STARTER CLUTCH

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:04 am

I acquired a new in the bag starter clutch and want to know if the bottom case can be removed without pulling the cylinders and head off? I still need to locate a few more parts to change while I have the case off like starter idler gear, seals and chain tensioners but I am in the planing stages right now and would sure like to do the job without pulling the top end off.

daves79x · Post by **daves79x** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:53 pm

Yes, you can.

Dave

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:54 pm

Hey, you knew what I wanted to hear.
Thanks.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:27 pm

As it turns out the new in the bag starter clutch wound up being a starter clutch gear so I guess I will have to go thru my starter clutch and fix the problem. What causes the clutch to not engage the engine and spin free when the button is pushed? The day before this happened I changed the oil using Mobil One synthetic so is this the problem?

daves79x · Post by **daves79x** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:49 pm

Interesting thought. I changed an 80,000 mile CBX's oil to synthetic after it had run dino oil all its life. The starter clutch now intermittently spins free as you describe. I switched back to regular oil and it hasn't happened since, but I've not run it much. Might be something to this as far as starter clutches go.

Dave

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:00 pm

This is getting more confusing the more I read. The 'probem' is really listed in part, in 2-3 threads that should be combined. I thought I read where you were changing to Honda 20/50, and then after 2,000 miles it was better or? and then the starter fixed itself (no more whine or running on) but now you say the day before the starter clutch began (not engaging) you changed to Mobil 1??? There are lots of Mobil 1 motor oils. In any event, a CBX mechanic told me that synthetic oil may in fact be a culprit especially in a motor with high mileage. The benefits of synthetics outweigh the problem in my 82 as I mentioned, it only does it upon cold start up or after weeks of not starting it. Throughout a ride, or on tour, starting and stopping many times each day and in day to day riding, its never a problem and again, its done it for years and thousands of miles.
BTW, how did you buy something you didn't know you were getting, or, not getting? Never seeing a parts fische of the starter clutch I can only imagine that maybe the springs (does it have springs?) may be at fault.

cbxtacy · Post by **cbxtacy** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:33 pm

I've had X's before that would spin occasionally instead of engaging. None of my current ones do it. The last one that did it I would start the bike in gear with the clutch pulled in.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:40 pm

Being confused by something I say isn't a novelty in my world especially if I am in a state of panic...aka....having two of my three "X's" sitting idle. I don't know what the mileage on the motor is because the speedo was replaced somewhere along the line. I changed to Honda 20/50 dino oil a year ago in all my bikes and after the discussion where it was advised not to use it I received a private message explaining the plus of using Mobil One 20/50 for 2-cycle engines. The whining was there from the day I picked the bike up on 08/31 to the present but was engaging the engine so I didn't give it much thought. After one month and 2k on the odo I went to Walmart and bought six quarts of the Mobil One and put it into my newest CBX and the next day I got up jumped on the bike and spent ten minutes getting the starter to engage the engine. The problems excalated when I tilted the engine to remove the carbs and found the broken starter mounts on the crankcase and the starter not being firmly mounted was causing the whining. I have spent the last couple weeks trying to decide if I want to open the engine to replace the starter clutch or replace the cases with used ones or try to repair the damage and put everything back together and just live with the starter issue.

HERE IS WHERE I AM AT NOW:
I located a set of 80 cases that I will probably get and put on the shelf for later and I used Marine-Tex to repair the damage to the case. I was able to build up the missing parts of the case between the sprocket cover spacer and the case as well as repair the front starter mount. The plus is that while prepping the metal for the epoxy I discovered a half inch of solid bolt hole past the broken area which means I can bolt the starter in tightly with a longer bolt. I decided to do a frame up resto now that the bike is almost completely disassembled. The front fork tubes are badly pitted and I bought replacements which justifies my decision to finish pulling things apart for a resto.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:15 pm

I have the bike back together and need some options on how to start it now that the starter won't engage properly. I need to drive it once so I can get it to running temp and replace the synth oil with the dino I had in it in the first place. Would putting an electric motor onto the right crank to start it work? Any other options? I have a heater under the engine right now to see if I can get it to running temp so it will start.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:51 pm

I used a base board heater to heat the engine up and finally got it running so at least I know I got the carbs together right. The thought of using a heater every time I want to ride pisses me off so hopefully returning to the Honda 20/50 dino oil will solve that.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:54 pm

So you didn't rebuild the starter clutch?

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:20 pm

No. I bought a starter clutch assembly to do the job but it turned out to be something else so I sent it back. People on this forum said that synthetic oil can cause that and my problems started the day after I put the synthetic oil in so I will just go back to the dino oil. Once I get it started for the day I can start and park the bike all day.

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 12:09 pm

Will the synthetic oil leave behind friction inhibitors and how long should it take to work them off the starter clutch?

Don · Post by **Don** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 12:27 pm

twinegar wrote:I have the bike back together and need some options on how to start it now that the starter won't engage properly.

At Vintage Days I was kinda amazed watching Geoff Smale fire up the race bike. It has no starter installed, so he turns on the ignition, puts it in (I think) 2nd gear, pushes it about ten feet and pops his butt on the seat while he releases the clutch for just a second and then he rides away. I saw him do this 10 or 12 times and he never had to do it twice . . . . he got it started the first time, every time

Alternatively, you could coast it down a hill . . . . but I see you're in Kansas - I was born there and I know that many times the nearest hill is beyond the horizon ;)

If I was going to switch to synthetic (and I am) it wouldn't be automotive Mobil 1 - It would be Mobil 1 V-twin 20W-50 which was designed to lubricate transmissions . . . . and probably starter clutches as well

Don

twinegar · Post by **twinegar** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 12:40 pm

I did use Mobil 1 V-twin 20W-50. The starter clutch is probably worn and the slippery synth put it over the edge. This morning I initiated the accelerator pump a couple of times before each attempt and got it going in about 10 minutes. I live on a steep hill and am reluctant to push this beast back up if the moving start doesn't work. I had to push my Sportster back up last spring and it wore me out and made me look like a fool in front of my neighbors........who already think the single, retired guy with bikes in almost every room of his house is a little strange anyway.