Starter Match?

Hello all,

My starter went out on my 1985 xj700. I'm having trouble finding a starter for this model. Are there any other models I should be looking for as a match for the starter?

 

Are you sure You can't fix it? Not much to a starter rebuild if the windings are good.

Yamaha used the same starter on a bunch of bikes. Check the yamaha part number and look for one that way.

 

I've took it apart, replaced and brushes, and cleaned it a couple times but it still won't spin up. The local bike yard wanted $250 for the starter on this exact model.

 

Any competent Auto-Electric Company that rebuilds and services Alternator and Starter Motors ought to be able to fix you up for far less than 7-Hundred Bucks.


DrumHill Cycle: http://www.drumhillcycle.com/

 

Outrageous. Have you checked the windings (just curious why it would be bad - usually brushes will fix it if windings are good). I'll see if I can dig up some info on yours - most of the starters were the same...

 

ALl XJ-series bikes except for the 550's and the 1100's used the same starter motor. On some particular models, the case and end cap is painted black; on all others, the case and end cap are natural finish. I carry new and rebuilt motors in stock.

 

I can turn it by hand, but when I try and test it I just get sparks. I'll try and take it apart and re-grease it again. If all else fails I guess I'm due for a replacement.

 

Make sure you have the plate the brushes sit on set properly in the locating notches. Also make sure you have cleaned the commutator well. Check the wires internal too. It is easy for the 12V input to get moved/turned - may be shorting to case?

You can also check the continuity of the windings. Should be able to see where each coil attaches to commutator. Should have a fairly low resistance on each coil. I'd have to find the spec but not open and readings below say 1k ohms should be good.

As you can see I'm very convinced that if the thing spins (bearing surfaces good) and the windings and brushes are good it should work. Not much to them.

(edited - even I was confused by what I wrote)

 

Thanks! I'll try double checking everything mentioned.

 

A timely post. I replaced my 3 and half year old battery yesterday (it still was Ok but I figured that best to replace than being stranded unexpectedly when it failed through age). And...at the same time I thought that it might be a good idea to have a look at the starter motor as starting has been a bit sluggish lately and it's been a couple of years since I last dismantled and cleaned it.

And sure enough when I opened it up it was dark and dirty, carbon dust gumming up the works, the commutator was black and I'm surprised that it had enough contact area to react to the power when applied.

I cleaned it up, spotless and shiny. The armature is fairly robust so I would guess that it is unlikely that yours might have burned out so the problem lies elsewhere.

A couple of things from experience will be well worth checking as it sounds to me a familiar case of there being a short somewhere.

Check the alignment of the brush plate - the Haynes manual has a great exploded diagram of the correct alignment. This is important because if out of alignment it may not go...or in my case some time ago...it went BACKWARDS!!! Correct alignment is essential as is ensuring the brushes contact the commutator well.

Secondly, the wire from the brush plate that goes through the housing and connects to the cable coming from the solenoid (starter relay) can also be a source of trouble.

There should be a piece of plastic (square) INSIDE the housing that sits between the bolt and the housing - sort of a spacer - that insulates the metal from touching the housing. The plastic spacer on mine broke and the metal from the bolt ended up touching the motor housing creating a short. Had heaps of trouble pinning it down to that - and the symptom is the same as yours...got sparks but no turning of motor.

When I discovered that I set about to fix it...but not having a spare part (or a starter motor repair kit available on ebay) I used some tough little pieces of leather I had onhand as an interim fix. Hooked it up and it spun.

Best way to check is just connect the motor and make sure it is grounded against the engine and press the starter - if it spins you're successful. And you don't have to hassle with mounting/demounting it each time till it's right.

OK...there you go...check the alignment of the brush plate and brushes and make sure there's no shorts.

See how you go and report back!

Cheers.

 

I remember the backwards discussion we had. I couldn't believe it until you weighed in. Made sense once we understood what was happening.

 

And I do have those replacement plastic insulator bushings/spacers available for the positive brush stud..........

 

for some reason it's not posting the picture:

Picture

Are you saying that there should be a spacer between these two parts? That would probably be the issue if that's the case.

Thanks again!

 

Well, it's not really a "spacer", it's a plastic insulator that has a square recess (to accept that square stud base), plus the upper/outer plastic "sleeve" that insulates the shaft of the stud from the starter motor case (it appears that you still have that piece).

Without that lower (inside the case) insulator, you have a massive short to ground!!!

 

Great, I'll try replacing it and report back if it works.

Thanks,

 

That could be the problem, as chacal says it's a short without it. By the way If you have not met Chacal he is our local parts guru. he has lots of parts and is great to deal with.

 

Sure enough it was the insulator. After putting one in, it fired right up. Thanks for the help! On to the next challenge...CARBS!!!

 

Cool I couldn't see how it could be toast - glad you got it sorted out