Kickstarter not turning crankshaft

[The pikey 84]

I have a 71' XS1 kick only. When I try to kickstart it and 1 out of 5 kicks it turns the crankshaft. It has previously been sitting up in a shop since 97' and I was wondering what the problem could be.
I have already replaced the kickstarter gear assembly and adjusted the clutch worm gear and it doesn't do any better.
Anyone have any ideas on what it could be? Thanks in advance!

 

[wesleyonoel]

I have a 71' XS1 kick only. When I try to kickstart it and 1 out of 5 kicks it turns the crankshaft. It has previously been sitting up in a shop since 97' and I was wondering what the problem could be.
I have already replaced the kickstarter gear assembly and adjusted the clutch worm gear and it doesn't do any better.
Anyone have any ideas on what it could be? Thanks in advance!

Only things that quickly come to mind: kickstart lever slipping on splined shaft (doesn't seem very likely) or the clutch is slipping. Place transmission in gear, push motorcycle forward with clutch engaged. Will either slide rear wheel while trying to rotate engine or move forward with little to no resistance. If the latter is the case, clutch might be slipping...............

 

[gggGary]

Is the clutch cable loose at the cover? (it should be) Back off the worm gear screw some, see if that changes anything.
Could be as simple as a rusty clutch cable.

 

[phenrick]

I had this problem last summer and it ended up being a bunch of sheared off teeth on 1st gear. Hopefully its not that, but you can see part of 1st gear behind the kickstarter gear, it peaks out of the case for the kickstarter gear to engage.

 

[The pikey 84]

Only things that quickly come to mind: kickstart lever slipping on splined shaft (doesn't seem very likely) or the clutch is slipping. Place transmission in gear, push motorcycle forward with clutch engaged. Will either slide rear wheel while trying to rotate engine or move forward with little to no resistance. If the latter is the case, clutch might be slipping...............

I thought that it may be the kickstarter slipping on the spline as well but I've already checked that and that's not the case.. also the bike is sitting on a homemade Center frame stand with the wheels off the ground but I have tried grabbing the rear wheel and spinning it by hand and could hardly turn it..

 

[The pikey 84]

Is the clutch cable loose at the cover? (it should be) Back off the worm gear screw some, see if that changes anything.
Could be as simple as a rusty clutch cable.

The clutch cable isn't connected and the worm gear is backed out about 2 full turns.

 

[The pikey 84]

I had this problem last summer and it ended up being a bunch of sheared off teeth on 1st gear. Hopefully its not that, but you can see part of 1st gear behind the kickstarter gear, it peaks out of the case for the kickstarter gear to engage.

I have looked at the teeth behind the kickstarter when I changed the kickstarter gear assembly and didn't notice any where whatsoever. I have heard that clutch plate spitting up so long and oil without being used can start to break them down and make them slip. Not sure if that is true?that's just what I heard.

 

[kevski]

when i rebuilt mine i had the same problem where the kicker would operate and not turn the engine properly, i had used classic vehicle oil which unknown to me had friction modifiers in it, i flushed the system and put motorcycle wet clutch specific oil in it and cured the problem.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... I have heard that clutch plate spitting up so long and oil without being used can start to break them down and make them slip. Not sure if that is true?that's just what I heard.

Not really.

You may have a worn clutch, or later 447 plates in there, thinned down to where the pressure plate is hitting the hub before it can clamp the plates. There's a narrow zone of motion that the pressure plate must function.

Do a forum search on "stackup thickness"...