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1Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:12 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Hey friends,
My usually dead reliable 1985 K100RS is giving me trouble in the middle of a touring trip and I'm hoping you guys can help me out.
Here's what happened: About 300 miles into my day I was pulling into a small town. As I slowed down coming into town I noticed that my starter was coming on intermittently. I'm not sure if it started right then, or if it had been doing it a while and it was only when I showed down that I noticed. I pulled into a parking lot to check it out.
When I tried to start the bike again, the dashboard lights came on normally. Pushing the starter button activated the fuel pump but I got nothing from the starter. Bad starter relay seemed like a good guess, so I replaced that and the load shed relay too, just in case, congratulating myself for carrying spares. But it had no effect. Starter button still activated the fuel pump, but not the starter. I did confirm the starter relay is clicking. That was the end of my power of diagnosis. Isn't it amazing how much harder it is to think clearly with a broken bike by the side of the road than comfortably in your home shop?
I figured I might have killed my starter, so I tried bump starting the bike. It worked! Yay! Sunset was approaching fast and I was starting to think it might be an overly interesting evening. By the way, bump starting was way easier than I expected.
So I continued my ride thinking I'd killed my starter. But then I noticed that my headlight was out and none of my switchgear was working properly. No horn. Pushing either turn signal button or the cancel button makes all four turn signals and the dash light flash once. Other than that the bike rode perfectly.
During the rest of my ride to tonight's hotel, I started wondering if one of the switchgear connections to the loom might have come loose. When I got here I checked that. Nope, they're both tight. Wiggling them made no difference.
So, any thoughts about what might be going on? I'm hoping you guys might have an idea that can get this trip back on track. If not, I'm bump starting and heading for home as quickly as possible tomorrow morning. I have a pretty good selection of tools to try ideas, but no multimeter (Damn! That's a mistake I won't make again).
What do you think?
- Jon


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

2Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:34 pm

charlie99

charlie99
VIP
VIP
check the fuses ,
could it be that one if those torpedo switches (brakes , clutch , etc ) has busted, blowing a fuse
or chafed wire somewhere ?

just a thing worth checking

good luck



Last edited by charlie99 on Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:35 pm; edited 1 time in total


__________________________________________________
cheezy grin whilst riding, kinda bloke ....oh the joy !!!! ...... ( brick aviator )

'86 K100 RT..#0090401 ..."Gerty" ( Gertrude Von Clickandshift ) --------O%O
'86 k100 rs.. #######..  "Fred " (f(rame) red ) ( Fredrick leichtundschnell ) - -
bits and pieces from many kind friends across the k100 world ...with many thanks ..
1987 k100rs ########   "Red"  - (red sports rs TWB style )
1989 K100rt #009637   "Black Betty"  (naked rt ala Nigel , now sporting an rs main fairing )
    

3Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:35 pm

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
Starter motor getting dirty inside can cause all sorts of gremlins.  That would be my first guess.


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

4Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:43 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Charlie, I checked the fuses. They're all good.
Duck, good thought on a dirty starter as something to check out when I get home, but I think pulling the starter might be a bit ambitious for a hotel parking lot repair.
- Jon


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

5Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:48 pm

Rick G

Rick G
admin
admin
Remove the lead from the relay to the starter at the relay and see if that makes the headlight come on. If that works as I suspect it will then remove the 2 pin plug onto the starter relay and reconnect the main lead and see if that makes the headlight come on as I suspect it will.
Try that and see how it goes.
I will be on line for quite a few hours yet so if you need any more help I will be here.


__________________________________________________
"Man sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."   Dalai Lama


Bikes 1999 K1100 LT with a Big Block 1200
    

6Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:14 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Rick,
No change. I tried disconnecting the lead to the starter (#87), tried disconnecting the 2-pin plug, and just for the heck of it, tried disconnecting #30 too. No headlight with any setting.
- Jon


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

7Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:50 pm

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
I am pretty sure your ignition switch is whacked.   That is why the headlight and handle bar switch functions don't work while the engine runs perfectly.  Just last weekend I repaired the ignition switch on a K75 with those light problems.  A poor connection in the ignition switch on the lighting contact combined with a weak battery could produce what you are experiencing.  The ignition switch on these bikes is really a piece of crap.

You mention the starter running when the engine was running.  That is a symptom of welded contacts probably caused by starting with a weak battery.  The weak battery is also why after you replaced the relay you were hearing the start relay click when you pushed the start button.

It's also possible, but I suspect unlikely that you have bad grounds or funky battery connections.  Wouldn't hurt to check them.

