Starter Clunk

2wheelsagain Mon 08 Aug 2011, 7:44 pm

I did a search but didn't find anything.....

My B1250 has started to have a real clunk when the starter engages. I'm slightly perplexed but its consistent. Anything I can check?
Anyone know how these things work? Its going in for the 24k service next week.

gus Mon 08 Aug 2011, 10:56 pm

The starter sprag clutch comes to mind .The starter motor gear spins a round thing that has ball bearings in it .As it spins the balls get
thrown foward grabbing the flywheel and turning the bike over . Thats the old style they have updated it a little but the idea's the same .
If your battery is week the balls dont grab and they "kick back" causing a nasty clang sound .Probably worse when bike is cold .
Check battery soon, you want "full power " to throw those balls .If it keeps clanging it will stuff the sprag clutch which means $$$.
I hope it something else .Remember if you put you battery on a charger with those lights and it says CHARGED .It still might be stuffed as it will loose most of its go in 1 sec.
Sometimes it will start fine and then CLANG . Does that sound like it .

I only realised tonight the battery in these things is quite small so there might not be a HUGE amount of go power in them
Battery shop will give it a "stress" test .

2wheelsagain Tue 09 Aug 2011, 7:44 am

Thanks Gus and thats a possibility although the starter cranks as quick as ever I think. I have a multi meter so with check it this morning before riding to work.
For 24k the starter has done a lot of work the way I ride............................

EDIT: Checked battery across the terminals this morning. 13v straight out of the garage. 14.1 - 14.2v at cold idle so those figures are ok but.............
There was a clunk when I released the starter button this morning! Didnt notice it when I hit the button scratch

gus Tue 09 Aug 2011, 8:49 am

I carnt think why or how the starter motor will clunk .Put your hand on the outer LH round case and see if you can feel it. My gs 1000 did this
all the time .I'm still going battery no matter what it says . Very Happy

How old is it ? 3 years is about as long as i get

2wheelsagain Tue 09 Aug 2011, 8:51 am

gus wrote:I carnt think why or how the starter motor will clunk .Put your hand on the outer LH round case and see if you can feel it. My gs 1000 did this
all the time .I'm still going battery no matter what it says . How old is it ? 3 years is about as long as i get

4 years in Sep.
Time for a louder exhaust?

gus Tue 09 Aug 2011, 11:37 am

I thinking battery even more now .(4 yrs ) Very Happy

2wheelsagain Tue 09 Aug 2011, 11:42 am

I'll put my hand on the LH side at lunch time Smile

2wheelsagain Tue 09 Aug 2011, 6:36 pm

So I put the bike on the center stand, pushed in the clutch in with my left shoulder, reached over for the starter button while placing my right hand on the starter. Think bike twister. And the clunk is coming from the starter. Is it possible for the sprag clutch to engage at exactly the same place every time? Some early Holdens did ring gears due to this happening.

gus Tue 09 Aug 2011, 7:30 pm

2wheelsagain Tue 09 Aug 2011, 8:32 pm

gus wrote:No.

Thanks Gus. I knew you cared Laughing

Time to get the manual out. affraid

dhula Wed 10 Aug 2011, 12:16 am

is the starter spinning freely and then "clunk"
Might be hard to determine this as it won't take long for the clunk to happen but you never know. Listen well and you may hear what is going on

If it is then it could well be the clutch gus talks of.

The reason it can do this once it wears a bit is that the starter has got up too much steam and all of a sudden the clutch grabs kicking the gears in the but (think stepping off the clutch in your car at full noise and all the associated mechanical stresses it brings) and firing the engine into life.

gus Wed 10 Aug 2011, 6:20 am

The old set up used to be 3 rollers grabbing the flywheel .3 bolts used to hold the parts in place .These bolts could come loose and work there
way out letting everything move around .Not what you want .The new set up (im a bit vague on it )has more rollers .
At one stage on my GS one bolt came loose and sheared off .
I do think you are going to have to pull that cover to rule this out .It doent sound like it but better to be sure .You may feel the magnetic pull
when you pull the cover ,its a bit strange .

