Loud crack when starting bike, help

[facepants]

Maybe about 1 out of every 5 cold starts, my engine will make a really loud cracking sound right when I start it.  It's probably the same kind of sound that you'd hear if you took a metal hammer and hit your engine.

Other than that, the bike runs fine.

Any ideas?

[kml.krk]

what year is your bike? I think it's quite common for 04+ bikes. There is one internal part in the engine which is moving from side to side (I can't recall the name of that part at the moment).
If it's the problem then you could:
1) ignore it cause it makes no harm to the engine
2) go to the Suzuki dealer and they should fix it (at no cost) - at least that's what I heard and read some day on this forum - even before I was a member

hopefully others will join and confirm or deny whatever I wrote.
cheers.

[facepants]

Its a 96 and unfortunately way out of warranty.

Just some more info that might help:  It makes the sound right when I press the starter while its turning over, before it actually fires up.

[kml.krk]

it could be the motor starter unit; but it's just a guess...

I found some more info about what I was talking earlier:
the noise I was tallking about is: "camshaft end play noise , it sounds more like metal knocking ,harmless but annoying..."
and it can be found on older bikes too. I thought it was issue with newer bikes but I was wrong.

you can find the full post, where I cited from, here:  http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=37625.0
check it out - good info there.

[sledge]

A cracking sound when you press the starter and before it fires eh? Could it be the sound of electricty arcing?? is there a smell of burning or ozone at the same time? Get the side panel and the starter motor cover off, get someone else to press the starter and look for big blue sparks around the solenoid and starter motor at the same time. The starter-motor pulls about 75amps.....thats more than enough to cause some pretty spectacular fireworks.

[Affschnozel]

Maybe about 1 out of ever 5 starts, my engine will make a really loud cracking sound right when I start it.  It's probably the same kind of sound that you'd hear if you took a metal hammer and hit your engine.

Other than that, the bike runs fine.

Any ideas?

It makes that sound and starts or not ?

[facepants]

A cracking sound when you press the starter and before it fires eh? Could it be the sound of electricty arcing?? is there a smell of burning or ozone at the same time? Get the side panel and the starter motor cover off, get someone else to press the starter and look for big blue sparks around the solenoid and starter motor at the same time. The starter-motor pulls about 75amps.....thats more than enough to cause some pretty spectacular fireworks.

It only happens on cold starts.  If the bike is warm then it starts up fine.  I dont know if temp would affect what you're describing... would it?

It makes that sound and starts or not ?

Yeah... It does the first 1-2 turn overs and cracks once, then the engine fires and it starts up.  Bike runs fine after that and doesnt make that sound if it's warm.

[coll0412]

Know exactly what you are talking about, does it the first time you try to start it when its cold, go to turn it over agian and doesn't do it right.

Comes form the left side. My bike has done it for the last 3 years, with no major issues. I have suspected the starter sprag gear(I think thats what it is called) the one that sticks out to engage the rest of the gears in there, is worn or something. I haven't spent time trying to figure it out as it has never caused in issues.

Lets see if some of the older people might be able to chime in.

[GeeP]

Know exactly what you are talking about, does it the first time you try to start it when its cold, go to turn it over agian and doesn't do it right.

Comes form the left side. My bike has done it for the last 3 years, with no major issues. I have suspected the starter sprag gear(I think thats what it is called) the one that sticks out to engage the rest of the gears in there, is worn or something. I haven't spent time trying to figure it out as it has never caused in issues.

Lets see if some of the older people might be able to chime in.

Yep!  Mine does the same thing, only in the winter.  When the engine is cold it will make a really loud CRACK! that sounds like a gunshot.  Never have figured it out, but I also suspect that it is the overrunning clutch for the starter.

There are some who think it may have to do with Starwalt's disease.  Maybe Starwalt can fill us in. 

