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Is this normal? (Starter Clutch Issue)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guyver
  • Start date Start date
G

Guyver

Guest
Okay, my bike won't start. My battery died, I replaced it. My starter acted up at the same time. I took it apart and cleaned it up and it works now. Now the problem that I'm having is when I hit the start button all I get is whirring. I pulled the engine cover off on the left and the starter is engaging and spinning the gear behind the starter clutch. Nothing else is happening. What is wrong here?
 
starter clutch

starter clutch

It probably just broke the three bolts holding it. My 1100 has done that twice.
 
Does it engage the second cog between the starter motor and the starter clutch?

Suzuki mad
 
Yes, the starter gear is engaging the secondary gear, which in turn is spinning the gear located behind the starter clutch. The starter clutch just sits there while it spins. Does Suzuki have a puller designed for removing the starter clutch? My gear puller has three arms and keeps slipping off of the rounded top of the backside.
 
You need the special rotor puller. If you do it your way the rotor will be damaged. The bigger 1100/1150 motors are more likley to have problems with the starter clutch.
 
in my bike i needed a 14mm fine thread bolt i welded that to the end of a old slide hammer i had and in two or three cracks off it came.
 
So, where can you ge the special puller? I just today got my GS1000, and I am having the EXACT same problem! I'm new with bikes, so any help/pictures/tutorials will help greatly! Thanks
 
If you have the rotor with the threads on the inside, all you need is a 14mm X 1.5 thread pitch bolt about 3" long. Bit hard to find, but it's only $3-4 compared to the $30 puller which is basically the same thing. Screw it in until it seats firmly, give it a couple of whacks with a hammer, then gently (lowest setting) use an impact wrench to pop the rotor off. I actually had to go to the second setting on my impact wrench before mine came off.

If you have the rotor with the threads on the outside, you're pretty much stuck with getting the puller.

Chances are you broke the three bolts on the starter clutch. Drill a small pilot hole in each bolt and use an easy-out to remove them. Sometimes drilling them will loosen them up enough to get them out with needlenose pliers. Replace the bolts with factory Suzuki bolts, not Grade 8. I'll explain why in a minute. Put blue Loctite on the bolts. My torque specs for my 750E was 11-14.5lb-ft, yours may be different.

On my bike, the starter clutch had actually broken into three pieces because someone had installed Grade 8 bolts. The weaker bolts are designed to break before something more expensive breaks. This is either caused by the engine hydrolocking (almost sure sign of a failed petcock) or the bolts backed out enough to shear. Using the Loctite will prevent this. Make sure your petcock works or you may end up doing all of this again.

Inspect the pushrods and rollers in the clutch. If they are not worn, galled, etc you can reuse them, but replace the springs. Cheap insurance. Bolts and springs are around $2-3 each from www.bikebandit.com.

When you reinstall the crankshaft bolt, use Loctite on it. I'm using red on mine, you may want to use blue.
 
Alright, I haven't looked at this much yet. My buddy came over and was helping me with it last night, and when we say the gear turn, and not the shaft, we were stupified. Now that I know that is HAS a starter clutch, I know more what I'm doing. I'll work on it tonite when I get off work in nine hours heh.
 
Another thing... My title says GS1000/G, but When I go on sites, it's always choices between GS1000C and GS1000EC. What do I do? Oh, and can you point me to the schematic on bikebandit that shows the screws? Thanks for the help by the way!
 
1978 GS1000 title says GS1000/G, the emblem on the bike just says GS1000, what model am I supposed to pick on these various parts sites?
 
So, it's in that pic, I (likely) need parts 6 and 8, three of each?

And: Can someone tell me which kind of puller I need? The simple one bolt, or the other thing with the bolt and other piece that goes over. It's a 1978 GS1000. I don't see any E/C/EC on it.
 
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Also, this is a total newb question, but; There's supposed to be oil all over under mag cover right? Seems odd to me... But it must be normal because there's a gasket heh. I was a little freaked out when oil came pouring out when I started taking bolts out.
 
Ok guys. got home and messed around with it. Put two quarts of oil back in it, the starter clutch does occasionally engage, so the bolts aren't sheared right? The best way I've found to start it for now is this:

Put the bike in first, keep the clutch disengaged,
with key on, switch on run, get in the bike, shove it forward just a little, while it's still moving, engage the clutch, then hit the starter button, then immediately disengage the clutch again.
With this little help from the bikes momentum, the starter clutch will remain engaged until I let the starter button off.

Yeah, it's awkward, but worked for now to get it running and put around the neighborhood practicing. This is my first bike.
 
That's almost exactly how mine acted with a broken clutch plate. Still needs to be fixed.

If the threads are on the outside of the inner shaft on the rotor, you need the special puller. If they're inside, you can use the bolt.
 
So, if nothing is "broken", can't I just replace the springs/pins/rollers? The whole set itself is a little more expensive than I'd like to spend on it.
 
If nothing is broken or excessively worn, then your springs are probably weak. Replace them, and go ahead and replace the bolts. Check the sprocket area that the rollers grab on to for excessive wear, and if any of the rollers are out of round, worn or galled replace them.
 
Alright, thanks. I just bought a used "working condition" whole clutch set on ebay. Hopefully it works ok, at least better than the old one heh.
 
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