Need help, starter problems

[Hemi-time]

Cant get the starter off....

First of all, I have an 02 Pitbull with the 107. Over the winter i tore the bike down and polished everything up. Just got everything assembled about 2 weeks ago. I didnt take any of the major components off of the engine. After i got everything back together i tried to start it up. It was turning over good but didnt want to start. It had not been started in about 6 months. The battery was at full charge due to my battery tender. After a couple tries it started kicking back, like the compression was kicking the motor back and a puff of smoke would come out of the air cleaner. Taking breaks in between tries to let the starter cool, i kept trying. Keep in mind that it started a few times for just a few seconds and then would die.

Eventually my starter just started clicking when I would hit the button. I read up on some of the threads here on testing the starter, but i cant get it off. I took out the 2 bolts holding it on, and disconnected the wires. When i try to pull it out, it comes out about half an inch then stops. It feels like it is catching on the primary gear or something.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[danosrs]

you have to take the primary cover off and remove the bolt for the jackshaft and then the starter will come off.

 

[Raywood]

The clicking is from draining your battery. If it's old then you should replace it.

As for starting are you ensuring it's getting enough fuel? Is the aircleaner off so you can verify it?

The other possibility is you have flooded it so pull and clean or replace the plugs and go from there.

 

[pig pen]

I would not use any throttle when starting. That can cause (kick back). Also on mine 107 I use very little enrichner, only after motor starts to turn over.

 

[Hemi-time]

First of all, thanks for the replies. I took the starter off and did the solenoid test as described here. http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/11356-how-check-your-starter-solenoid.html The starter passed the test, but even though the shaft engaged and disengaged as it should, it never turned. I have done these types of tests on car starters and they always spin. Is the problem the starter motor? If so can it be taken apart and fixed?

Thanks again

 

[LDO]

I would say that your battery died after trying to start a 'dry-motor' that hadn't been run in over 6 months.

If you twist the throttle while trying to start, you will bump up the compression in the motor and it will kick back and smoke out the AC. It will also make starting your bike almost impossible.

It is also possible, as others have mentioned, that during all of this, you have fouled your plugs or flooded the motor.

Leave it alone for a bit, let the starter cool, the battery charge and the fuel dissipate and, armed with all this knowledge and new starting techniques, it should start for you tomorrow.:2thumbs:

 

[Hemi-time]

After trying the solenoid test where the starter was engaging and disengaging but not turing, I put it back on the bike with the primary cover off. I tried to bump it over to see what it would do. The starter engages, but does not turn and also will not disengage. I can take my finger and push the jack shaft back into place, but everytime its the same thing. Will engage, wont turn over, and wont disengage. Any ideas???

Also I took the plugs out about a week ago and they do looked fouled. I also turned the engine over by spinning the back tire. I have new plugs but still cant get starter to work.

 

[DRBarnhart]

I think in your original post the reason the bike didn't start had nothing to do with the starter but you kept trying to start it ran your battery down.

Anyway, now the starter won't turn and the return circuit of the starter solenoid isn't working, true? So have you taken the cover off the solenoid to make sure the large contacts aren't burnt and need a good cleaning?

Get the starter working again then deal with the engine that doesn't start, M-Kay?

Dennis

 

[stlmikie]

Just send the starter to me and go buy a new one. that would kill two birds with one stone.

 

[Hemi-time]

So I took the starter back off and took the motor portion apart. Completely chewed up inside. The casing that holds the bearing was busted and stuck against the motor. Also a tooth was broke of off one of the gears and jammed between the other gears.

Im assuming I flooded it when i tried to start it, which caused the kick back, which caused the gear and casing failure. Now thats an expensive case of the dumbass.
Anyways, any advice on the cheapest place to get a replacement starter?

 

[Dead Stroke]

So I took the starter back off and took the motor portion apart. Completely chewed up inside. The casing that holds the bearing was busted and stuck against the motor. Also a tooth was broke of off one of the gears and jammed between the other gears.

Im assuming I flooded it when i tried to start it, which caused the kick back, which caused the gear and casing failure. Now thats an expensive case of the dumbass.
Anyways, any advice on the cheapest place to get a replacement starter?

I've been dealing with starter issues this spring and did a lot of research. here are three good leads;

1. bigdogpartskingpin on ebay
2. jhamnred on ebay
3. Nelson ( a member here ) at Wicked Bastard Cycles WICKEDBASTARDCYCLES.COM P - 214.418.3301 F - 214.291.5489 E - sales@wbcycles.com

 

[Hemi-time]

Thanks for the replies, i will definitely check those out. I also found the following add on Ebay. I believe that a harley starter for big twins between 89 -06 will work. Heres the link, its the lowest price I have found. Any ideas if i am right and if this will fit. CHROME HEAVY DUTY STARTER 2.0 KW FITS HARLEY BIG TWINS:eBay Motors (item 360160478302 end time Jun-11-09 06:04:40 PDT)
Thanks guys

 

[danosrs]

think you only have to worry about the location of the positive lead, there are two different locations check to see if your is the same. I'm able to use both on my Husky. I got a spike and its great!

 

[Guillaume]

If your pinion gear comes out and it don,t spin than you have to look in your starter maybe your starter clutch is finish, I had the same problem and change my starter clutch out and it was solved ,around 65 dollar.

 

[Moespeeds]

I put a BD remanufactured starter in a 2005 along with a new 310 CCA battery and I wasn't all that impressed. When mine goes I'm putting in an Ultima 175KW. You can get them all day long on egay for $150, and I put one in my bud's Bourget and he's been running great for about a year now and the dumbass never hooks the bike up to a trickle.