loose starter clutch/bolt

[Adshed]

Hey guys,

My bike will not start unless I push start it, on very rare occasions it works using the switch.

Bike runs great, like always, once it has started.

It makes an awful noise when using the starter switch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVvxpxDtzoo

I suspect the bolt attached to magneto and start clutch has come loose. As per Adi's video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxS5yZ44AHU

My question:
Do I have to remove the entire starter gear assembly, like how adidasguy does? Can't I just tighten the bolt with some loctite, and be done?

I'll be doing an oil change tomorrow so might as well have a look.

Thanks.

[gsJack]

While you have the oil drained pull the alternator cover and have a look.  Think I heard a loose starter clutch rattle which would require removing the rotor to fix and torque down properly in addition to the rotor being loose on the crank.  Starter clutch would ratle up to 3k rpm or so if loose on backside of rotor.

[Bluesmudge]

AFAIK, there is no way to tighten those 3 bolts without removing the rotor. That will require the bolt and spacer discussed in previous threads.

[Adshed]

from what i understood from the video, the big bolt in the middle of the magneto and rotor has come loose, not the other three?
http://imgur.com/CeYqJxI

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Either way, I guess I'll have more information, once I open her up.

[sledge]

If the flywheel has spun on the crank you need to carefully examine the tapered surfaces in the boss and on the crank. If they are badly worn/scored no amount of tightening and no amount of Loctite will hold it reliably. You will need to carefully lap the parts together with grinding paste.

[lucas]

It is possible for the starter clutch bolts to back out.

If you're able to ride the bike without killing the battery that tells me your magneto is fixed to the crank, because the magneto is responsible for charging your battery.

The starter clutch itself might not be grabbing the shaft.

There is no oil behind the alternator cover, you can pull the left side and inspect.   The magneto should not spin easily and the sprocket behind it should spin one way, but not the other.

[sledge]

your magneto is fixed to the crank

There is no oil behind the alternator cover

If there is no oil behind the alternator cover and he has a MAGNETO on the crank he REALLY will have problems!!

Do you actually know what it is you are talking about?

[lucas]

For some reason I thought the alternator was not submerged in oil.  It's been a long time since I had to look under the left side cover so I suppose I forgot.

No, I don't really know what I'm talking about.  I'm just an amateur motorcycle dork who makes mistakes.

Drain your oil before removing the left side cover, or start loosening the bolts and panic once oil starts to seep out the bottom and make a mess in your garage.  Which is what would have happened to me most likely 

How come the alternator gets oil?  Does it get hot during operation?

Also is there a problem with calling it a magneto?  I've heard other people call it that so I figured it was an acceptable term for it.

[gsJack]

..............How come the alternator gets oil?  Does it get hot during operation?

The starter motor drives the crankshaft thru a sprag clutch attached to the back of the alternator rotor.  When the starter motor stops and the engine runs on the inner member of the sprag clutch stops with the starter motor and just sits on a crankshaft journal while the crank spins inside it at speeds up to 11k rpm.  Considerable oil is fed thru the crankshaft into the sprag clutch to lubricate the clutch parts.  The oil pumped into the left cover thru the starter clutch flows back to the engine sump thru passageways.  That is why there is oil in there.

[lucas]

Ah, makes sense!