix the problem form there.

Is this possible? I have read the starter threads and there is no one speaking of a gear slipping throughout this process into this area.

At this point I really don't care about the starter and willing to kick start it in only 25. I just want to enjoy my bike and ride.

 

[Migueldlf]

I found that the mechanic has moved the cross shaft and the gear on the other end is not in its original location ( according to him). Is this possible, and can it be fixed without splitting the cases?

 

[XSLeo]

Ok, The starter turns a set of gears under the cover behind the drive sprocket. These gears turn a gear that should be on the cross shaft. This gear can only be accessed by splitting the cases.
The only way it can come loose from the shaft is for someone to remove the stopper plate holding the shaft in place and pulling the shaft out. This lets the gear drop down. I don't know for sure, never tried this but I don't think the shaft will go back in with out the gear in the right place.
Clymer book Page 86 has a break down of the starter system. The gear that fell out of place is #12 in pic 21. In pic 25 shows the stopper plate and it's mount screw in the lower part of the pic.
To do the clip squeeze fix you remove the large gear in the pic 25. The Clymer book explains how to remove the large gear. You remove the stopper and small gear but NOT the shaft.
I assume your starter worked sometimes and made nasty noises most of the time. This is the usual reason to fix it.
If it did work then the gear 12 was in place before your "mechanic" worked on it.
My guess is as he was trying to remove the small gear he pulled the shaft out enough the gear 12 came off the shaft.
With the cover off the left side where the gears are, you might be able to lift the gear up and slide the shaft back into the gear. Again I've never tried this, but it may work.
If it won't go back in place that way then splitting the cases is the only way.
That require pulling the engine, flipping it up side down and removing just the case lower half. Your "mechanic" should do thus for free, he fudged it up.
If you want to ride it now, fix it come winter just remove the shaft. The gear may rattle around in the case but as long as you leave the starter alone it shouldn't hurt anything.
Leo

 

[member3480]

If you pull out the cross shaft the gear can free float and may cause you problems. The trans gears are right there. So I would not take that chance if it was me. If shop made mistake and it dropped I would have them fix it the correct way. Sounds like someone didn't know the inners of a xs650 at that shop. It is a weird design. If you pull the clutch basket and the starter gears on the left. You may be able with your finger to lift the gear back into place and slide shaft back in. Hope these pictures give you the idea. You can see the cross shaft and how it sits. You may get lucky and if the gear is good get it back into place without splitting cases. Your doing it blind because trans is right there but its worth a try.

 

[oldbiker]

How are you guys.

Ima new 1980 xs650 owner and have had crappy luck with my mechanics.

I have read almost all of the starter 4th gear repair and instructions. But I went ahead and paid a mechanics to do the fix for me because I though I would have him do it in no time and I'm on the road again.

Apparently has he as trying to do the bendix fix, some how he finds a loose gear which he claims to be attached to the starter shaft inside the engine by the crank shaft. He doesn't know if this loose gear was a result of his work or if the gear was already like this. He claims he cannot take this loose gear out due to it's logged position within the engine. We have to split the cases and remove or fix the problem form there.

Is this possible? I have read the starter threads and there is no one speaking of a gear slipping throughout this process into this area.

At this point I really don't care about the starter and willing to kick start it in only 25. I just want to enjoy my bike and ride.

............. hi get rid of your mechanic...unless you want to make him rich,, they see an old bike and time time time comes into their eyes,,, the 4th gear fix is easy to do and guys will help with advice ,,, and the starter motor is easy to pull out of the xs650 clamp in a vice and leads to a battery to spin it regards oldbiker

 

[Migueldlf]

Thank you guys, you have described word for word what the mechanics did and what he explained. He obviously didn't know what he was doing or took my bike as an experiment and assumed he could do it.

And yes I have already told the mechanic to wrap it up and I'm picking up my bike tomorrow and to start working on it immediately. I don't trust the mechanic to fix his mistake if he has already made this one. Might as well split the cases now that I have some time off and do avoid any future problems if any.

I will try to do this blindly as previously mention in this thread. If it fails, on the surgery.

Just to wrap it up all I have to do it just pull the motor turn it up side down (after I've drained the oil) remove the 18 bolts shown in previous threads And split the cases. And fix the problem.

Any parts I should order before splitting the cases?

 

[scabber]

Welcome to the site and the wonderful world of the XS 650. You should be able get the gear back on the shaft without splitting the cases. The mechanic should have been able to do it. Not easy not impossible.