2wheelsagain Wed 10 Aug 2011, 8:12 am

dhula wrote:is the starter spinning freely and then "clunk"
Might be hard to determine this as it won't take long for the clunk to happen but you never know. Listen well and you may hear what is going on

If it is then it could well be the clutch gus talks of.

The reason it can do this once it wears a bit is that the starter has got up too much steam and all of a sudden the clutch grabs kicking the gears in the but (think stepping off the clutch in your car at full noise and all the associated mechanical stresses it brings) and firing the engine into life.

Yes thats it dhula. Although I noticed last night the same clunk as the engine stopped too. Cant remember if thats normal?

Kaupy1962 Wed 10 Aug 2011, 8:13 am

Could it be the sprocket drifting off the starter spline? If the starter motor is slightly loose it can happen.

gus Fri 12 Aug 2011, 8:08 am

Hows the clunking going Chris .I had a new starter sprag clutch in my hands yesterday and had a good look at its operation .Does the
started ever spin freely and then grab ?

2wheelsagain Fri 12 Aug 2011, 8:49 am

Actually I didn’t notice it this morning scratch

The starter certainly spins freely when it does clunk.
I’m hoping an arse bleeding service on Monday fixes it somehow Laughing

I'll mention it to them but its probably not consistent enough yet.

gus Fri 12 Aug 2011, 9:58 am

Does it ever just spin and nothing turns over ?

2wheelsagain Fri 12 Aug 2011, 10:03 am

gus wrote:Does it ever just spin and nothing turns over ?

No mate nothing like that Wink

gus Fri 12 Aug 2011, 10:43 am

Here is my call .The battery is charging fully so when you test it on you meter all reads good .When you press the starter button the starter
needs a big charge to turn the motor over .It gets that in the first second to spin sprag clutch but then the power from the battery suddenly drops
(4 year old battery )the sprag clutch struggles due to lack of inertia, complains by kicking back with a "clang" which can be felt though the
starter motor due to it being connected by cogs .The more it clangs the more it will do it as the roller balls get oval causing more clanging .
Sprag clutches are expensive to buy so i would be getting the battery stress tested at a battery shop today . If the spag clutch has gone toes up it might
be the "last straw " for the Bandit and i dont want that .

2wheelsagain Fri 12 Aug 2011, 11:09 am

Understand that Gus. Thanks.
I need to pull the cover off and have a look. A load test is a good idea too.
I think Black Betty is safe and I’m toying with getting a “little” playmate.

2wheelsagain Fri 19 Aug 2011, 10:49 am

Ok so the Bandit had a major service last Monday and the clunk seems to have stopped.
I’m happy about that but still a bit puzzled.
It’s amazing what fresh oil does to the gear changes. This short trip, stop start crap is no good for anything!

Fresh oil and new plugs and she pulls like a 15yr old school boy Smile

Saikhan Fri 19 Aug 2011, 7:22 pm

I am not going to comment any further. It's all yours Reardo. lol!

Reardo Fri 19 Aug 2011, 9:44 pm

Saikhan wrote:I am not going to comment any further. It's all yours Reardo.

No No you go first Laughing

2wheelsagain Sat 20 Aug 2011, 8:34 am

Reardo wrote:
Saikhan wrote:I am not going to comment any further. It's all yours Reardo.
No No you go first

gus Mon 22 Aug 2011, 3:10 pm

Just realised if you take the cover off you see nothing .You have to pull the flywheel which you need a special tool .(or make one )
I'm pointing to the sprag clutch .
Starter Clunk IMG_2623

THe starter turns the CENTER cog which turns the LARGE cog which spins the sprag clutch which turns the motor over .
Starter Clunk IMG_2624

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