Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

hi all.

i got a starting problem.
its a gtr1000 1986 model.
(supposedly) new starter motor and carbies
i recently bought this bike and am now starting to wish i hadnt
(time will tell)
it is a little ratty but more like a lack of funding for repairs then any malicious intent. the machinary is in reasonable nick but the fairing and plastic is showing its age. looks more like parking issues than any steps-offs at speed


when i hit the starter it freewheels, (but sometimes it doesnt) then on the next hit if might catch
or it may not, i can tell when it catches because the oil pressure light goes out, indicating the oilpump is turning then it lets go and the starter freespins again (and oil light comes on). if the choke is just-right (about 1/4 to 1/2) and the throttle is just-so (cracked open a little) it may start when it catches (usually does) but if the starter freespins it will freespin till i worry about burning it out and let go the button. hit the button and it will probably catch and start,
but no! i have relaxed the throttle a bit and it doesnt start. and the starter spinssssss. try again.. VROOOM (or maybe not. maybe flooded [ah the sweet smell of unleaded petrol] or maybe not flooded VROOM)

i have noticed that if it takes a while to start the battery starts to deplete its charge and the starter spins slower (well DUH!) ah but..... when the starter spins slower, it catches the motor morer often, actually improveing the chances of a start happening. but my gtr1000 dont like do fire on a weak battery so it is a fine line i tapdance across.
can these things be push/clutch started?? (if enough willing bodies can be found)

i have my own opinion of what this may be... and it doesnt seem cheap
but thought that maybe there is something about these motors i have missed and more experienced heads with much more gtr1000 time might be able to help.

cheers all
limbo

hope it works out man fixing it as in

quick little assignment for you, check the battery (without ignition, with, and running at idle and 4-5krpm), check the plugs (or just replace), run some carby cleaner through it.

first guess is low battery thats shot, but the others just compound it if they are a problem item.

id say your "new starter" may be the problem....
did it get changed before your brought the bike by the previous owner? did he buy a brand new one or second hand?

i had a similar problem with my old suzuki 2fiddy sometimes the started would catch and sometimes it wouldnt so i just used to clutch start that will work cause your taking the job off the starter motor,,,,

i fixed it for about 4-6 months by giving the fukr a smack with a hammer worked fine then befor i sold it got a recnditioned one from the wreckers hehe but seeing as your not 100% shore i would go hitting things with a hammer hehe good luck
cheers Tim

If the starter is spinning each and every time the start button is pushed, bu only occasionally the starter actually engages the motor, then it's either a faulty relay or most likely a knackered starter clutch. Good luck!

Strika wrote:If the starter is spinning each and every time the start button is pushed, bu only occasionally the starter actually engages the motor, then it's either a faulty relay or most likely a knackered starter clutch. Good luck!

I agree with Strika
Sounds like the Starter clutch ... I had a ducati pantah with the exact same problem luckily the fix was relitively easy but I am not familiar with the layout of the GTR as to how easy the replacement would be ... Pantah took about 1 hour & $120 in parts including clutch cover gasket
Have you got a manual for it?

I don't know much about bike starters, but on a car if those symptoms occur, it sounds like the actual solenoid that pulls the starter in is knackered. Most likely the coil. If they're the same, I'll be that that's your problem

Benno wrote:I don't know much about bike starters, but on a car if those symptoms occur, it sounds like the actual solenoid that pulls the starter in is knackered. Most likely the coil. If they're the same, I'll be that that's your problem

Doesnt sound electrical .... if the stater does not engage the starter clutch is cactus... With my Pantah the symptoms were the same, the spriggot would catch every now & then depending on the speed of turnover

theres no solenoid like in a car, the way it works is the starter is directly linked to a gear that is linked (either via a chain or an idler gear) to the crankshaft via a one way (Spragg) clutch. The gears are constantly engaged, and the clutch on the crankshaft (part 13194 in this pic) only transfers drive across when the starter is engaged, it does not do it when it is the engine spinning. The way it works is there are 3 or more roller bearings that are mounted/angled within the spragg clutch so that when the outer housing containing them rotates the roller bearings engage the flat surfaces on the crank, levering it around and voila, the engine is started. When the engine starts and the crank rotates faster than the starter, the roller bearings freewheel and no drive is transferred back to the starter motor.

spriggot was the wrong term to use... what I should have said was spragg, Mike great explanation

yeah. the spragg or 'throwout clutch' was my guess too...
this was confirmed at 8:15 this a.m. by the mechanic guy.
went on to explain that it was a engine out/case split affair
this i also knew..... sigh. i hate paying for stuff i can do myself (if i have the time).

thanks for the answers, good wishes and commiserations

limbo wrote:yeah. the spragg or 'throwout clutch' was my guess too...
this was confirmed at 8:15 this a.m. by the mechanic guy.
went on to explain that it was a engine out/case split affair
this i also knew..... sigh. i hate paying for stuff i can do myself (if i have the time).

thanks for the answers, good wishes and commiserations

Bugga on having to rip the engine out that sux, hope it all works out ok for you

Ugh, that truely sucks, where the hell has your motor got the starter buried anyhow?

All the bikes i've had have fortunately had the starter and clutch easily accessible. Eventhe GPX750 had it accessible after the carbs (and half an acre ofskin and knuckles) were removed .

Pulling the motor in and out is the hard part, about 2hrs to split the cases and change the starter clutch. The clutch lives in a cavity in the top engine case, you can get the starter and alternator out, but the starter clutch has to come out between the gearbox and the crank (good time to throw a set of big-ends in and save greif later). If you pull the motor yourself it will save a heap of $$$, about 4 hours work pulling and replacing motor. PM me if you need someone to do it.