A Surprising Starter Clutch Issue

For those that have been playing along, I have just finished splitting the cases after my starter clutch locked engaged 30 seconds after getting my new 'project' bike running.

The general consensus was it should slip and fail rather than lock and fail.

Anyway, as it turns out, two of the three bolts that should be holding the starter clutch body together had come loose and had got themselves mangled and stuck against the idler gear, locking the starter clutch engaged.

I'm a little suss that this would happen, and wondering whether the PO tried to fix it without splitting cases and then failed to retorque the bolts, but regardless, it appears the only issue and is simple enough to fix. I will change the springs while I'm in here.

I'll order the parts this week and hopefully get start on rebuilding it all next weekend. If anyone else has other recommendations while I'm here, please share them.

Cheers,
oby

 

Since the cases are split I highly recommend replacing the primary chain guide. It is known to fail in time depositing small plastic bits of itself into the gear shifter drum, leaving the shifter locked and unable to shift gears. I would also be tempted to replace the starter clutch springs and rollers anyway. This way you don't have to worry about going back in.