[Affschnozel]

I don't think facepants  meant it was a backfire , which does sound like a loud blast or gunshot

If the sound comes of left side then Coll0412 is right ,it's probably starter clutch acting up .
A gear worn at one point and every once in a while at start up it clanks , warmer engine is easier to start so it doesn't do that when warm ,maybe 


Starwalt's disease: http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=13774.0

[GeeP]

I don't think facepants  meant it was a backfire , which does sound like a loud blast or gunshot

Believe me, it is LOUD!  Definately not a backfire, although the first time it happend I thought it might have been.  It is mechanical and related to the starter or starter drive. 

[Kasumi]

All it will be is the starter motor. When the bike is running the starter motor is doing nothing but the engine is running all lubricated in oil no problems.

When it comes to starting the bike after a cold night you press the starter button and the gear inside the starter "fires" a shaft with a notched end into the engine that turns as it goes so it will hit the engine and try and turn it over. I suspect the sound your hearing is just when it gets cold everything has expanded and got tighter. When the starter shaft fires to the engine it has to break free from the tight fit and also break free all the expanded engine parts. That will make a very very loud sound (abit like rocks cracking open in the desert at night). But should be no problem. If you constantly were starting in the cold you might see a touch more wear on the starter in time as it was working harder to turn the engine over but nothing significant.

[GeeP]

When it comes to starting the bike after a cold night you press the starter button and the gear inside the starter "fires" a shaft with a notched end into the engine that turns as it goes so it will hit the engine and try and turn it over. I suspect the sound your hearing is just when it gets cold everything has expanded and got tighter. When the starter shaft fires to the engine it has to break free from the tight fit and also break free all the expanded engine parts. That will make a very very loud sound (abit like rocks cracking open in the desert at night). But should be no problem. If you constantly were starting in the cold you might see a touch more wear on the starter in time as it was working harder to turn the engine over but nothing significant.

All motorcycles I'm aware of, including the GS, use a roller clutch to disengage the engine from the starter gear train.  Motorcycles do not have Bendix-type starters due to space constraints.

The sound generally doesn't occur at the beginning of cranking.  Instead, it tends to occur after several seconds of cold cranking, and sometimes repeatedly, which suggests that the something in the clutch slips or an overload sprag trips. 

[The Buddha]

You have goats - more than likely the srinath's variation.
Bad starter clutch but worth checking for goats. Open the left case and look for metal bits from magnet or lacquer bits from alternator coil. Replace those if needed, and definetly replace the starter clutch.
Cool.
Srinath.

[The Buddha]

When it comes to starting the bike after a cold night you press the starter button and the gear inside the starter "fires" a shaft with a notched end into the engine that turns as it goes so it will hit the engine and try and turn it over. I suspect the sound your hearing is just when it gets cold everything has expanded and got tighter. When the starter shaft fires to the engine it has to break free from the tight fit and also break free all the expanded engine parts. That will make a very very loud sound (abit like rocks cracking open in the desert at night). But should be no problem. If you constantly were starting in the cold you might see a touch more wear on the starter in time as it was working harder to turn the engine over but nothing significant.

All motorcycles I'm aware of, including the GS, use a roller clutch to disengage the engine from the starter gear train.  Motorcycles do not have Bendix-type starters due to space constraints.

The sound generally doesn't occur at the beginning of cranking.  Instead, it tends to occur after several seconds of cold cranking, and sometimes repeatedly, which suggests that the something in the clutch slips or an overload sprag trips. 

Bendix type clutches aren't that big and they aren't that uncommon.
Suzuki put one in the GR650 AKA, the same motor that fits inside a GS frame with minimal fuss and its actually a shade smaller than the GS motor where lower case is concerned.
Yamaha put one in the virago, which for all its sheiete with starter failures caused the entire starter assy and all the engagement gears etc to come away unscathed when my starter on my 1100 came on one day on the highway at 70 clicks and I never even thought it was running till after 10 min of WFO droning. I burnt the starter obviously, but the rest of it was fine.
Cool.
Srinath.

[nazgulnarsil]

happened to me once when I had a hard time getting it to start.  when i started it in first instead of neutral it fired right up.