Starter Clutch on a 550

I had done a search for info on starter clutch but with the words starter and clutch I came up with endless results. I have a service manual from yamaha but in my opinion it is nowhere close to the haynes manual that is used for cars as far as explaining the hows and wheres. My appologies for starting a new thread.


I'm in a battle to get the bike started. I can get the bike to fire for a second or so but during it running with the starter button disengaged it sounds like the motor is turning the starter. My thinking is that the starter clutch is not releasing from the starter gear which is slowing the motor from actually running. Am I correct in my thinking?

How hard is it to get to the starter clutch?

Is there anything I need to know or get when I start to tackle this project?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

I think you're WAAYYY jumping to conclusions.

The 550s aren't known for starter clutch problems, whatsoever. Not saying that anything isn't possible; but your problem more than likely lies elsewhere like with a stuck solenoid, or button contacts, or wiring/connection/ground issues.

The starter isn't slowing the motor down and keeping it from running. The problem lies elsewhere.

How about a little more info/history here so we have a starting point? Fully charged battery? New plugs? Intake or exhaust mods? DID it run? Since you've had it?

The factory book has very good diagnostics when it comes to the starter and associated circuitry, but it assumes a certain skill level on the part of the reader. Have you had a run through the factory book's starter diagnostics section?

 

I bought the bike not running the day after thanksgiving. The bike I assume it has hasn't run in 9 years. I bought it from a local shop that got it in on trade.

It doesn't seem to have any type of mods.

Since Ive had it I changed the plugs, oil, and battery.

I cleaned the carbs with spray carb cleaner. I was cafeful not to get any on the rubber pieces. The floats were stuck bad. I am planning on now that I think of it getting the dunk style cleaner.

The oil I took out was black as can be. I plan on changing the oil again so I can look for metal fragments.

As far as the starter section I briefly looked into it but got lost and overwhelmed. Might of just been tired or frustrated.

 

Don't get overwhelmed; just don't worry about the starter clutch right now. Chances are it's fine. Be sure you're using conventional "motorcycle" oil and cross it off your list for now.

Don't "dunk" the carbs, you can ruin perfectly good throttle shaft seals that way.

The enrichment wells are in the float bowls; if they're not clean it's not going to start. "Choke" on these is not a choke, it's an enrichening circuit that adds fuel, not blocks off air like a conventional choke. If the floats were that stuck, chances are the enrichment wells are plugged.

With that mileage, you're going to need to check the valve clearances; if they were neglected it's right at the mileage where it will start to have problems if a few are way tight.

Problems like hard starting.

You're going to need to check and adjust the valves, and pull the carbs for a full "service" as described in the book. Don't break the rack unless necessary (don't submerge it or you'll cause yourself more work) but do the service as described.

Then check the float levels using the clear tube method with fuel (off the bike) bench sync them (off the bike) then reinstall the carbs on your freshly valve-adjusted motor and get them vacuum sync'ed.

Gotta do it, and in that order. Or you'll be fighting it for a while (until you do it right.) There's no quick fix.

 

Thanks fitz, I don't think I got the enrichment wells clean enough. My main focus was freeing up the floats. So I guess it's off with the carbs again. I will post an update once i get them back on.

thanks again

 

ADJUST THE VALVES.

At least check them. It's still not gonna light if you've got a couple of tight valves, even with the carbs fixed.

It's at exactly the right mileage for neglected valves to start to cause problems. You gotta at least look.