Starter question

[granda0101]

I have a 1981 GS650E with 9400 miles on it. I had some trouble with my electric starter a while back. The solenoid clicked but no starter action. It turned out to be a bad ground. I cleaned up the starter motor bolts,remounted it and all was fine.
My current problem is that the starter motor turns fast and strong for about 3 seconds and then slows down to nothing after about 7 seconds. The battery tests fine. I switched the battery with the battery in another bike and the GS battery did just fine in the other bike and the new battery in the other bike did the same thing in the GS as did the original battery. Both batteries are new, so it must be the bike. I removed the starter and it spun freely on the bench. After remounting it in the bike I put star washers between the starter motor mount and the block and then ran a new ground wire from the starter motor mount to the frame just to make sure the ground was good. None of this seemed to help. Any suggestions? Thanks.

P.S. There is no way I am going to put that factory air box and plenum back on. Anybody have a good source for K&n's?

[Billy Ricks]

I have a 1981 GS650E with 9400 miles on it. I had some trouble with my electric starter a while back. The solenoid clicked but no starter action. It turned out to be a bad ground. I cleaned up the starter motor bolts,remounted it and all was fine.
My current problem is that the starter motor turns fast and strong for about 3 seconds and then slows down to nothing after about 7 seconds. The battery tests fine. I switched the battery with the battery in another bike and the GS battery did just fine in the other bike and the new battery in the other bike did the same thing in the GS as did the original battery. Both batteries are new, so it must be the bike. I removed the starter and it spun freely on the bench. After remounting it in the bike I put star washers between the starter motor mount and the block and then ran a new ground wire from the starter motor mount to the frame just to make sure the ground was good. None of this seemed to help. Any suggestions? Thanks.

P.S. There is no way I am going to put that factory air box and plenum back on. Anybody have a good source for K&n's?

The commutator most likely needs to be cleaned up. That's the part of the starter the brushes make contact with. Clean it up with some fine emery cloth and gently clean out the grooves in the commutator.

[fgh]

I'm sure Billy Ricks is probably on the right track. I would wonder if the voltage is dropping due to a problem with the solenoid. If cleaning the commutator doesn't do it watch the voltage at the starter while it cranks.

[gremlin]

check the voltage acrost the solenoid. I am betting its getting hot and the cotacts are bending or are frying.

[granda0101]

I pulled the starter out and apart

looks like one of the brushes is burnt. The other looks like new. The brushes look soldered to a short piece of wire and then soldered at rhe other end as well. Anyone know where I can get this thing rebuilt? Thanks.