Kickstart trouble

devildrums

devildrums

XS650 Enthusiast
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Hey guys, i changed my clutch this year and I guess I didn't put the spring back in the kickstart correctly because it will not move at all, just stays upright. I didn't notice until recently because i use electric starter and the bike starts and runs fine with no noises from that area. My question is will it damage the engine at all or just not be able to be a back-up starter. Thanks.

1977 xs650D
 
I don't think the spring is the issue. When installing the kick shaft you slide it in and hook the spring where it should hook then you turn the shaft counter clock wise about 1/2 a turn then it slides all the way in. Then you install the cover. If you didn't do the turn part when you installed the cover it trapped the shaft between the cover and case.
Will it cause any issues, probably not. The pressure of the cover pressing on the shaft perhaps could eventually warp the cover. I doubt it would hurt the case.
I might reccomend on your next oil change you pull the cover and check how the kick shaft is installed.
The procedure is covered in your repair manual and isn't hard to do. Well turning the shaft against spring pressure takes more than the strength of your hand. I slip the kick pedal on to turn the shaft. Once it slides in place remove the pedel without pulling the shaft back
Leo
 
Last edited:
XSLeo said:
I don't think the spring is the issue. When installing the kick shaft you slide it in and hook the spring where it should hook then you turn the shaft counter clock wise about 1/2 a turn then it slides all the way in. Then you install the cover. If you didn't do the turn part when you installed the cover it trapped the shaft between the cover and case.
Will it cause any issues, probably not. The pressure of the cover pressing on the shaft perhaps could eventually warp the cover. I doubt it would hurt the case.
I might reccomend on your next oil change you pull the cover and check how the kick shaft is installed.
The procedure is covered in your repair manual and isn't hard to do. Well turning the shaft against spring pressure takes more than the strength of your hand. I slip the kick pedal on to turn the shaft. Once it slides in place remove the pedel without pulling the shaft back
Leo
Click to expand...
Thanks XSLeo, i will give it a shot.
 
This bloke does a good installation video - he is slow and thorough. Notice that he has the engine upside down so, orientate yourself first before following.

Cheers
 
Oh Pleeeeease ...... that video is just awful, awful, awful. I literally cringe every time I see him grab the splined shaft with pliers. If I was king, he'd be flogged, lol. On the bright side, he doesn't have to spend money on a large tool box. It only needs to be big enough to hold his stick, his rock, and those damn pliers, lol.
 
Yes, well, maybe not technically perfect but relatively simple to understand and, who, in his right mind, would emulate his trick with the pliers on splines - no-one who's going to be successful in getting one of these motorcycles up and running, surely? I'm looking at the process and the visual representation, not the technique but I take your point 5T.
 
The big problem I have with it is many newbies will watch it and grab their pliers, lol. There's absolutely no reason to use any of his crude and brutal methods for a kick shaft install. The factory shop manual outlines a simple and safe procedure for the install. Pliers aren't used at all on any of the parts and the risk of damaging anything is minimal.
 
In the guy's defence, he does point out that the use of pliers is "not ideal". He also uses thin profile multi-grips, grasps only the the non-splined fixing bolt channel and warns not to loosen your grip for fear of damaging the fitting. I like his clear explanation and simple coherent video and used it as my reference when I was refitting my kick starter and, no, I didn't grab the splines with pliers, I used a long piece of doubled fencing wire to locate the spring.
Look, I know I'm being unreasonably defensive and should be more careful about perpetrating poor technique but I am a visual learner - I like to see it done and then I proceed with an element of caution and common sense. Most times it works!
Anyway, I consider myself reprimanded by a genuine expert.
Cheers
 
Well, I'll admit to having quite a few years of wrenching experience under my belt, but I don't consider myself an expert by any means. There's still lots I don't know and have to learn about. But, working with tools for so many years has given me some pretty good training in how to use them properly. I earned my living for nearly 40 years working with my hands and with tools. I'd like to think I gained some knowledge from all that, lol. I saw lots of guys come and go over those years in my trade. Many just weren't suited for the work, they just weren't any good at it, lol. I imagine they moved on to something else more fitting for them, like pushing pencils in some office somewhere, lol.
 
I have read that people use zip ties and such when installing the kivck shaft.
On the ones I have done I just followed the procedure in the Clymer book and it worked well.
I see no need for the zip tie.
Leo
 

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