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Opening a starter motor?


KDeline

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I'm getting a loud clashing sound when I start the bike and it is cold. I took out the starter 6 months ago and greased the (bendix?), the part I could reach, and it went away for a while. I would like to do this right and grease the whole thing . I did not see an easy way to take this thing apart, anyone here done this before? Tricks I should know?

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  • 2 weeks later...

My starter has started showing these symptoms. I'm not sure I want to get a gear puller and do the whole disassembly thing. If I pull the starter, is there any place that does service, or is it just best to replace it? I see that Beemer Boneyard has new Valeo starters for around $200. They also have a used oilhead starter for $75, but it's about the same age as mine, which seems like a dubious investment. Other options?

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Selden,

 

If you don't feel like doing surgery on your starter motor (especially coz it's old ;)), it is way easier to simply buy a new one. I went through the R&R on my 2000 R1100R, it slowly went T/U on me and I had 3 of the 4 magnets detached themselves!!!

 

I used John at Euro Moto Electrics. I've bought a fair amount of stuff from him and he is a nice guy and gives great service. Note that he carries a full range of BMW/Valeo electrical parts, including ALL the starter parts (including the newer can with magnets), just in case you felt bored and wanted to do some surgery :) !!

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Phil, you are a mind reader. While I get a great deal of pleasure from doing my own maintenance, the amount of effort to tear down and rebuild a starter just doesn't seem like a rational use of my time if I can find a replacement for under $200. Thanks for the link to Euro Moto Electrics. They are offering free shipping on orders over $200, and a starter plus a couple of oil filters will put me over that threshold.

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My starter has started showing these symptoms. I'm not sure I want to get a gear puller and do the whole disassembly thing. If I pull the starter, is there any place that does service, or is it just best to replace it? I see that Beemer Boneyard has new Valeo starters for around $200. They also have a used oilhead starter for $75, but it's about the same age as mine, which seems like a dubious investment. Other options?

 

Much of the issues with the starters are clutch dust related and do not reaquire the whole starter to be disassembled. You can do it with basic hand tools. As a matter of fact I put it on my newest DVD.

 

Jim :Cool:

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My starter has started showing these symptoms. I'm not sure I want to get a gear puller and do the whole disassembly thing. If I pull the starter, is there any place that does service, or is it just best to replace it? I see that Beemer Boneyard has new Valeo starters for around $200. They also have a used oilhead starter for $75, but it's about the same age as mine, which seems like a dubious investment. Other options?

 

Much of the issues with the starters are clutch dust related and do not reaquire the whole starter to be disassembled. You can do it with basic hand tools. As a matter of fact I put it on my newest DVD.

 

Jim :Cool:

 

I agree. Mine was pulled apart and cleaned last week. It had that delayed "gnashing" sound when cold. I didn't use a gear puller. I just took apart the 2 pieces, cleaned and greased it with silicone grease, and it works great. Total time was about 1 hour to do this. I would try this first. Just clean it up and see if that solves the issue.

It's not like it takes a long time to pull one of these starters out to work on it.

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+1 on a minor maintenance vs. pulling it all apart. Mine starts the "grind" like clockwork every 30k miles, so I can count on spending an hour dealing with in on that interval.

 

-MKL

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Pics - before

 

valeobefore.jpg

 

 

After

 

 

valeoafter.jpg

 

 

Just clean and relube the shaft assembly and plunger mechanism. No real disassembly going on here, and that's fine by me!

 

-MKL

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I do! In fact, one of the things I appreciate about cold weather maintenance is that rubber gloves are far more comfortable over a pair of thin knit glove liners. Hands don't get as sweaty, and the rubber gloves are much easier to put on/remove.

 

As a kid, I exposed my body to so many toxic substances (gasoline, model airplane fuel and dope, mercury, lead, solvents, asbestos) that it's a miracle I'm still alive. Plus just living in Delaware (where I grew up) is itself an exposure to toxic substances.

 

How many people here played with mercury as a kid? It's really fun stuff, especially when you're ten!

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Pics - before

 

valeobefore.jpg

 

 

After

 

 

valeoafter.jpg

 

 

Just clean and relube the shaft assembly and plunger mechanism. No real disassembly going on here, and that's fine by me!

 

-MKL

 

Moshe,

 

I went a couple stops further and disassembled the shown components and cleaned them. I paid particular attention to the solenoid plunger and the gear shaft, and lubed them all up. It was pretty easy, and no special tools needed.

 

Jim :Cool:

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PS - I too took the plunger completely out for cleaning and relubing, but left the shaft assembly alone.

 

It was making a racket this morning, but then again, it was 25 degrees outside, so all is forgiven.

 

-MKL

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I didn't use a gear puller. I just took apart the 2 pieces, cleaned and greased it with silicone grease, and it works great. Total time was about 1 hour to do this. I would try this first. Just clean it up and see if that solves the issue.

 

The problem is it doesn't last long maybe a year, I tried that first. I took mine apart a few days ago, thanks to the links provided and used a gear puller to put it back together and that made it easy. Now time will tell how long this works.

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John at Euro Moto Electrics shipped so fast that a new starter arrived today. When we get a warmish spell this winter, I'm going to swap starters, then clean/lube the old one at my leisure. I don't know if I'll keep it as a spare (as if I don't have enough spare parts for various motorcycles and cars already), or put it up for sale here.

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I didn't use a gear puller. I just took apart the 2 pieces, cleaned and greased it with silicone grease, and it works great. Total time was about 1 hour to do this. I would try this first. Just clean it up and see if that solves the issue.

 

The problem is it doesn't last long maybe a year, I tried that first. I took mine apart a few days ago, thanks to the links provided and used a gear puller to put it back together and that made it easy. Now time will tell how long this works.

 

As far as I know this is the first time this starter has ever been apart. Since the bike is going on 14 years old, It will be interesting to see just how long it WILL last after this cleaning. To my surprise, it wasn't THAT dirty (unlike Moshe's starter) to begin with. Moshe must use his bike as a dirt tracker :thumbsup: I heard he used to run with Springer!

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I just commute, in pretty benign conditions. No off roading, I promise! It's amazing how filthy things can get in short order. Mine needs it every 30k, so that's 30k worth of sludge you're looking at right there...

 

-MKL

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Stripped mine right down at about 36000miles. Totally gummed up. I didnt have any special tools and had quite a few swear moments trying to get the recessed retaining ring out with small screwdrivers. I knew I might need a puller to get the drive cog back on after and would have considered buying one- but I went to a random car garage ('Cos lets face it- its basically a small car starter motor!!) and they put the cog back on for me for about 20euro ($30USD?). Well worth it! I do as much as possible- but in this case it was more economical to pay someone every 5 years to put the cog back on for me!

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Jim-

 

Is this on the new DVD? I don't remember that on the old one, though my memory could be off here as it's been awhile...

 

-MKL

 

Yes, this one will be available in about a week. It is on my site now.

 

Jim :Cool:

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Dave in Doodah

Thanks KDeline for this post, and to all the excellent input from the members. I have been riding to work with temps in the teen's and 20's lately, and heard that horrible sound for the first time last week. I knew it was due to the cold - figured the solenoid was not fully deploying or something. I have about 35K on the odometer, so it sounds like it's time to do some winter maintenance.

Thanks!

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