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Starter Clutch Issue?

shade5079

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Hi all. I was reading up on a thread on here about a starter clutch issue where the clutch chain may be broken, or the sprag rollers are bad. I currently have a 97 Nighthawk 750 that just recently started having starter/starter clutch issues.

For about 2 weeks of daily riding, my starter would not spin every so often. I needed to tap the starter with a wrench or ratchet for it to work. I assume the brushes were worn at this time, and I was right. I kept riding like this for a while, and the last time I tried starting the bike, the battery was low and the tapping trick no longer worked. I went ahead and ordered a starter rebuild kit and changed the brush assembly on the cap of the starter and cleaned the rest of the starter motor, greased the sun gear/planetaries. The starter itself now works fine, but now it only spins freely, it seems as if the starter clutch is worn out, and wont catch.

Here's what I can tell - With the starter off the bike, and the bike in neutral, I can spin the starter clutch gear (The one exposed behind where the starter motor sits) counterclockwise, but not clockwise. To me, this means the one-way roller/clutch/whatever is working. I can also use a long flat-headed screwdriver to spin the round silver clutch assembly (the big chrome thing behind this starter gear, directly behind the teeth of the starter gear, see picture) counterclockwise also with some force, and the drive chain will move with its movement. I'm not 100% sure if that means that the clutch is good, or if I'm misunderstanding the significance of that. I also tried tapping the gear/clutch pack with a sledgehammer and extension. I can also say that the alternator is working fine, as I'm getting 14.3~ volts at idle, and increasing voltage slightly as I rev the engine. The starter gear will also move clockwise and counterclockwise together with the starter clutch (chrome thing) when the bike is in gear and I roll the bike backwards and forwards. The bike starts fine when push-started, but the starter only spins, even if the bike is running in neutral, in gear, literally while I'm at speed. I even tried rolling the bike backwards and popping the clutch while starting, nothing. I can also slightly see a small chain near the chain guide which is behind the clutch pack (see pic) if I look at it from a weird angle with a flashlight. So I can also say the chain doesn't seem broken.

I always use rotella 15w40 T4 diesel oil for my motorcycles, never had a problem. Oil is only about 150 miles old since the last change. I also have a full battery, and also used a battery jump back to rule out low voltage. The alternator will also move the crank, and even drive chain when in gear, when spun with a ratchet, so I know the chain for that works.

So, any ideas?


Also, if my starter clutch is truly screwed, is there a way I can make a kick-starter for this bike? It would not be able to use the starter clutch gear to start.
 

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Hi all. I was reading up on a thread on here about a starter clutch issue where the clutch chain may be broken, or the sprag rollers are bad. I currently have a 97 Nighthawk 750 that just recently started having starter/starter clutch issues.

For about 2 weeks of daily riding, my starter would not spin every so often. I needed to tap the starter with a wrench or ratchet for it to work. I assume the brushes were worn at this time, and I was right. I kept riding like this for a while, and the last time I tried starting the bike, the battery was low and the tapping trick no longer worked. I went ahead and ordered a starter rebuild kit and changed the brush assembly on the cap of the starter and cleaned the rest of the starter motor, greased the sun gear/planetaries. The starter itself now works fine, but now it only spins freely, it seems as if the starter clutch is worn out, and wont catch.

Here's what I can tell - With the starter off the bike, and the bike in neutral, I can spin the starter clutch gear (The one exposed behind where the starter motor sits) counterclockwise, but not clockwise. To me, this means the one-way roller/clutch/whatever is working. I can also use a long flat-headed screwdriver to spin the round silver clutch assembly (the big chrome thing behind this starter gear, directly behind the teeth of the starter gear, see picture) counterclockwise also with some force, and the drive chain will move with its movement. I'm not 100% sure if that means that the clutch is good, or if I'm misunderstanding the significance of that. I also tried tapping the gear/clutch pack with a sledgehammer and extension. I can also say that the alternator is working fine, as I'm getting 14.3~ volts at idle, and increasing voltage slightly as I rev the engine. The starter gear will also move clockwise and counterclockwise together with the starter clutch (chrome thing) when the bike is in gear and I roll the bike backwards and forwards. The bike starts fine when push-started, but the starter only spins, even if the bike is running in neutral, in gear, literally while I'm at speed. I even tried rolling the bike backwards and popping the clutch while starting, nothing. I can also slightly see a small chain near the chain guide which is behind the clutch pack (see pic) if I look at it from a weird angle with a flashlight. So I can also say the chain doesn't seem broken.

I always use rotella 15w40 T4 diesel oil for my motorcycles, never had a problem. Oil is only about 150 miles old since the last change. I also have a full battery, and also used a battery jump back to rule out low voltage. The alternator will also move the crank, and even drive chain when in gear, when spun with a ratchet, so I know the chain for that works.

