Starter wouldn't disengage, burnt itself out

I've been waiting to post about this until I had finished searching and troubleshooting myself. I've reached the point from which I cannot progress.

backstory: About one week after successfully getting me to, around, and back to/from Nova Scotia (3k miles or so), my bike stopped starting. The starter motor would turn, I could hear pistons pumping, but no start. So, I winterized the bike; drained the carbs, put fuel stabilizer in the gas, topped off with a little fresh gas, flushed the coolant, and put her away.

Took her out about 3 weeks ago, replaced the clutch and starter clutch, changed the oil and filter. Still no catching. It the starter motor would turn, piston would move, gas flowed, still no starting. Checked spark at all the terminals, seemed fine (don't know how to tell weak spark from good spark...). ICM readings were a little weird, registering 0 ohms resistance between every coil, but the voltmeter was also telling me that the battery had over 20vs; silly.

Today, I put new plugs in, and spent some time cleaning up the accumulated grease. Unhooked the float charger, got her off the center stand (neutral switch doesn't work), pressed the starter button, and, oh how she wanted to start! I could hear it almost catching every cycle, but the it couldn't. I rolled the throttle on as I thumbed the starter again, and the engine spun up, but the starter motor wouldn't disengage. I let off the throttle and the engine stopped spinning. A small amount of smoke that I attributed to cleaner on the headers wafted up. I thumbed the starter... *click*. Thumb it again... *click*

So, I fried my starter, didn't I? If so, does the oil filter really need to come out to get the starter motor out? If not, what else could it be?

 

sounds like it. might as well pull the starter ...take it an have it checked...

 

tink, I had the same thought originally. Then, my next though was, "oh, but I just put new spectro in..." I guess I could drain the spectro through a cheesecloth and put it back in when I'm done.:hangme: Yeah, I'm a cheap bastard. But, I guess next weekend is check out the starter clutch.

Crusty, I hope you're wrong. Possible to remove the starter motor without removing the oil filter?

Checked the relay, fuse is ok, didn't do any meter readings, out of light today

 

Beautiful logic. That makes so much sense. Alright, deffinitely have to check that out now. AND the starter; going to try the Honda service manual method of hooking the starter terminal direct to battery terminal.
Thanks Tink!

 

well.

I drained the oil, removed the starter clutch, checked that it spun cleanly in one direction, and not at all in the other. Bolted it back in, made sure it could spin freely (enough...), bolted the new starter in and... fried another one. I would have had a better time burning 50 actual dollars. I think it's time for a mechanic with a torque wrench, a garage and a deeper well of patience than I have

 

You said it, Tink. If this bike has done anything for me, it's taught me unbelievable patience.

Absolutely. I'm wondering if my torque wrench is messed up and is giving me wrong readings. Manual specs 90 (9, 65), which just seems so tight

 

My ever-wise and patient mechanic suggested checking that the relay isn't sticking... let's hope that I have just been really dumb about this

 

Hm.

1). Tink, thank you very much for helping me trouble shoot.

2). I suspect my mechanic misunderstood me on the phone...

3). I'm going to lay out the knowns and unknowns

Known:
The 2 fried starters are damaged inside: the first one I blew had a copper wire ripped from the cylinder around which it was wrapped. Black dust and small metal bits everywhere
The starter clutch functions normally when removed from the crankcase.
The starter clutch functions fine when returned to the crankcase, but is very sensitive to the tightness of the bolt.
I am not a professional mechanic. At all.
Once the starter dies, the relay clicks.
The dead starters do not turn with voltage applied directly from the battery (see service manual for starting motor testing).
The engine sounds encumbered when trying to start.
Both starter motors worked at one point.

Unknown:
Why the starter motor is staying engaged.
Why the starter motors are being destroyed within the housing.
Why this sucks so hard

 

My first post but just read this thread, I recently bought a 2001 VFR800 and a couple of weeks ago after starting it I realised the starter button was sticking and had not been released after the engine was running. Stopped the engine which then refused to start as the starter solenoid was fried.

Just wondering if your starter button is sticking also and needs cleaned and greased?

Russ

 

1) Welcome, brother! Glad to have you on board.
2) Not that, but I know exactly where you're coming from. It does stick, but my VF500 did the same, so I flick it open out of habit

 

Duly noted

 

Does anyone know if the parts from the starter for a VF500 would fit the VFR750 starter? I'm running out of money here, and there's a starter staring me in the face, sitting attached to my dead VF500

 

I had this same problem with my 94 VFR750. Replaced the starter clutch. Wouldn't fire. Turns out I had the reduction gear in backward. Not saying you did this, but it was easy to flip it around. Anyhow, check out this post @ #25 on page one. See if it does anything for you. As far as the 750/500 starter swap, check out Ronayers.com and see if the part numbers show up on both bikes.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/mechanic...utch-repair-vfr750-pictures-2.html#post351211

 

Turns out I was missing a washer, and some other small and easily missed piece. WATCH YOUR PARTS, GENTLEMEN