Starter just makes a rackett

[garyS-NJ]

This 1987 xvz13 hit the starter and it just rattles under the left cover and ocassionally turns the motor.. swapped starter and it persists and the starter drive gear seems OK as it only turns one way... just noticed the case support for first idler shafts has weird grooves and it's worn such that the shaft will wobble. See pics. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/11/04/bb8b1e001215abae471e3af89e0ae5a0.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/11/04/5b07bc82b15f154dad433208034177c0.jpg Please confirm this is most likely cause else if I should pull the flywheel.. [/img]

[Marcarl]

Notice the cracks? If that is in the engine case,,, it's toast! If it's in the cover, a replacement would be in order. May I suggest that if it's the cover that you might also upgrade the starter clutch??? contact Dano for that one.

[Flyinfool]

I have never seen one wear like that.

Unfortunately it is on the engine side.

What does the hole for the other end of the shaft in the cover look like?

 

The only thing I can think of that would do that is if someone was "testing" the starter, a lot, with the cover off and that gear was running under load with no support on the other end.

 

Couple questions;

Was there a gasket on the side cover?

Can you tell if that is actually a crack in the metal between the boss for the gear and the starter?

What does the gear and shaft look like?

 

I am thinking that you have 2 separate problems.

One being that shaft and gear.

The second being a bad starter clutch. If so contact @Dano.

[garyS-NJ]

I didn't notice what looks like a Crack in the photo.. will check. Yes the cover had a gasket. And the cover side recess looked OK (want to recheck). The whole gear train looked un marred and the play didn't look like it would allow the teeth to separate (checked all this after my post). Used the final gear against the starter drive and prying it to turn I didn't get it to skip or fail while rotating the engine and it was free in opposite direction.. decided to pull the wheel to inspect starter drive. But didn't have an impact drive on hand.

[Dano]

The only way to inspect a starter clutch is to remove the rotor then the starter clutch from the rotor and visually inspect the inside of the clutch to see if there are any cracks around the bronze spring/sprag holder in there. At it's age, it's suspicious...

 

Just because by hand it doesn't spin in the opposite direction, that doesn't include the starter and compression of the motor to create the stress that will be on the sprags when you turn it over by key.

It DOES create that "rattling" noise you spoke of earlier when engaging the starter.....

[garyS-NJ]

Cool dano. It must be that. I did tur MN the motor my turning the final gear but only by leering it slowly