[awdyck]

I have an '83 Aspie that I purchased knowing that the starter clutch needed work. I tried the Sea Foam in the oil trick, but it didn't make any difference, so I pulled the engine. The starter clutch was clean although the rollers were magnetized somewhat. I replaced the rollers, pins and springs and put it back together. I know the rollers were loose because I had to pin them back to get the clutch over the journal. So I put the engine back into the bike enough to try turning it over and the thing still won't work. The starter just spins away. Anyone had any experience with this happening? I think it's highly unlikely that it's the starter, but I do have another starter kicking around. Is there any point in trying to change starters?

 

[Chopin]

Come on you 1100 gurus. Need some tech support over here.

 

[Bamaeagle]

Ok I will give it a shot.....I do not nor have ever had a 1100 though.......

I would change out the starter to see if it was the problem.

 

[awdyck]

I feel like an idiot. Never believe a mechanic when he says you need a starter clutch., It was the starter. I suspect that the gears are stripped somewhere.

 

[Chopin]

I feel like an idiot. Never believe a mechanic when he says you need a starter clutch., It was the starter. I suspect that the gears are stripped somewhere.

I feel ignorant. What is a starter clutch ?

 

[awdyck]

The starter clutch sits at the back of the engine just in front of the stator. There is a chain that runs up from the starter to the clutch. Engaging the starter causes the starter to grab hold of the crank and turn it. When the engine starts, the starter clutch releases. There's another name for it but I can't remember what it is. You can Google starter clutch Gold Wing and you'll find lots of information about the grief these things can cause.

 

[awdyck]

So I took apart the starter to see what the issue is. I expected to see the gear house in shambles but nothing is obvious initially. Then what I did notice is that the circular gear around the circumference of the gear house was very loose. I assume that the pin that is in the housing is supposed to line up with a slot on the outside of the gear so that it doesn't rotate. My plastic gear has no such slot and I suspect that the circular gear has been spinning instead of driving the starter gear. Has anyone else had this issue? Anyway, before you start tearing your engine out to repair the starter clutch, you might want to check the state of the gears on your starter. I haven't seen any posts on this so I don't know if I'm off base.

 

[Chopin]

You can Google starter clutch Gold Wing and you'll find lots of information about the grief these things can cause.

Well I took your advice and poked around here and there on the Net. What an adventure. There is some serious info out there and endless reading and topics.