Stator magnets and Sprag clutch questions

[rich3389]

I am diagnosing a problem with my 93 gs500. The starter spins but doesn't turn the engine. I pulled off the side cover and the flywheel spins both ways, isnt it only supposed to spin one way?...What am I supposed to look at in terms of the sprag clutch?
Also, I noticed the magnets are not attached for the stator, and one of them even came out with the cover??? What should I do to fix this?

[The_Paragon]

Its pretty common for the flywheel to come loose from the taper shaft its bolted too. just need to pull the flywheel off and degrease the taper and retorque it on.

The flywheel magnets, seems like also a common issue.. at least ive heard of it before. You might be able to purchase a new one somewhere.. or maybe clean it up and re-epoxying the magnet on <-- but thats where my knowlege on this subject ends.

[rich3389]

The bolt for the flywheel is tight... BUT the rod that goes into the gear that is in between the flywheel gear and the starter shaft is loose, and slide completely out.... I have my magnet on it in the picture....

[gsJack]

The alternator rotor is mounted tight to the crankshaft on a taperred journal and turns with the crank, it's held on with the center bolt but needs a puller to get it off if it hasn't come loose on the taper.  If the rotor spins without turning the crank it's come loose on the taper, here's a good vid by adidasguy on the fix:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=58403.msg768574#msg768574

The loose rotor is a fairly common problem and so is a loose knocking starter clutch which I had last spring.  The outer member of the sprag clutch is bolted to the back of the rotor and comes loose to cause a knocking noise. If the sprag clutch is functioning properly you can remove the intermediate gears between the starter motor and rotor and grab the large gear on the backside of the rotor and with plugs out you can turn the rotor and crank ccw by turning the gear ccw and it will then freewheel turning the gear back clockwise without turning the rotor and crank.

I had a loose starter clutch but it wasn't loose enough to detect when I first opened it up and had to go back later after some more miles to find it obviously loose.  So you might have to pull the rotor to make sure the clutch is tight to it.

[The_Paragon]

That journal pin you have the end of your magent on just floats in there like that. Its held in my the side cover.. so yea its ok that thats loose, just dont let it fall out.

[rich3389]

Thank you very much for the help. the flywheel does spin both ways but rotor and bolt was very tight.
I will pull it off tonight and Epoxy the magnets back onto the rotor and inspect the starter clutch. There is however a small chip in the corner of the loose rotors, but I don't think it will cause any issues. The stator itself does not lok damaged as well.

Does cleaning the starter clutch usually fix it or do I need to buy a rebuild kit(new springs and rollers)?

[The_Paragon]

So just to clarify.. If you spin the flywheel, its firmly connected to the crank shaft and spins the crank?

but the starter gear (big gear attached to the flywheel) is able to turn both ways independant of the flywheel?

Correct? Sorry.. i may have been misunderstanding you this while time.

[rich3389]

So just to clarify.. If you spin the flywheel, its firmly connected to the crank shaft and spins the crank?

but the starter gear (big gear attached to the flywheel) is able to turn both ways independant of the flywheel?

Correct? Sorry.. i may have been misunderstanding you this while time.

That is correct.

[gsJack]

Got a better look at your first pic above and it looks like the 3 socket head capscrews holding the clutch outer member to the back of the rotor aka flywheel are backed out and have probably sheared off.  You'll see it when you get the rotor off.  Should see the tips of those bolts looking like this when they are tight and come almost thru the back of the rotor:



Think I'd be seaeching e-bay for a replacement rotor with the magnets coming loose like that.  Could be some here have repaired them sucessfully and will chime in.

[rich3389]

GsJack, you are correct sir. All 3 bolts backed out and damaged the starter clutch in the process.


I am now on the hunt for a entire stator rotor and starter clutch assembly, as the bolt holes in the rotor are jacked now as well.. I will try to post a WTB ad in the FS section.