IRONHEAD STATER..more info!!

[oldpan]

I can't get that mispelled (starter) in subject line to change..oh well...Thanks, for the help.I took off primary cover and removed spark plugs....engine turned over easily by turning sprocket...pushrods ok...the starter gear moves out to main primary gear when I hit STARTER BUTTON...it does not turn...and of course primary drive does not either ..it (THE STARTER GEAR)just shook and made a buzzing/rattling noise.as if wanted to turn.. should the shaft it sits on turn??..it does not...the shaft is easily shakeable with the end not being supported by bushing in primary cover.Any suggestions about where to go from here would be appreciated. I am a panhead guy (49/50/63) and have never even seen a starter on a mc before now.thanks again, anyone..jump right in here. OLDPAN* TC

[koanes]

Sounds like the starter drive got sticky while sitting around. If the little rollers in there do not make even contact it will not lock up. I would replace it with a good US made unit. As Kojak and Hrdly suggested, you should be able to pull the starter shaft out by removing or just sliding back the starter and gear reduction housing. Pull the starter shaft assembly out of the housing. You need a soft jaw vice to hold the shaft so you can remove the nut from the end of the shaft. Left hand thread. Remove the snap ring that holds the collar for the fork on and install new starter clutch. Good Luck

[Kojack]

I'm getting a little confused now. In your first post you said that the starter was spinning but not turning the engine over. Now it sounds like the starter is engaging the clutch ring gear but won't turn the engine over, correct? This sounds like a lack of voltage to the starter. Check your battery, maybe it took a dump while sitting there. It happens, a lot. Double check all your connections. Once I started my bike and went for a ride. No problem till I stopped for gas. When I hit the button, nothing but a few clicks. All the connections looked good but when I put a wrench to the battery connection at the starter relay the lock washer crumbled, revealing corrosion and the bad connection. Maybe a bad starter relay. You can jump accross the big terminals with a screwdriver to bypass it. My Harleys are a couple of years newer but probably use the same relay as yours. It's a Ford part you can get at your local Autozone. You could also have a bad spot in your starter. This will show up intermittently, when the starter happens to stop at the bad spot on the commutator. This can be caused by carbon tracking on the starter commutator, which can be cleaned off, or bad windings on the armature, which would then need replaced. Oh, and that starter drive, or clutch, is splined to its shaft and slides in and out. It's a one way clutch, designed to allow the starter to drive the clutch ring gear. When the engine fires, it then slips against the greater speed of the engine. This prevents the engine from driving the starter motor if you happen to hold your finger on the starter button too long. The gear ratios involved would cause the starter motor to be spun at a god awful speed if that were allowed to happen. Spinning at that speed could actually throw the windings off the starter armature. When starter drives, or clutches, go bad they start slipping in both directions. I hope all this makes sense, written explanations are tough for me. Let us know how you make out.

[oldpan]

STARTER PROBLEMS ..MORE

OK, how do I know if STARTER is actually turning if gear that moves out does not....it sounded from your first post that it was the starter clutch...if so ,then even if starter was tunining starter gear ,..it would not necessarily make gear that engages primary gear turn?? ....run that by me again...thanks..sorry about the confusion...but I AM ASSUMING THAT STARTER WAS WORKING , JUST NOT TRANSFERING THAT TURNING TO STARTER GEAR/.....or am I SEEING JUST THE GEAR MOVE OUT AND VIBRATE....because of the solenoid??..tc oldpan*

[AdminGuy]

A fairly basic (clear) solenoid explanation as it applys to starter. Hope this helps a bit. *Note plunger.
http://www.1728.com/project3.htm

Coat battery connections with vaseline if you don't have dielectric grease. Stops corrosion at exposed battery terminal.

Trivia FYI:
Where did the idea for Vaseline Petroleum Jelly come from?

Robert Augustus Cheesebrough.
In 1859 when oil was first found in Pennsylvania, Cheesebrough was a 22 year old chemist in Brooklyn who had become an expert at extracting kerosene from cannel oil.

He realized that petroleum products would be the fuel source of the future so he headed to Pennsylvania to get his piece of the action.

He noticed that a colorless film called "rod wax" collected around the pump rods on the oil wells, gumming up the works until it was removed. He also observed oil workers who would slap the stuff on a cut, instead of a bandage. Not only did it stay on the skin and stop the bleeding, but it seemed to help cure the wound.

Cheesebrough returned to Brooklyn with some rod-wax and spent months creating a clean form of rod-wax which he called "petroleum jelly". He began making so much of this stuff that every beaker in his laboratory was full, so he threw out his wife's flowers and filled the vases with his creation.

After awhile, he added the popular medical term "line" to the word "vase" and he called the product "Vaseline Petroleum Jelly."

**Geee.... I wonder why they didn't stick with "Rod Wax" for the brand. It would probably sell better these days if they rebranded with old name.

Good page:
http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/starter/starter.htm

[Kojack]

Every starter clutch that I've ever had fail (only a couple) slipped completely and allowed the starter motor to spin at it's full speed. The starter motor then makes a definate high pitched whine. If it's not spinning, it will probably just sit there and vibrate, maybe with a slight hum. If the starter clutch is slipping, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to see the shaft turning inside it while the gear just sits there. Hope this makes things a little clearer.

Hey Admin.,, rod wax would certainly be a more descriptive term of one of petroleum jelly's more common uses. OK, OK, I'll keep it clean here, just couldn't resist.

[oldpan]

IRONHEAD STARTER

THANKS, you have given me direction. I will let you know if I GET IT GOING AGAIN...it sounds more likely electrical..we shall see! tc Oldpan*