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Battery Charged, Starter Spins Slowly, No Start

cowboyup, thanks, but I don't really know about all that fuss. While we have our share of members who feel compelled to put other people down to make themselves feel better, I do not count myself in that group. At any rate:
The cap on the end has a bushing in it. That should be lightly greased when you reassemble it. The cover on the right where the seal is has a bushing outside the seal, I am pretty sure I saw it as well. It should also be lightly greased when you go back together. Neither appear to be the issue, though, as I saw little to no heat discoloration. Thanks for the video, looks like time to reassemble and reinstall and wait for Steve.
AFA the voltage drop through the solenoid, think of how it is constructed. It has a set of points, similar to ignition points but designed for a high current. When you press the starter button, the points close and current passes through to the other side of the solenoid. Just microseconds before the points close and after they open, there will be a small jumping or spark. This is how ignition points end up pitted and needing replacement. I suspect those points are also a bit pitted, hence the voltage drop due to increased resistance.
 
So after talking with Koolaid_Kid on the phone, I'm going to try cleaning up the shaft and the copper again and lubing the bearings. Hopefully I'll be able to salvage this but I'll also have to wait some as what money I do have is put away to bring the family out here in two weeks:clap:.

Hopefully this works. Thank you to all for your help.
 
I can't remember the terminology, I believe it's the commutator, where the brushes contact. It should not have turned black like that. Did you clean between the segments. I believe they are isolated. It's been too many years since I knew a little about them. I believe a very fine paper like crocus cloth is all you use on them to clean it up. Whatever it's called, it will polish a gold ring nicely.
 
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No I didn't clean between the copper segments nor use the grease as I didn't know I needed to. But, I will this time.
 
No grease on the commutator. It should be an absolutely smooth clean surface that matches the brush angle. Light grease on the shaft behind it but not enough to squeeze out and contaminate the brushes.
 
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I found I still had some 2000 grit paper in the garage so I started cleaning things up again when I saw this:

Copperwireshowingonstarter.jpg


Should I be able to see copper wire like that? Will it be causing me problems?

Also looked around the rest of that side trying to see if anything else is bare. Didn't find anything actually showing copper but some areas look pretty thin:

StarterEpoxylookingbare.jpg


Is there a point when that epoxy gets so thin it causes problems?
 
It looks like it just got nicked, dab some epoxy over it and you should be good to go, it doesn't appear the varnish insulated wire underneath got damaged. A nice clear picture of the commutator cleaned up would be nice, that is the business end of the starter motor.
 
Get it as smooth as possible without distorting it's shape. The rougher it is the more it will arc and spark, and cause the same thing to happen again. It will never be perfect, but might get you by for a while. When the starter spins like you did it in the video, with no load, the torque should have it trying to jump off the bench.
 
Mussed up commutators wear brushes and the dust that reults can cause arcing and make the starter not spin

Can you show us yours along with the brushes?
 
Jeep, post 11 shows the link to my original starter thread that caused a rebuild. This issue is since that rebuild.
 
OldVet66 said:
Get it as smooth as possible without distorting it's shape. The rougher it is the more it will arc and spark, and cause the same thing to happen again. It will never be perfect, but might get you by for a while. When the starter spins like you did it in the video, with no load, the torque should have it trying to jump off the bench.
Click to expand...

I think you are right here OldVet. Looking at the copper, I'm seeing some rough spots that I don't think are good to have in there and nothing I've done today is getting them out. I cleaned it last time per the recommendations I was given but really don't think I did it correctly. I'm about ready to throw in the towel and get a new starter later this year or early next. I haven't quit yet but I've about had it.:o:(
 
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Yes it would Jeep but I bring my family out here in two weeks and need to make a concerted effort this time to get my bills under control once they are here. Doing that means I need to pay off my truck loan and my IRS tax bill quickly so I can get some relief every month. With the way I'm planning my budget, there's no room for more mechanical expenses right now nor is it easy to justify them. If things don't work out this week with what I have done, I'll hang it up until after the new year when I hope I will have a better handle on the money.

Course, it's the same damn thing I say every year which makes it even more important I try to do something about it this time.
 
I know the feeling. I have a Honda 650 starter hiding in the basement somewhere. If they turn out to be the same, I'll send it to you. Finding it might be an adventure.
 
Zedder dbase shows that there is two variations on the OEM part number

31100-43401
 
Here's where I am with recleaning the "business" end of the starter. There are some good pits in there like I already said but I'll try to throw it back into the bike tomorrow evening.

StarterRecleaned.jpg
 
this should be working now

this should be working now

what a PITA

Part # = 31100-30B00-H17
Part Description = MOTOR ASSEMBLY,STARTING
Model Count = 36
GSX550ED 1983 572 GSX550E STREET
GSX550LD 1983 572 GSX550L STREET
GS300LD 1983 300 GS300L STREET
GS300LF 1985 300 GS300L STREET
GS300LZ 1982 300 GS300L STREET
GS450ET 1980 448 GS450E STREET
GS450EX 1981 448 GS450E STREET
GS450EZ 1982 448 GS450E STREET
GS450EZ2 1982 1/2 448 GS450E STREET
GS450GAD 1983 448 GS450GA STREET
GS450GAF 1985 448 GS450GA STREET
GS450GAZ 1982 448 GS450GA STREET
GS450LD 1983 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LF 1985 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LG 1986 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LH 1987 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LJ 1988 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LT 1980 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LX 1981 448 GS450L STREET
GS450LZ 1982 448 GS450L STREET
GS450TXD 1983 448 GS450TX STREET
GS450TX 1981 448 GS450T STREET
GS450TZ 1982 448 GS450T STREET
GS550ESE 1984 549 GS550ES STREET
GS550ESF 1985 549 GS550ES STREET
GS550ESG 1986 549 GS550ES STREET
GS550LF 1985 549 GS550L STREET
GS550LG 1986 549 GS550L STREET
GS650GD 1983 673 GS650G KATANA STREET
GS650GLD 1983 673 GS650GL STREET
GS650GLX 1981 673 GS650GL STREET
GS650GLZ 1982 673 GS650GL STREET
GS650GTD 1983 673 GS650GT STREET
GS650GTZ 1982 673 GS650GT STREET
GS650GX 1981 673 GS650G KATANA STREET
XN85D 1983 673 XN85 TURBO SPORT
Page ? 1
 
I just talked to a friend who had recently changed a starter on a 550. It sat in water due to a mystery hole clog. I'm going to get it and introduce it to a bucket of kerosene and see if the rotor is salvageable. You might get lucky.
 
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