Starting question

[davidon]

Once every couples of tries when starting (especially when hot) I do seem to be getting the bag of rocks sound coming from the starter clutch. Should you NEVER get this sound when trying to start or is it time to look into the starter clutch?

 

[DMAN999]

It has happened occasionly on my bike over the years but I just wait a minute or two before cranking it when that happens.
It hasn't actually hurt my bike as far as I know.

 

[digin150]

starter clutch doing bad.get a good wheel puller not to bad of a fix.

 

[DMAN999]

^ That's most likely the issue if I happens regularly.
I've only had it happen a few times in 11 years though so I just ignored it.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

A weak battery can also make a good starter clutch sound bad. Doesn't hit the pinch rollers hard enough to bite and hold. Might check that too before diving into a starter clutch job.

Just put a meter across the battery and start it. Voltage should not drop below less than 11-11.5 at the lowest I think.

 

[davidon]

A weak battery can also make a good starter clutch sound bad. Doesn't hit the pinch rollers hard enough to bite and hold. Might check that too before diving into a starter clutch job.

Just put a meter across the battery and start it. Voltage should not drop below less than 11-11.5 at the lowest I think.

Can someone confirm this? Mine drops to like 10.5 or so. If above is true I may replace battery although it has measures 12.69 V without starting. Battery IS on the older side though.

 

[alorio1]

If the battery isn't the problem, I would remove the fly wheel and address the problem. It could be the screws have worked loose allowing the cage that holds the rollers and spings intact. It could be the cage that houses the rollers and spring in tact has a crack in it ,or just simply be the screws are loose and needs tightning and then peened to keep them tight. If you allow the cage to come completely deattached from fly wheel, you will find youself fishing around in the engine with a magnet trying to locate all the small pieces and having to purchase a set of rollers, springs and screws.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Can someone confirm this? Mine drops to like 10.5 or so. If above is true I may replace battery although it has measures 12.69 V without starting. Battery IS on the older side though.

Yeah I'd like more cases to go by than my own for this too.
Numbers I see are for an odyssey battery.

 

[davidon]

Forgot that I have the PCW HD starter clutch..I thought I saw somewhere that he tack welds the bolts so they don't move. Don't know if he always did this..work was done in a few years ago. I'm going to replace battery first and see if problem goes away..if not I'll pull flywheel.

 

[DMAN999]

I have the UB12180 Sealed Battery.
It read 12.97 before starting the bike.
I just checked and mine dropped to 10.8 - 10.9 (I started it 3 times to test) for just a split second and then shoots right back up to 13.8 -13.9 at idle and around 14.3 -14.4 @ 2500+.

I'd take the Battery to an Auto parts store and have it Load tested to see if it's really bad before just replacing it.

 

[sdt354]

9.6 volts cranking for 10 seconds straight, is about the minimum. 10.5 is a good battery Tom.
Steve-o