The dreaded starter clutch noise

[Motörhead]

Here I am two weeks away from a multi-state trip and having performed all the servicing and double checking I can think of, went to cold start the bike and WURR GRINDING NOISE CLUNK . It has done this before but the occurrence completely slipped my mind.

A second try, this time with clutch pulled in, and it started normally. I let it idle for 30 minutes with a shop fan pointed at the radiator to circulate fuel treated with Sea Foam concentrate in hopes of clearing up a partially clogged idle circuit in the right rear carb. It worked! Whew. Shut it down, restarted again with no starter clutch theatrics.

I've had bikes either low on voltage or bad starters that I was able to push and leap on for a rolling start but that was over 20 years ago on bikes half the weight. Maybe if it comes to it gas stop help could give a hand but maybe not. I don't want this trip to become a bad experience calling AAA for a tow to U-Haul.

So, my question is does this issue usually remain intermittent or quit the starting completely? Will a jump started boost help if it comes to that? Has anyone had luck with the Sea Foam in the oil trick?

I have a Kawasaki ZG/Ninja hybrid project just completed, road tested, and licensed but 2K miles is a lot behind that small windscreen see pic. The Supertrapps have no packing too so it's loud.

 

[AApple]

My one experience with the start clutch on The Turd was that if failed completely on the day someone was coming to buy the bike. It had, on occasion, spun freely without grabbing, but usually a few short on/off blasts with the start button would get it to hold. I would be askeered to go on a road trip with one that was already acting up. the one I replaced on The Turd was in bad shape.....rusted, and the springs were basically froze up inside the bores. You can see what mine looked like here...

 

[Motörhead]

My one experience with the start clutch on The Turd was that if failed completely on the day someone was coming to buy the bike. It had, on occasion, spun freely without grabbing, but usually a few short on/off blasts with the start button would get it to hold. I would be askeered to go on a road trip with one that was already acting up. the one I replaced on The Turd was in bad shape.....rusted, and the springs were basically froze up inside the bores. You can see what mine looked like here...

Wow that's an eye opener!

I did some web searching on the issue, motor flushing a quart overfull seems to be the most common approach towards getting some vapor and splash lubrication up there. There was even a mention of drilling a hole on top of the case over the starter clutch for a WD40 straw.

This is what I'm trying:

Added the motor flush on top of the oil already there and ran it on the center stand to operating temperature, about 30 minutes.

Immediately added 6 quarts of Cadillac CTS spec ATF that was taking up space to raise the level as high as possible. To get the last quart in a funnel was used through the breather hose as shown.

Bumped the starter over and over again with the kill switch off, pausing to not overheat the starter motor. Not once has the starter clutch slipped.

So as to not fill the cylinders I'm heading back to the shed now to drain it all out, pull the spark plugs, draw out whatever oil made it past the rings with my vacuum tool, refill with 15W40, and try a cold start.

 

[Motörhead]

I didn't think of putting it on the side stand to tilt the engine to the starter side until the flush was drained.

It took another drain and fill to get the ATF out .

Went ahead and put in 4 new NGK plugs. How it starts now:

 

[AApple]

Glad that worked out well for you. I've heard of folks being able to free the rollers up by doing that. I actually considered drilling a hole in my case also, but decided to go ahead and pull the engine out and replace the parts...as you can see by my pics, it was prolly a good decision on mine. Then again, I waited too long to try any of that...the bike sat on the deck out back for 4-5 years, only being started once a month or so. The humidity finally got to it, I think. Here's a couple of videos of mine...befo, and after.

 

[Motörhead]

Glad that worked out well for you. I've heard of folks being able to free the rollers up by doing that. I actually considered drilling a hole in my case also, but decided to go ahead and pull the engine out and replace the parts...as you can see by my pics, it was prolly a good decision on mine. Then again, I waited too long to try any of that...the bike sat on the deck out back for 4-5 years, only being started once a month or so. The humidity finally got to it, I think. Here's a couple of videos of mine...befo, and after.

That's the right way to fix it, I'm in a time crunch so crossing my fingers it last until the winter. I have a new stator on the shelf, will pick up new clutches and a ebay starter clutch to clean up all going in at the same time in the winter.

 

[pidjones]

I had a '78 with an intermittent starter clutch. Overfill by one quart plus a quart of MMO then parked pointed up hill on a steep drive for eight or so hours. Changed the oil and had no problems after that. I think setting inoperable in a barn then a shop, then a fence row probably caused it.