Mystery washer in my sump!

[Argee]

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Dear all, I recently decided that it was time to take my GS1100GL's engine out and give it a little love. I have just taken the oil sump panel off and discovered a loose washer sitting inside it ��.
It's 1 inch in diameter and pretty thin and appears to be of high grade. The engine has been running well for the 6 or so years that I've owned her so I doubt that it has become detached. I suspect a mechanic in previous years must have dropped it in the engine and hoped that it would safely make its way down to the sump.
I would like to know where it came from in the first place. Hopefully the mechanic replaced it with another washer.
Can any of you tell me where in a GS engine it would come from?
Many thanks in advance.
Argee

[uk gs nut]

Looks like a shim from the starter mechanism, the idler gear shaft.

[posplayr]

Looks like a shim from the starter mechanism, the idler gear shaft.

Yep........ They come as a pair

[Steve]

One more vote for the starter idler gear.

Relatively easy to check, but requires a gasket. Pull the stator cover off the left side of the engine, you will see the starter gears. The idler gear rides on a shaft that is supported by the engine case and the cover. There should be a washer on both sides of the idler. It is very easy to drop one of the washers when you pull the cover, because sometimes the shaft stays with the engine, other times it pulls out with the cover, leaving the inner washer to fall, possibly unnoticed.

When re-assembling, it's a bit fiddly to hold the washer behind the idler while you slide the shaft into place. Then put the outer washer on, the slide the cover over the whole assembly.

.

[Argee]

Thanks guys! I'm waiting for a gasket set to turn up so I will check it soon! :-)

[Brendan W]

My vote is for the starter idler washer as well.
However don't hold your breath expecting one missing from it's perch.
Not everyone retrieves them when they fall down and some may have been there from assembly.

[robertbarr]

I dunno. I'd certainly check for a missing thrust washer on that starter idler -- they're easy to drop into the sump (but easier than you'd expect to retrieve), but that washer doesn't look glossy enough, or hardened... we shall wait in eager anticipation.

[Argee]

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�� Thanks everyone! Steve - thanks for the detailed instructions. As you can see from the photo, there was no shim on the inside of the idler!
I am very pleased to report that the wayward shim is now back where it should be!