82 GL1100 Oddball Noise

[FirstCavArmyVet]

Wanted to drop in first and say hello to all. Strangely enough I found this site while searching for an answer for the problem on my own lady. I cam across this thread about an elusive knock on an 83. (which had nothing to do with mine), but was so taken in by the mystery of it, that I read all 11 pages LOL. Sad to know it was a bottom end problem.

Anyway, I usually haunt over at Steve Saunders but lately my problem has baffled even allot of them. My wife and I picked this lady up a few years ago after our 80 was hit head-on in 2010. For the most part she has been trouble free. About a month ago on the interstate, she developed the noise you will hear in the video I have. It began sounding like something dragging and then falling off. Pulled of I-75 and looked all underneath, found nothing missing, dragging, etc. Now this noise is intermittent and comes at odd intervals.

My problem is my wife and I are both disabled. Mine after Baghdad and hers after the accident. So we cannot really just take her up to a mechanic. So if I can fix this on my own? It would help..

Now i did pull the starter, took it apart, and cleaned, re-greased, and bench ran it. No noise. Put it back in and the noise continues. I have a haunting fear that it is inside the motor.

Any ideas would be helpful. Ignore my dumbass in the video as it's clearly NOT the starter......[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5eWpTW51KQ[/video]

 

[mcgovern61]

Welcome to the site from New Jersey! :clapping:

I would put my money on the starter clutch, not the starter itself.

 

[FirstCavArmyVet]

I just took another video with my actual camera and not my phone. Hopefully that will give a clearer idea of what it is. When I listened closer, it DOES sound like it's coming from the starter clutch/stator assembly. Felt my stomach tie in a knot when I heard it just now. Let me get this other video posted up and see what we get. Thanks for the welcome BTW. Sucks being in SW FL. Most of the wing riders here are either too hard to catch, too old to care, or just not in existance.

 

[FirstCavArmyVet]

Ok here is the recent video I just took today. Doesn't really give much more but you can hear more of the background noises associated with it

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLOKPx4pziM&feature=youtu.be[/video]

 

[dan filipi]

I'd put my money on the starter clutch roller sprags engaging occasionally, may be spinning the starter chain.

I'd pull the gear head off the starter, take out the 2 little gears, then bolt it back in using the one bolt to hold it in then push start it.
Stop right away, and take a flashlight and see if the center shaft spins when you hear that noise.
I've never done this but I think that center shaft should turn if the starter clutch is getting engaged when it shouldn't.

 

[Steve83]

Dan, I think you nailed it!

 

[Bobo]

mcgovern61 » Sun Sep 08, 2013 2:27 pm[/url]":zforhrrh]
Welcome to the site from New Jersey! :clapping:

I would put my money on the starter clutch, not the starter itself.

+1 Run 4-6oz. of Seafoam in the engine for 100 miles or so and see if it goes away, if so, drain the oil, replace the filter, and fill with Amsoil 10W-40. My GL1200 ran much better, especially shifting, after I did the exact same thing! Good luck!

 

[brianinpa]

Bobo » Sun Sep 08, 2013 7:03 pm[/url]":2nvh6p2a]

mcgovern61 » Sun Sep 08, 2013 2:27 pm[/url]":2nvh6p2a]
Welcome to the site from New Jersey! :clapping:

I would put my money on the starter clutch, not the starter itself.

+1 Run 4-6oz. of Seafoam in the engine for 100 miles or so and see if it goes away, if so, drain the oil, replace the filter, and fill with Amsoil 10W-40. My GL1200 ran much better, especially shifting, after I did the exact same thing! Good luck!

Mine was.doing something similar to yours and I put some seafoam In the crank case for a tank of gas. Changed the oil and filter and the oil that came out was really black. The starter clutch is in one of those areas that is out of the normal flow of oil, so it stays dirtier.

 

[AApple]

100% the starter clutch....the rollers are locking onto the shaft intermittently. Changing the oil may help, or eliminate it, as might running some seafoam in the crankcase, then changing the oil.... :beg:

GL1100 80-83 Service Manual Page 17-8

• WindNWing
• Oct 16, 2012

 

[FirstCavArmyVet]

That is about what I found on the other site I frequent. However the clutch itself never got mentioned. I'll throw a can of S.F. in the crankcase and ride a bit tuesday. So riding it won't do much damage to it? Other than what may already be done?. Seems when I was riding it home when it first started, the RPM's dropped a touch when the noise occurred. I'm assuming from it engaging the shaft itself.

Lets hope it clears up. And I do thank you all for your help. Kinda good to get a 2nd opinion sometimes.

 

[Bobo]

FirstCavArmyVet » Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:11 pm[/url]"6mwfh7f]
That is about what I found on the other site I frequent. However the clutch itself never got mentioned. I'll throw a can of S.F. in the crankcase and ride a bit tuesday. So riding it won't do much damage to it? Other than what may already be done?. Seems when I was riding it home when it first started, the RPM's dropped a touch when the noise occurred. I'm assuming from it engaging the shaft itself.

Lets hope it clears up. And I do thank you all for your help. Kinda good to get a 2nd opinion sometimes.

DON'T put a whole can in the crankcase, Man! Just 6oz. max and ride for 100 miles, city and highway. That should do it. Take a sample of the oil before you add the Seafoam, and then one as you drain the oil afterward. It doesn't just clean your starter clutch, it cleans ALL the nooks and crannies in that old engine! And I do recommend Amsoil just based on my own experience. If you want a good source, go to the Honda Goldwing Owners Forum and look up Amsoil Dealers Group (Amsoil Bob) and get the same price as your local Amsoil dealer would pay. Then change your oil 1/3 as often and with better operating results! And I'm HARD to sell on any product, but I'm sold on it. Run it in my truck and all three Wings! And use a good oil filter, like a NAPA (Wix) Gold filter.

 

[dan filipi]

FirstCavArmyVet » Sun Sep 08, 2013 9:11 pm[/url]":8opg8wk6]
That is about what I found on the other site I frequent. However the clutch itself never got mentioned. I'll throw a can of S.F. in the crankcase and ride a bit tuesday. So riding it won't do much damage to it? Other than what may already be done?. Seems when I was riding it home when it first started, the RPM's dropped a touch when the noise occurred. I'm assuming from it engaging the shaft itself.

Lets hope it clears up. And I do thank you all for your help. Kinda good to get a 2nd opinion sometimes.

If the starter is turning when it does that it could destroy it.
I had an engine where the starter clutch was frozen and when running at idle with a couple revs, the armature of the starter came apart.

Where is it, NGW I think?
Someone posted about drilling a hole in the side cover at just the right spot so some cleaner could be sprayed in the roller holes.