Starting Engagement/coffee grinder

[TRforlife]

Hey Guys,  I am working on the G650 XCountry. When I engage the starter the gears just spin with without catching the flywheel. If you look at the picture, the ring gear behind the fly wheel just spins and the bike won’t turn over, the starter just spins the gears. Why is that and what do I need to do to fix it? Is it a clutch issue?  

[dirtrider]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:55 PM, TRforlife said:

Hey Guys,  I am working on the G650 XCountry. When I engage the starter the gears just spin with without catching the flywheel. If you look at the picture, the ring gear behind the fly wheel just spins and the bike won’t turn over, the starter just spins the gears. Why is that and what do I need to do to fix it? Is it a clutch issue?  

Morning TRforlife

 

There is a roller clutch (one-way clutch) between that ring gear & the flywheel. It obviously isn't engaging.

 

WHEN did the problem start happening? This might help us understand what happened?

 

Is the ring gear turning in the correct direction???   Put the trans in high gear, then spin the rear wheel in the forward direction. THAT shows the correct flywheel spin direction, now see if the starter is spinning the ring gear in that same direction?

 

If the spin direction is incorrect then check battery polarity. 

 

If the spin direction is correct then you will have to remove the flywheel & see what is wrong with the roller clutch. 

 

I'm on the road this week so I don't have access to my manuals or 650 info but will have on Tuesday, see what you have then we can go from there.

 

 

 

 

[TRforlife]

Ok, for those that may not know the common starter issues with these Rotax motor, 650s. They use a sprag clutch. It’s like a centrifugal clutch type that catches the inside of the free wheel. Looks like a big bearing with teardrop rollers instead of round. The spring in the center holds it all together and retracts when the starter is disengaged. Ok, the coffee grinder sound and metal on the oil plug drain is from this mutilated sprag spring that broke. As you can see, the free wheel is also a bit chewed up too. Some is expected as that is where it grabs to spin the flywheel. I’m going replace the free wheel. eBay has them considerably less than BMW as they make you buy both.