1 K1100 RS starter problem Thu Aug 13, 2020 10:15 am
Danish biker
Platinum member
I need advice. I’m parked at a dead end with my K1100 RS from 1992.
For 3-4 seasons I’ve had sprang clutch problems. Or I thought so. Once or twice a season the starter would not make the sprang clutch engage the engine. The starter would just spin and spin. Since I thought it was a sprang clutch issue I opened the engine and did the famous WD40 job on the sprang clutch 2 to 4 times a season.
However in May my engine exploded doing 170 km on the freeway. Needless to say I had to get a “new” engine. This “new” engine was fully serviced, and had just been used for 10.000 km on a K1 (while the owner disassembled the original K1 engine). So the LT engine I have now was fully operational with absolutely no starter problems. The total km is 100.000 on this bike.
On my first ride the starter failed twice. But not as it did on the old engine. Now the bike would actually start if I hit the starter a second time.
My conclusion was: “Ok it must be my starter since it was the starter from the old engine”. I got a used starter. Disassembled it and cleaned it and installed it. But I still get starter problems.
The battery has been checked. The connections have been checked. The generator seems to be charging the battery fine.
I’m going to order a complete kit for the starter and have a professional do the job BUT my attention has been brought to the fact that it might be my engine oil.
On the old engine where the starter problem was worse I used a full synthetic Castol full synthetic 10w-40. Now I’m using a 10w-40 semi synthetic. How ever a MC mechanic has just told me that my oil might be the cause of the starter failure.
He says my present oil Putoline Sport 4R semi synthetic 4-stroke 10w-40 oil is for a wet clutch. I need a oil for a dry clutch.
He is sending me 5 l 10w-60 oil tomorrow so I’ll change oil and know in a week or two if he was right.
What do you think?
For 3-4 seasons I’ve had sprang clutch problems. Or I thought so. Once or twice a season the starter would not make the sprang clutch engage the engine. The starter would just spin and spin. Since I thought it was a sprang clutch issue I opened the engine and did the famous WD40 job on the sprang clutch 2 to 4 times a season.
However in May my engine exploded doing 170 km on the freeway. Needless to say I had to get a “new” engine. This “new” engine was fully serviced, and had just been used for 10.000 km on a K1 (while the owner disassembled the original K1 engine). So the LT engine I have now was fully operational with absolutely no starter problems. The total km is 100.000 on this bike.
On my first ride the starter failed twice. But not as it did on the old engine. Now the bike would actually start if I hit the starter a second time.
My conclusion was: “Ok it must be my starter since it was the starter from the old engine”. I got a used starter. Disassembled it and cleaned it and installed it. But I still get starter problems.
The battery has been checked. The connections have been checked. The generator seems to be charging the battery fine.
I’m going to order a complete kit for the starter and have a professional do the job BUT my attention has been brought to the fact that it might be my engine oil.
On the old engine where the starter problem was worse I used a full synthetic Castol full synthetic 10w-40. Now I’m using a 10w-40 semi synthetic. How ever a MC mechanic has just told me that my oil might be the cause of the starter failure.
He says my present oil Putoline Sport 4R semi synthetic 4-stroke 10w-40 oil is for a wet clutch. I need a oil for a dry clutch.
He is sending me 5 l 10w-60 oil tomorrow so I’ll change oil and know in a week or two if he was right.
What do you think?
__________________________________________________
You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.
-Sir Winston Churchill