Starter Question

95spfldmax · Apr 1, 2018

My starter motor spins but doesn't engage anything. Is this a problem on the starting motor side? Or do I need to go in to the stator cover and fix something in the starter clutch area? Had the "Bag-O-Rocks" issue a couple of seasons ago and fixed the problem with the loose starter clutch. This seems to be something else.

95spfldmax · Apr 1, 2018

https://www.flickr.com/gp/157287063@N04/5e8AEE

sdt354 · Apr 2, 2018

I'd pull the starter 1st for inspection, but the clutch is probably gone, Mike. Not the typical box of rocks sound.

D-Max2012 · Apr 2, 2018

Sounds like your starter motor is spinning, but its not engaging into anything. When you get behind the stator cover to check, check all the gears teeth from the starter motor up to the clutch itself. Hopefully you didn't throw a tooth. IMHO, if you had the "Box of Rocks" sound in the past, and now this, chances are, the starter clutch is now completely gone and needs replacement.

95spfldmax · Apr 22, 2018

Finally had a chance to get in to the cover. I posted a pic and video of what I found. Basically the gears look fine. The starter motor and gear spins fine. The gear assembly rotates in one direction as described in the repair manual and locks up correctly in the other direction. The gear behind the clutch pack seems to have a little play in it as seen in the video. I don't want to take that F'n rotor off unless I absolutely have to! But the only other variable left is the clutch pack itself? Can the clutch pack still be screwing up but pass the gear "direction" test"? What do you guys think? Mr Morley would you chime in here please?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157287063@N04/shares/p60PJM

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157287063@N04/shares/Jhq110

D-Max2012 · Apr 22, 2018

That "Box of Rocks (BoR)" sound is telling you that the clutch screws are loose, or the clutch housing is cracked.

See Sean Morley's Video on this below.

I ignored that sound for almost a year, which was my mistake.
I got into the habit of double tapping the starter button when it made that BoR sound.

It seemed to be worse, once the engine was running for a while, then stopped and re-started.

Anyway.. to make a long story short, my screws got so loose, that while reving up the engine almost to the red-line, that thin plate that covers the clutch itself, broke off, slammed into my pulser pick-up coil, knocked it out of position and left me stranded, 30 miles from home.

Once I opened up the stator cover and pulled the flywheel off, I found the 3 black bolts that holds the clutch on, where never peened, No thread locker was used, and all 3 were totally loose.

I Followed Sean Video for the repair and took it one step further.

I ordered a new clutch, and bolts.
Cleaned bolts and bolt holes with Acetone.
Put Red LockTite on the bolts and locked them down.
Then I let the Locktite set for 24 hours BEFORE peening the bolt ends.
I did it this way, to insure that the bolts did not shift, while peening the ends into the flywheel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw2uqNnRwCw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePW96hG2Ojw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf33AGRTZ6s&t=11s

95spfldmax · Apr 23, 2018

I don't have a (BoR) sound just the starter gear not engaging anything and my bolts are still tight and peened from my last repair. Broken clutch pack is what I'm beginning to suspect. Although the gears engage and freewheel as they're supposed to.