So, any ideas?


Also, if my starter clutch is truly screwed, is there a way I can make a kick-starter for this bike? It would not be able to use the starter clutch gear to start.
Solved. See pic. Aftermarket starter brush had the positive brush in the wrong spot, causing the starter to spin in the wrong direction, causing the starter clutch gear to freewheel when used. Oem part is on right, aftermarket on left
 

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Solved. See pic. Aftermarket starter brush had the positive brush in the wrong spot, causing the starter to spin in the wrong direction, causing the starter clutch gear to freewheel when used. Oem part is on right, aftermarket on left
Just last week my 1992 Nighthawk started to have starting issues. Would start just fine then slow start or no start. Thought it was the battery so I jump started it and it started. I drive home and turn it off and attempt to start it again and it starts right up. I drive to the gas station and fill up and attempt to start it up again to leave but I get nothing but solenoid clicking. I push start it and drive home, park but before leaving I attempt to start it again with nothing up solenoid clicking. The next day I take the battery out and go to Autozone and get it fully recharged. I thereafter light test the power feed to the starter with no lighting of the tester, I push the starter button and now the light tester lights up, so I have power to the starter. I try and find and purchase a new starter with no luck so I bring my starter to the rebuilder. He rebuilds it pulling parts from another starter. It spins just fine, so I put it in and it spins but does not crack/turn the motor over. I spin the starter driven gear and it moves counter clockwise but not clockwise. I am unsure that it is the starter clutch but a Honda mechanic says it could still be the starter clutch because it is not under load which might make a difference. But all this does not make sense to me. The starter goes bad then the starter clutch also simultaneously goes bad? I reference the internet, Youtube and my Honda Service manual. I find this information:



Starter Motor Turns, But Engine Does Not Turn

1. Starter motor is running backwards
-Case assembled improperly
-Terminals connected improperly

2. Faulty starter clutch

3. Damaged or faulty starter pinion

4. Damgage pinion gears



The starter motor is running backwards? Not I think, how can it run backwards opposite the gearing? I continue to search and I find this post. Thank you Shade5079! I didn’t think it could spin backwards turning counter clockwise against the starter driven gear. Tomorrow I bring back the starter to the rebuilder which charged $70.00 for the rebuild.
 
Just last week my 1992 Nighthawk started to have starting issues. Would start just fine then slow start or no start. Thought it was the battery so I jump started it and it started. I drive home and turn it off and attempt to start it again and it starts right up. I drive to the gas station and fill up and attempt to start it up again to leave but I get nothing but solenoid clicking. I push start it and drive home, park but before leaving I attempt to start it again with nothing up solenoid clicking. The next day I take the battery out and go to Autozone and get it fully recharged. I thereafter light test the power feed to the starter with no lighting of the tester, I push the starter button and now the light tester lights up, so I have power to the starter. I try and find and purchase a new starter with no luck so I bring my starter to the rebuilder. He rebuilds it pulling parts from another starter. It spins just fine, so I put it in and it spins but does not crack/turn the motor over. I spin the starter driven gear and it moves counter clockwise but not clockwise. I am unsure that it is the starter clutch but a Honda mechanic says it could still be the starter clutch because it is not under load which might make a difference. But all this does not make sense to me. The starter goes bad then the starter clutch also simultaneously goes bad? I reference the internet, Youtube and my Honda Service manual. I find this information:



Starter Motor Turns, But Engine Does Not Turn

1. Starter motor is running backwards
-Case assembled improperly
-Terminals connected improperly

2. Faulty starter clutch

3. Damaged or faulty starter pinion

4. Damgage pinion gears



The starter motor is running backwards? Not I think, how can it run backwards opposite the gearing? I continue to search and I find this post. Thank you Shade5079! I didn’t think it could spin backwards turning counter clockwise against the starter driven gear. Tomorrow I bring back the starter to the rebuilder which charged $70.00 for the rebuild.
You’re welcome, one of the reasons I came back to post my solution because I knew some sad sack would also have this happen to them. Glad it worked out
 
I can’t remember now because it’s been a long time since this happened. What I did try is literally hook up a jump box to the starter directly and disconnected the battery from the bike. I hooked up ground of the jump box to the starter positive terminal and positive to the starter case, literally reversing the flow of electrical current to the starter. So by doing this I was able to reverse the direction of the starter motor and discover that the brushes were on backwards. It was the only explanation.
 
With the starter motor gear facing you, the correct movement is supposed to be clockwise. When you install the starter in the bike, the gear is facing away from you, which means when viewed from this point, it will be rotating counterclockwise. By rotating counter clockwise, the starter clutch gear will rotate clockwise, which will catch with the clutch.
 
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