Twisted starter motor.

I got stuck into the 84 XJ900 a few weeks back. Primary job was to replace the slipping clutch. While it was apart I polished up the clutch cover and exhaust headers, which had to be removed to get at the oil filter which was replaced, along with the oil.

Put it all back together, hit the starter with the bike in neutral, motor caught, but there was something holding it back and it was making a nasty whine....all of a sudden the motor started to rev freely, then died and refused to turn over on the starter. I guessed at starter motor failure, since the clutch seem OK. To get the starter motor out I had to remove the carbies, (which I did and am happy to say after spraying the pilot screws and bowl drain screws with Kroil over the previous couple of months all moved without major drama, phew!)

Sure enough, the starter had locked up....it is actually twisted now, the long bolts that run down each side are now diagonal to the main body and the starter motor is completely siezed. I felt around inside the starter clutch and it seems to be all working OK.

So I disconnected the TCI, pulled the spark plugs, (they seem a bit rich and maybe a bit oily but not too bad) and put a replacement starter motor in, it all seems to spin over OK on the starter motor.

I'm hoping it will all work OK when its all back together, just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this or advice on anything further I should check ?