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Some clarification please...starter clutch.

  • Thread starter Thread starter spyug
  • Start date Start date
Um...I think I see where we are getting confused.

You say the starter turns clockwise ?

If so, It shouldn't!



!! and you definitely have the polarity on the battery backwards if the starter rotates clockwise!! "assuming the starter wasn't assembled wrong"



The engine spins counterclockwise and the starter should spin the same way. The gear in the middle should spin the other way.


What happened when you put it in fifth gear and and turned the tire backwards (with everything put together)


The clutch doesn't slip at all before it engages. Its either free spinning clockwise or 100% lock counterclockwise



I'm hoping your not trying to get that bolt off for nothing.



here is the guts inside the starter clutch
http://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs550-1982-mz_model13484/partslist/FIG-09.html


BY the way, If the battery is in backwards, Everything would work anyways. lights, horn, starter... Except the starter would turn backwards and the ignitor wouldn't work.
 
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On the left side of the bike. From your point of view


Like this :)
picture.php


From this point of view:

:crankshaft, camshaft, starter, front sprocket, and oil pump all turn counterclockwise(left) when the engine is running.

: idler gear, clutch, rotates clockwise
 
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Thanks for that info but now it gets really confusing.

I checked again tonight, the battery shows correct polarity and is wired correctly (i.e. positive to the solenoid). The starter does indeed turn clockwise, the idler gear turns counter clockwise and the ring gear turns freely clockwise.

I was really hoping that the battery was to blame and I'd get out of having to pull it all apart.

So now if your information is correct ( I really don't doubt you as it does make sense)then I have to wonder how the starter is turning the wrong way. It is bizarre to say the least.

I suspect I won't get any sleep again tonight. Dang I've got to find a less stressful hobby.

Cheers all.
 
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Ok that's weird !

If the starter was assembled wrong that could happen,

I have a spare here, I'll pull it appart and see if i can make it spin clockwise.

brb


Are you getting positive voltage on the starter ?

I don't know if its possible but can a battery be recharged with opposite polarity ?
 
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I think i found something !!!


I just pulled a starter apart and if you take the plate inside and rotate it 180 and reassemble the starter, It looks good and works fine but its reversed !!!


Put positive on the screw and negative on the case and it turned backwards.

While it was running I took the screws out and rotated the cap on the end quickly and it changed directions.

Electrically it makes sense.



There are several indented bumps on the inside of the starter's case near the top where the brushes are.

One of them is a little longer than the others and it matches up with a notch on the brush plate.
 
spyug said:
Thanks for that info but now it gets really confusing.

I checked again tonight, the battery shows correct polarity and is wired correctly (i.e. positive to the solenoid). The starter does indeed turn clockwise, the idler gear turns counter clockwise and the ring gear turns freely clockwise.

I was really hoping that the battery was to blame and I'd get out of having to pull it all apart.

So now if your information is correct ( I really don't doubt you as it does make sense)then I have to wonder how the starter is turning the wrong way. It is bizarre to say the least.

I suspect I won't get any sleep again tonight. Dang I've got to find a less stressful hobby.

Cheers all.
Click to expand...


Most GS starters turn CCW when looking at it from the LH side of the bike. Starter CCW, idler CW, engine CCW. Maybe someone changed the starter to a different model?
 
Thanks guys. I don't know if the starter was changed or rebuilt or not. looking at the top of the engine and the cover, it doesn't look like anything has moved since the factory. I'll try and check with the PO and see what he can tell me.

I guess my next move is to remove the starter and have a closer look at it.

On thinking about it further, I have a spare 750 engine and I wonder if the starters are the same. Perhaps I can just swap them out at least to test things.

This is turning out to be one of the weirder things I've ever run across in this hobby.

I'll let you know what I find out later.

Thanks again for hanging in with me.

Cheers,
Spyug
 
GS1100GK said:
Yep. It's not the polarity of the leads that reverses it, but the polarity of the brushes. 180 deg rotation of the brush plate is how most starters are reversed.

It's a common problem with starter motors in general, though I didn't know how likely it was on the GS starters.

I was going to post that info, but you beat me to it! :p

And, ABSOLUTELY, it will prevent the motor from starting!

- JC
Click to expand...

I actually took a GS1100E starter out of a bike and reversed the power and it still turned turned the same direction :)
 
Glad i could help :) and I believe the starters are the same for a 400 up to 1000.
 
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