Starter gear fix keeping bike off the road (Round 2!)

[suntrakr]

Starter gear on this is a pita. We've replaced the starter gear and spring with new gear from MikesXS. We've also tensioned the spring on a vice as per other posts on this forum as well as located the spring according to the tech bulletin release from Yammy in the 70s but we're still getting the grinding noise from the gear. Click here to watch a short video of the action and sound here.

Not sure what else to do here. This is the only issue keeping the bike off the road at the moment so be good to get it resolved.

 

[motormike]

The round spring behind the gear... the one I got in the kit I swear was weaker than the old one I took out. I wonder if a spacer (washer) could be found to place between the engine case and the spring... but then how thick of a washer..?

 

[toglhot]

I wish mine was as quiet as that. You want a real starter spring fix: Clamp the hairpin bend in the vice like all those tutorials show, but first place a piece of 3mm thick steel between the hairpin, then bend the large half circle bits of spring inwards. They will grip the gear a hell,of a lot tighter than just squishing the hairpin bend.

 

[suntrakr]

yeah, I'm wondering if it's not the tension on the starter gear clip (with the hairpin bend) that's the issue. but as @motormike says, it might be the round spring behind the gear not being strong enough to keep the starter gear engaged.

 

[jpdevol]

IDK...as I've never tested the operation with the side cover off (no oil) and presumably the spark plugs out. In the video, the gear #4 engages and the crank immediately outruns it and kicks it back out (as it should when overrun). I've "repaired" and replaced a few springs and never had it fail to fix the problem if the wishbone spring had ~ 10lbs of tension on the gear

Same answer........

 

[Paj]

Hi
im not on here much as I dont have a lot to offer just confirmations of the problems everyone else has. I pulled my motor down to the nuts and bolts and am slowly building it back up. Now that I am putting the bits back together I find parts missing so I look here to find out whether or not these bits and pieces are actually needed. Most are. As well I find parts I am putting back together not feeling quite right As in this starter engagement spring talked about here. So, I also did as posts stated as a fix, but I did not clamp the hairpin bend but rather clamped the Two sides at the end of that hair pin with the corner of the vice and now I cant even turn that clip. Is that normal? Or is it suppose to spin around that gear. The other thing is when I clamped it in this way the hair pin would not go in the small cavity where its supposed to, so I did pull it together with grips enough to get it in there and am now also wondering if that hairpin is supposed to slide freely in and out in that cavity and not jammed in there????

 

[toglhot]

Rather than clamp the hairpin in the vice, you're better off placing a piece of 3mm stock between the hairpin bend then clamp it in the vice so it doesn't crush the hairpin and bend the curved legs in. Much less stress on the spring. The gear should still rotate in the spring, however, the spring exerts some friction on the gear, the torque required to turn the gear can be found on the web or in the workshop manual, I presume..

 

[Wingedwheel]

If the spring and gear have already been replaced the newer style springs don’t fit in the slot but nestle in to the right of it.

 

[Paj]

If the spring and gear have already been replaced the newer style springs don’t fit in the slot but nestle in to the right of it.

I will try that. I buggered up the current one so had to order the repair kit. That clip slides in and out when the bike is turned over I would assume given the gear is thrust forward and the clip is attached to it.
The motor was together for the most part when I took possession but I noticed lots of things not as they should be. I've got a related ? Ill pop over to the post on starter shaft and gear. I'll let you know how it goes with the repair kit.