Horrid noise on occasional start up

[QuarterHorse]

From what I've read I think I know what it is, but I'll ask anyway. Every now and again, and it's happening more frequent now, when cranking the engine over the starter or something makes a nasty sound. I get off the start button, try again, good as gold.

Starter clutch replacement time or is it just getting the flywheel off and tightening up some bolts?

FWIW '93 Vmax just a tad under 35K on it.

Thanks fellas

 

[maleko89]

Dustin, starter clutch! Make sure you inpect the big idler gear sitting behind it and also the smaller starter gears.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Thanks Mark, probably a weekend project. I'll get a starter clutch ordered. I needed to get another oil change on it anyway this weekend.

 

[maleko89]

Quarter, you'll probably need new stator cover and middle gear cover gaskets.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Gotcha, I have a friend that's the parts manager at a Yammy dealership just outta town. I'll have 'em get me all the gaskets required, and probably scour the service manual before I call and have him order it in.

 

[shawn kloker]

Sometimes you can get away with just tightening it back up.That's what I did to mine years ago.

 

[Akatora]

Hello,

I have same problem. The starter is making some rattling noise occasionally and that time it is also not engaging. So I wanted to see the situation of the bolts behind there...

But man the alternator was sitting tight there! So tight it was that had to worry about the threads of those three 8mm bolts which were be connected into the alternator while removing it.

Actually first I gave it some heat with a heat gun. Then a couple of hits by hammer via brass mandrel. Then connected the puller and applied a PLENTY of force - and eventually the alternator decided to jump out.

After successfully released, the bolts could be seen moving by just touching them with fingers. I hope the situation will be fixed with tightening them.

Regards,

AT

 

[knottyrope]

get some loctite on clean threads before you close it up.

weird on side stand it wont do it but upright it will.

 

[shawn kloker]

Yes at least blue loctite if not red!

 

[Akatora]

Correct. The position of the bike seems to have some influence during the problem getting acute.

Loctite will be definitely worth of it's price considering the location of the bolts...
I just have to get tomorrow some grease (oil) remover to clean the threads first.


Regards,

AT

 

[QuarterHorse]

So my issue became less frequent, then I forgot about the issue when I sold the bike to my father in law. He called last week saying the bike won't start. I felt sick to my stomach figuring the bolts had backed out and made a big mess.

1st, the job itself, freakin' easy. I had myself worked up about it for no reason at all. Pulling the flywheel was fine as soon as I got some hardened bolts as I bent the **** ones that came with the puller.

What did piss me off was the dumb **** engineers at Yamaha who thought it would be a good idea instead of using lock tite on the bolts, but to ball peen the end so they wouldn't back out. In doing this, it messed up the threads when I pulled the starter clutch off. Now two issues came up that I wasn't prepared to deal with where I was working on the bike at. I had to chase threads on the magnet portion of the flywheel assembly, and get new allen head screws 8mm x 1.25 x 14mm long. Well I found some 20mm long and had to cut those down when I got home, along with tapping the threads to clean them up. The bike went back together like a glove. Next time I'll be aware of exactly what's needed, and I bet it takes less than an hour, or right around an hour to do it. Cake job.

Thanks for the info fellas.

I also got to ride the bike after it went back together. Brought a tear to my eye on the ride. The only vehicle I really really miss. *Sigh*

 

[kozy]

This horrible noise that you said it was making when you tried to start it.....did it kind of sound like a bunch of clicking noises? My bike did that for the first time today.....kinda scares me.

 

[kozy]

Anyone??? My bike doesn't start whenever it starts making this nasty sounding clicking noise. Sounds like it's coming from the lower left side of the engine.

Is the starter clutch the problem that I'm having also?
I should probably download the service manual for the max....that would help me out a lot LOL

 

[one2dmax]

sounds like a box of rocks tumbling around in there when it starts to go out.

Sean

 

[kozy]

that's EXACTLY what is sounds like.
I won't hurt anything on the bike if I make it wait until it's too cold to ride, will it?

 

[one2dmax]

Shouldn't hurt it. You'll need a new starter clutch and probably the wheel gear along with new gaskets for the stator cover and middle gear cover. I've got those parts used at the moment but out of the new on hand.

Sean

 

[QuarterHorse]

Sorry I haven't been on in a while. My father in law rode it like that until it just wouldn't start. I checked the gears over while it was apart and all was well, just a starter clutch and gasket were all the parts I needed.

 

[Akatora]

Hello,

The problem was not the bolts, it was the starter clutch springs (the small ones), which were shortened and therefore lost their power.

So I changed the springs and the rolls. The total cost was 30 euros. Now it's working perfectly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not try to keep starting your bike if your battery is weak. This could obviously damage the starter clutch springs. Only operate the starter motor with fully loaded battery and with short periods of starting effort.

Regards,

AT

 

[witchdoctor]

any pics of the operation/repair will help... mine has the same pblm.

 

[dickvoodoo]

I couple of notes from my experience with this. Used a good automotive harmonic balancer puller, no cheapo's. I broke the first one. Apply pressure with the puller and heat the hub around the shaft, remember it is tapered and when it lets go be ready to catch. Also don't just tighten the 3 starter clutch bolts replace them as they get a beating from being run loose.