You might also want to get the battery load tested.  I am pretty sure they will do a load test for you at any battery shop or some auto parts places like AutoZone.



Last edited by Point-Seven-five on Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:57 pm; edited 2 times in total


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

8Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:52 pm

Rick G

Rick G
admin
admin
Point-Seven-five wrote:I am pretty sure your ignition switch is whacked.   That is why the headlight and handle bar switch functions don't work while the engine runs perfectly.  Just last weekend I repaired the ignition switch on a K75 with those light problems.  A poor connection in the ignition switch on the lighting contact combined with a weak battery could produce what you are experiencing.  The ignition switch on these bikes is really a piece of crap.

You mention the starter running when the engine was running.  That is a symptom of welded contacts probably caused by starting with a weak battery.  The weak battery is also why after you replaced the relay you were hearing the start relay click when you pushed the start button.

It's also possible, but I suspect unlikely that you have bad grounds or funky battery connections.  Wouldn't hurt to check them.
Yep that is the likely culprit


__________________________________________________
"Man sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."   Dalai Lama


Bikes 1999 K1100 LT with a Big Block 1200
    

9Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 12:55 am

Laitch

Laitch
Life time member
Life time member
Bikesmith wrote:Duck, good thought on a dirty starter as something to check out when I get home, but I think pulling the starter might be a bit ambitious for a hotel parking lot repair.
You needn't wait until home. Try #1 on this list. If that helps, clean the starter after cleaning the ignition switch and replacing the battery when you arrive home. Laughing


__________________________________________________
1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

10Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 1:25 am

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Rick and .75, I tried rebuilding the ignition switch. I concede it wasn't the best possible job doing it in a hotel room with no deoxit or even a pencil eraser, but I tried. No difference. Still no headlight.
The battery, though... That triggered a thought. Something I didn't mention in the original story is that it was a pretty cold day of riding. So I had the heated grips and my heated vest on most of the day. My battery is actually pretty old. I'm now wondering if that high load was the final straw. There's an Autozone right next door to my hotel. I think I'll take the battery over to check it in the morning.
Latch, I'll try that starter cleaning tip in the morning, too.
Thanks, guys!


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

11Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 5:46 am

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
It might make for a temporary fix but whacking the starter motor with a crescent wrench or something to knock the dirt around might help.


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

12Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 6:32 am

92KK 84WW Olaf

avatar
Life time member
Life time member
An 85 RS you can pull the starter in a parking lot no bother. No ABS or anything in the way, just get coils and battery out of the way and out she will come.


__________________________________________________
1992 K100LT 0193214 Bertha Blue 101,000 miles
1984 K100RT 0022575 Brutus Baja Red 578 bought 36,000 now 89,150 miles
1997 K1100LT 0188024 Wotan Mystic Red 689 58,645 now 106,950 miles Deceased.
1983 K100RS 0011157 Fricka 606 Alaska Blue 29,495 miles Damn K Pox Its a Bat outta Hell Now 58,200 miles. 
1996 K1100LT 0233004 Lohengrin Mystic Red 38,000 miles currently 51,800 miles.
1983 K100RS 0004449 Odette R100 colours 58,000 miles. Sprint fairing now 63,390 miles

Past:
1968 Yamaha 80 YG1
1971 Yamaha 125 YAS-1
1968 Honda 125 SS
1970 Honda CD 175
1973 Honda CB500-4
Honda CX 500
    

13Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:50 am

Crazy Frog

Crazy Frog
admin
admin
Definitively a starter problem.
When the starter is not energized, it provide ground to the electric system.
Having the starter running permanently for a while certainly chewed the brushes.
Electrical gremlin Starter-1


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Frog15Electrical gremlin Logo2101986 k75, 1985 K100rt, 1985 K100rt/EML GT2 sidecar, 1999 K1200lt/Hannigan Astro Sport sidecar.
    

14Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:07 am

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:An 85 RS you can pull the starter in a parking lot no bother. No ABS or anything in the way, just get coils and battery out of the way and out she will come.

You can get the starter motor out without messing with the coils.


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

15Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:22 am

92KK 84WW Olaf

avatar
Life time member
Life time member
duck wrote:
92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:An 85 RS you can pull the starter in a parking lot no bother. No ABS or anything in the way, just get coils and battery out of the way and out she will come.

You can get the starter motor out without messing with the coils.

You can.......just found it easier to unbolt them but not disconnect them.


