The starter clutch on my 84 RT isnt working, just spins and does nothing. I know the problem is that its gummed up with sludge, and I fixed the same problem on my 88 RT using Nulon engine flush. This doesnt seem to be working on the 84. I sort of think I need to give the clutch sprags a bit of a jolt to get them moving so that the engine flush can do its bit. I did think of taking the starter motor off and inseting a suitable sized drift into the hole and giving the clutch a sharp rap to get things moving, but before I do that I'm looking for alternatives. Tried rocking the bike back and forward, tried roll starting it, tried short bursts on the starter motor. Any suggestions?

I would not be giving it a hit. To me it sounds as if you have the old type of 3 roller clutch not the later sprag type and it may well be just worn out which usually happened fairly quickly. Maybe get some carb and throttle body cleaner and squirt a heap in through the hole so as to get it on and over the clutch mechanism then a bit of rocking with the starter in, it may remove some of the build up.

G'day Rick. Yes its an 84 model so probably the older type. It was working ok up until a month ago when the brushes in the starter motor gave out. Replaced them and the motor now motors well, but I think sitting around hasn't done the clutch any favours. I wasnt actually going to HIT it, just some little taps to shake things around a bit.

It's possible that when you rebuilt the starter motor you got the housing reversed.  That will cause the starter to run backwards and give you the same symptoms as a bad starter clutch.

kioolt wrote:It's possible that when you rebuilt the starter motor you got the housing reversed.  That will cause the starter to run backwards and give you the same symptoms as a bad starter clutch.

Quite possible. Try turning the housing of the starter 180° in relation to the brush holder plate. Because the starter uses permanent magnets unlike most car starters, the magnetic field is reversed and the starter turns the opposite direction.

Its easy to reverse it. Before you open it mark it with marker so you don't put it back the same way. After you reassemble it make a permanent pair of marks so you can align it next time. I found its a little more fiddly reassembling it when you are doing it to the correct way. Its goes real easy the wrong way.

Aha - distinct possibility. I lost my mark when I dismantled it so its very likely that I've got it backwards. 50-50 chance. I'll pull it out on sunday and try it rotated 180.

Rockman wrote:Aha - distinct possibility. I lost my mark when I dismantled it so its very likely that I've got it backwards. 50-50 chance. I'll pull it out on sunday and try it rotated 180.

No need to dismantle it Phil, just bench test and see the direction it's turning, if it turns clock wise you've got it wrong, it needs to turn anti-clockwise.

Sorry, Smithy!...Is that looking from the front of the bike, towards the rear, or from the rear of the bike towards the front?

Rickmeister wrote:Sorry, Smithy!...Is that looking from the front of the bike, towards the rear, or from the rear of the bike towards the front?

From the rear towards the front

smithy wrote:

Rockman wrote:Aha - distinct possibility. I lost my mark when I dismantled it so its very likely that I've got it backwards. 50-50 chance. I'll pull it out on sunday and try it rotated 180.

No need to dismantle it Phil, just bench test and see the direction it's turning, if it turns clock wise you've got it wrong, it needs to turn anti-clockwise.

 Good idea, although I'd almost bet my left one that its the problem.

Because its just been out nothing will be seized up. You will probably do it in the time it takes to cook breakfast....

When I took mine out I did find a hard to see set of alignment marks on it, two notches about 1/8 inch apart and a matching pair on the end plate. But I had already seen the warnings about polarity so made my own marks. Even a marker will do if you do it before you open it....until you decide to clean it all up before you reassemble and find the marker is now gone.

92KK 84WW Olaf wrote:Because its just been out nothing will be seized up. You will probably do it in the time it takes to cook breakfast....

When I took mine out I did find a hard to see set of alignment marks on it, two notches about 1/8 inch apart and a matching pair on the end plate. But I had already seen the warnings about polarity so made my own marks. Even a marker will do if you do it before you open it....until you decide to clean it all up before you reassemble and find the marker is now gone.

That is sort of what happened. I put a small scratch mark across both halves when I took it apart. Then I decided to clean up the housing with a wire brush. Scratch mark is gone. I could see one side of the two alignment marks you mentioned, but not the other. Anyway, easily fixed.

Fixed . Not only did I have it misalighned, but the centre magnet section was upside down. probably why I couldnt find my mark.

I don't believe that upside side down would not make any difference but front end to back end reversed will change the polarity of the magnets and reverse the motor.  I'm glad I was able to help.