__________________________________________________
1992 K100LT 0193214 Bertha Blue 101,000 miles
1984 K100RT 0022575 Brutus Baja Red 578 bought 36,000 now 89,150 miles
1997 K1100LT 0188024 Wotan Mystic Red 689 58,645 now 106,950 miles Deceased.
1983 K100RS 0011157 Fricka 606 Alaska Blue 29,495 miles Damn K Pox Its a Bat outta Hell Now 58,200 miles. 
1996 K1100LT 0233004 Lohengrin Mystic Red 38,000 miles currently 51,800 miles.
1983 K100RS 0004449 Odette R100 colours 58,000 miles. Sprint fairing now 63,390 miles

Past:
1968 Yamaha 80 YG1
1971 Yamaha 125 YAS-1
1968 Honda 125 SS
1970 Honda CD 175
1973 Honda CB500-4
Honda CX 500
    

16Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:38 am

duck

duck
Life time member
Life time member
Just remove the two bolts that hold the back of the starter down. Then rock it side to side while pulling.


__________________________________________________
Current stable:
86 Custom K100 (standard fairing, K75 Belly pan, Ceramic chromed engine covers, paralever)
K75 Frankenbrick (Paralever, K11 front end, hybrid ABS, K1100RS fairing, radial tires)
86 K75C Turbo w/ paralever
94 K1100RS
93 K1100LT
91 K1
93 K75S (K11 front end)
91 K75S (K1 front end)
14 Yamaha WR250R
98 Taxi Cab K1200RS
14 K1600GT
http://www.ClassicKBikes.com
    

17Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:47 am

kioolt

kioolt
Silver member
Silver member
Crazy Frog wrote:Definitively a starter problem.
When the starter is not energized, it provide ground to the electric system.
Having the starter running permanently for a while certainly chewed the brushes.
Electrical gremlin Starter-1

Just so that this doesn't become the truth because it was on the internet I would like to clarify something.  The starter does not provide ground for the electric system as stated above.  It only provides the ground for the load shed relay.


__________________________________________________
2004 R1150RT 186,800 miles 
1991 K100LT 128,700 miles
1982 R100RT 106,900 miles
Total 422,400 BMW miles

AMA,BMWRA,BMWMOA


The cheapest thing on a BMW is the nut that connects the handlebars to the seat.
    

18Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 11:11 am

Crazy Frog

Crazy Frog
admin
admin
kioolt wrote:
Just so that this doesn't become the truth because it was on the internet I would like to clarify something.  The starter does not provide ground for the electric system as stated above.  It only provides the ground for the load shed relay.

This is correct and this is shown on my diagram (Not from the internet but from my EFI troubleshooting page). if the coil of the load shed relay is not activated or doesn't get enough power, lights, flashers, horn,.... will act weird or not work at all.
This is why when reading the symptoms of the problem, I pointed out the starter.

I also forget to mention something about bum starting a K100.
Even if the starter doesn't work, it's a very good idea to press the starter button when releasing the clutch.
Why and what's happening when you press the starter switch?

The starter relay and Fuel Injection relay close, Hall sensors get power.
The FI relay energizes (+) the fuel pump, the idle switch, the injectors and the air flow meter.
The Jetronic receives (pin #4) the signal that the engine is starting and it sets itself on starting mode (enriching the air/fuel mixture)
Electronic ignition module pin # 9-10-14 send power to the ignition coil
Electronic ignition module pin #8 send engine rpm info to pin #1 of FI computer
Electronic ignition module pin #7 send ground to the coil of the FI relay as soon as the starter switch is depressed. The ground will stay on after the starter switch is released as long as the Electronic ignition module receives a signal from the Hall sensors.
Notes:
Under 1300rpm, the timing is set to 6 ̊. Then, the Electronic ignition module will modify the timing according to the engine RPM.[/quote]


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Frog15Electrical gremlin Logo2101986 k75, 1985 K100rt, 1985 K100rt/EML GT2 sidecar, 1999 K1200lt/Hannigan Astro Sport sidecar.
    

19Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:48 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Hey everybody,
 I made it home! I came home the direct way instead of the meandering route that I took yesterday. About 300 miles. The bike ran perfectly except for lack of starter, lights, horn and signals.
  Starting the bike cold this morning in sub-freezing weather was challenging. Took me about 10 attempts, but I got it. After that it was a pretty uneventful ride. I stopped at gas stations that had a bit of a slope as you left, and the bike bump-started perfectly every time.
   I gave a lot of thought to what might be wrong and I kept coming back to the load shed relay. The problems were isolated to load-shed items and everything else worked perfectly. But I tried replacing the relay yesterday and it didn't help. Crazy Frog's suggestion about fried starter failing to provide ground to the relay makes perfect sense. It explains everything.
  So, is the starter completely shot or can it be repaired? Crazy Frog, you specifically said that the brushes were fried. I see they're available as a brush set (Not even expensive cheers ). Is that likely to set things right or have I done other damage to the starter, too?
  Thanks again for your help, guys!
   -Jon


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

20Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:03 pm

Crazy Frog

Crazy Frog
admin
admin
Most of the time, a starter could be fix.
The first thing to do is to dismantle it to assess the damages.
Caution: Mark the position of the front and back cover. If you reverse them, the starter will turn the wrong way.
What you will mostly find is that the brushes are gone and the copper track on the shaft may dirty or scored. It's easy to sand it to be smooth again.
Open the starter, take pictures and we will help you in your assessment.


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Frog15Electrical gremlin Logo2101986 k75, 1985 K100rt, 1985 K100rt/EML GT2 sidecar, 1999 K1200lt/Hannigan Astro Sport sidecar.
    

21Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Nov 07, 2018 10:08 pm

kioolt

kioolt
Silver member
Silver member
Here's something that a lot of people get confused.  The load shed relay will not keep the starter from working.  The starter will keep the load shed relay from working.  

A very easy way to tell if the starter is keeping your load shed relay from working (no headlight is a symptom) is to just jump the starter terminal to ground with the key on.  DO NOT PUSH THE START BUTTON, BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN IF YOU PUSH THE START BUTTON WITH THE JUMPER ON.  If the headlight comes on that means you have completed the missing ground path through your starter with your jumper wire and energized the load shed relay.


__________________________________________________
2004 R1150RT 186,800 miles 
1991 K100LT 128,700 miles
1982 R100RT 106,900 miles
Total 422,400 BMW miles

AMA,BMWRA,BMWMOA


The cheapest thing on a BMW is the nut that connects the handlebars to the seat.
    

22Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Sun Dec 02, 2018 5:26 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
UPDATE!
   So, here's what's happened since I last updated you guys.
   I ordered a new brush set for the starter, rebuilt the starter, installed the new brush, cleaned all the contacts. Pretty easy job. I tested the starter by hooking it up to a battery and it works great.
   I installed it back in the bike. When I turned the key the electrical system mostly came right back to life. Horn works, turn signals work. No headlight, but I'm not too worried about that. It might just be a burned out bulb. If not, I'm sure it'll be pretty straightforward to fix.
   Here's the problem, though. When I pushed the starter button, the starter made a hell of a noise, kind of a loud HONK, like an angry goose.
   I figured somewhere in my misadventures I must have killed my starter clutch. I ordered a used one off eBay for $40 and set aside this weekend to install it. Holy moly, that thing is buried. Last night, after several hours of parts removal, I got the old starter clutch out and... it's perfect. Like it just came out of the factory. Working perfectly, flawless. I've never been so disappointed to have a perfect part. The countershaft is flawless. I didn't figure the problem was inside the engine, since the bike got me home running great. But just to be sure I manually rotated the engine a few turns to check if anything seemed amiss. Nope, dead smooth. scratch 
  So I put everything back together, super clean, freshly greased. I took the opportunity to seal the intermediate housing to the engine a bit better.
  I got everything back together a few minutes ago, and it still makes the noise. HONK! The bike does start though. It seems like the starter is making the noise about 2/3 of the time, while having no effect. 1/3 of the time it makes the normal starter noise and the bikes starts instantly.
   So I'm baffled. I have no further ideas at this point. So, what do you guys think? Any ideas!
     -Jon


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

23Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Sun Dec 02, 2018 8:09 pm

Rick G

Rick G
admin
admin
I would be inclined to check the starter motor out a bit more closely. Pull the armature out and check to see if any of the segments of the commutator are connected to the steel of the armature or shaft and also check that there is a connection between the opposite segments of the commutator but not to the other segments. Also check to see if any parts of the armature are rubbing on the magnets. That honking or growling can be a sign of a bad armature.


__________________________________________________
"Man sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."   Dalai Lama


Bikes 1999 K1100 LT with a Big Block 1200
    

24Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Sun Dec 02, 2018 11:48 pm

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
Can you post a video of the noise?  I'm having a hard time understanding what you are describing as a "honk".

Right now, I'm thinking that you have a loose bearing that is spinning, or possibly a loose magnet.  I had a starter that had a magnet get loose.  They appear to be glued into the case with something like epoxy, and the glue can let go.

If it is a bearing, you might try lubing the starter shaft where it goes through the bearings with a tiny bit of spline lube and see if that stops the noise.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

25Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:50 am

Laitch

Laitch
Life time member
Life time member
Point-Seven-five wrote:Can you post a video of the noise?  I'm having a hard time understanding what you are describing as a "honk".
This might qualify as a honk but to me it's more like a bichon frise with laryngitis whining for a biscuit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9SEV2YVLvc


__________________________________________________
1995 K75 90,000 miles
    

26Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 1:55 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Hi, everyone!
  I brought my starter into work today and just took it apart. Now that I'm looking for additional problems something jumps out at me immediately. Where the end of the armature fits into the collector guiding is a VERY sloppy fit. Almost a millimeter of play. That strikes me as problematic. I don't see any scoring on the magnets, so it isn't enough play to let the armature touch them, but the brush that I just installed does have a very small chip out of it, so I'm thinking that it's enough slop to allow the commutator to play rough with the brushes. I'm about to fire up my lathe and make a brass bushing for a tighter fit.
  I just wanted to check with collective opinion and see if there's anything I'm missing. Is that millimeter of play there for a reason? Is the bushing a bad idea for some reason?
   Thanks as always!
    -Jon


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

27Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:11 pm

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
It sounds like you have a lot of wear in the end cap.  I wouldn't expect more than a couple thousandths of an inch of clearance in there.

I can't see any reason not to try making a new bearing.  You might want to take the old bearing/end cap with the armature to a bearing shop.  An oilite bushing shouldn't cost more than a couple bucks.  Before reassembly, I would put a light film of spline lube on the shaft.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

28Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:12 pm

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Final Update! Fixed!
   The starter bushing did the trick. Here's what I made:
Electrical gremlin Bmw1

And here's how it fits in the end cap:
Electrical gremlin Bmw2

I made it a tight transition fit to the end cap (though I used a tiny bit of loctite 620 for good measure), and a free running clearance fit to the armature shaft (greased).
   I popped the thing in the bike the minute I got home and it's perfect. In fact, it's the best the bike has ever started. Despite the bike being at just a touch below freezing it started in probably a quarter second (several times!) You can barely even hear the starter. The bike is just instantly running. Yaaaayyy!
   Don't you love when you fix something and it's better than before you broke it?
   Long live the Flying Brick!
   Thanks for all your help, guys!
   -Jon


PS - I still have the headlight to fix, but I confirmed this evening that high beam is working so I'm pretty sure I just burned out my low beam. Not much else it could be, right? The new bulb arrived today (with M&Ms! Thanks, MaxBMW!) I'll install it soon.


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

29Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:38 pm

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
Nice job!  cheers It's great to have the tools to make parts like that bushing. 

I hope you used spline lube with moly.  The side loads on that bearing are pretty high and the moly will help a lot.  Now that I'm thinking about it, I just found a new job I have to do on my bikes this winter.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

30Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:41 pm

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
As for the headlight, the low beam doesn't last forever.  I've had two(or is it three) low beams burn out on my bikes.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

31Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:10 pm

Woodie

Woodie
Life time member
Life time member
A happy ending for sure!  Did you make the new bushing on the lathe in the background of your first picture?  It looks like a gem.


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Logo2111
1985 K100RT  52667
1990 K75RT 6018570 (project)

"Keep your stick on the ice.  We're all in this together."  Red Green
    

32Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Dec 04, 2018 1:00 am

Bikesmith

Bikesmith
Silver member
Silver member
Woodie,
    Yep, That's my beast in the background. A 1912 Pratt and Whitney. A Christmas gift from my wife. I love it!
Electrical gremlin Lathe


__________________________________________________
Jon
Mechanically competent, electrically perplexed
------------------------------------
1985 BMW K100RS
1959 BMW R60
1942 Chevrolet 3/4-ton Special
1940 Royal Enfield WD/CO
1975 Porsche 911S
    

33Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Tue Dec 04, 2018 10:52 pm

Woodie

Woodie
Life time member
Life time member
Now that's a Christmas gift!  I am slowly culling my herd of vintage machinery in order to make room and pay for all things K.   Very Happy


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Logo2111
1985 K100RT  52667
1990 K75RT 6018570 (project)

"Keep your stick on the ice.  We're all in this together."  Red Green
    

34Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Dec 05, 2018 12:09 am

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
I can't imagine a woman who would buy something like that for a gift.  You are a truly lucky man!!! 

Those old machines are so nice.  I have a drill press of similar vintage.  Damn thing weighs 300 pounds.

After 40 years in my shop it's going to be needing a new belt.  Do you know a source?


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

35Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:52 am

MartinW

MartinW
Life time member
Life time member
I've just finished rebuilding my 40 year old approx Vespa V twin compressor. I rang a local compressor specialist and was told I'd never get one as good if I bought a new one. Parts no longer available so I ended up hand lapping the four disc valves on a pane of glass it took about six hours. And due to one of the windings being stuffed I replaced the motor with a slightly larger one up from 1- 3/4 HP to a 2 HP. I just have to modify the belt guard but it is up and running pumping out 120 PSI instead of the previous 50 PSI. Electrical gremlin 723598 I also own a approx 60 year old Advance brand metal lathe made in Melbourne.
Regards Martin.


__________________________________________________
1992 K75s
    

36Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Dec 05, 2018 6:04 am

Woodie

Woodie
Life time member
Life time member
Leather belt .75?  You can get it on-line in the US and I could probably dig up a source in short order though local is also quite likely.  I happen to have a stash of joining clips out in my shop so all you will need is the leather.


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Logo2111
1985 K100RT  52667
1990 K75RT 6018570 (project)

"Keep your stick on the ice.  We're all in this together."  Red Green
    

37Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Dec 05, 2018 8:52 am

92KK 84WW Olaf

avatar
Life time member
Life time member
Woodie wrote:Leather belt .75?  You can get it on-line in the US and I could probably dig up a source in short order though local is also quite likely.  I happen to have a stash of joining clips out in my shop so all you will need is the leather.
That's why this forum is so darn good.
Its got great spirit and I love it.


__________________________________________________
1992 K100LT 0193214 Bertha Blue 101,000 miles
1984 K100RT 0022575 Brutus Baja Red 578 bought 36,000 now 89,150 miles
1997 K1100LT 0188024 Wotan Mystic Red 689 58,645 now 106,950 miles Deceased.
1983 K100RS 0011157 Fricka 606 Alaska Blue 29,495 miles Damn K Pox Its a Bat outta Hell Now 58,200 miles. 
1996 K1100LT 0233004 Lohengrin Mystic Red 38,000 miles currently 51,800 miles.
1983 K100RS 0004449 Odette R100 colours 58,000 miles. Sprint fairing now 63,390 miles

Past:
1968 Yamaha 80 YG1
1971 Yamaha 125 YAS-1
1968 Honda 125 SS
1970 Honda CD 175
1973 Honda CB500-4
Honda CX 500
    

38Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Dec 05, 2018 11:27 am

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
Woodie, that's good news.  I'll have to do a search.  The place I got the one I have now went out of business 30 years ago. 

The one I have now is scarfed and glued, and has to be shortened to compensate for the stretch.  Maybe if I can get the clips I can just shorten it.


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

39Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Wed Dec 05, 2018 7:43 pm

Woodie

Woodie
Life time member
Life time member
I can supply you with enough to do again in 40 years and many 40's after that.  I still haven't enjoyed a beef on weck so I would be happy to meet up on your side of the border to deliver the goods.


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Logo2111
1985 K100RT  52667
1990 K75RT 6018570 (project)

"Keep your stick on the ice.  We're all in this together."  Red Green
    

40Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Thu Dec 06, 2018 12:12 pm

Point-Seven-five

Point-Seven-five
Life time member
Life time member
Woodie, sounds good!  Maybe some time over the holidays?


__________________________________________________
Present: 1991 K100RS "Moby Brick Too"
 
Past:
1994 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
1988 K100RS SE "Special Ed"
1994 K75S "Cheetos"
1992 K100RS "Moby Brick" R.I.P.
1982 Honda FT500
1979 Honda XR185
1977 Honda XL125
1974 Honda XL125
1972 OSSA Pioneer 250
1968 Kawasaki 175
    

41Back to top Go down   Electrical gremlin Empty Re: Electrical gremlin Thu Dec 06, 2018 8:03 pm

Woodie

Woodie
Life time member
Life time member
Done!  I'll be off between Christmas and New Year's and would love to pop over.  How wide is your belt?


__________________________________________________
Electrical gremlin Logo2111
1985 K100RT  52667
1990 K75RT 6018570 (project)

"Keep your stick on the ice.  We're all in this together."  Red Green
    

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