Starter just spins

[tcoop]

Last fall my wife’s XJ was having stating problem on and off. Sometime the starter would just spin and not engage the engine. Usually after about3 or 4 try’s it would turn over and start. Yesterday my son tried to start it and it was a no go. (The temp was a balmy 29* F) So he opted to take my venture which was a better option for cold weather riding. When I got home from work I also tried to start the XJ and had the same problem.

Is this symptoms of the starter clutch going out or is there maybe something else going on here?

[DGXSER]

If the starter motor itself is turning, you can hear it spinning, but the engine is not, then yes, it sounds like the starter clutch is in need to attention. The only other option is if your battery is low on volts and possibly not spinning the starter fast enough to engage the clutch.

[tcoop]

I the starter clutch the same in all the XS/XJ1100? I have a 78 engine with a hole in piston #3 and in the uper case that I could pull the starter clutch from if need be.

I will double check the voltage on the battery before taking anything apart.

[DGXSER]

Looks to be. According to the Parts Fiche, all the major XJ starter clutch parts are the same 2H7 part numbers as the E engine. Did not look at all the parts, but enough to feel pretty confident they are identical. That and I know the only major change was the YICS components in the XJ.

[crazy steve]

Don't be in a rush to change the starter clutch out. Yes, that's the likely problem, but they're noted for doing this in cold weather. You might try 'wrapping' the bike and putting some heat under it; that might 'fix' the problem.

This may be the main reason Yamaha recommended 10W oil when temps get low....

[Tom Andersen]

I agree, it's the cold, I had the same problem.

[tcoop]

Come to think of it, the bike still has the 20/50 oil in it. I'll try changing the oil to the recommended cold weather weight.

If the problem persists does changing the starter clutch involve splitting the case? Not that is a problem just would need to prioritize my time with the other projects I have.

[crazy steve]

If the problem persists does changing the starter clutch involve splitting the case? Not that is a problem just would need to prioritize my time with the other projects I have.

Yep, you have to split the cases....

[CatatonicBug]

I always have to change the oil to a lower viscosity in the fall, then bump back up to 20w/50 in the Spring. I know its time to change when I get the same symptoms you are describing.

[CRXSi90]

I'm here to learn, so......

Any idea what "wears out" on these clutches? I just looked at the parts diagram. It looks like there are three rollers (dowels), springs, and spring caps. Is it the dowel, the ramps, or both that wear out?

It looks like a "new" starter clutch is no longer available. So one option is to put in a used unit, and it sounds like that will work for tcoop. Would rebuilding be an option for others? What would it take? Bigger rollers/dowels? Stronger springs? Machining/touch-up of the ramps?

I feel like I should apologize here...I don't have this problem, but I'm always interested in learning about what can go wrong, and how to prevent or fix it!

[DGXSER]

I have only seen the unit as a whole when I took apart my wrecked bikes engine. So I do not know for sure. I do still have it and it worked great when taken out.

I can also say that in the years I have been a member of this site I have only heard / read of maybe three people having an issue with the starter clutch that I can recall. So it is far from a common problem.

Your best defense against it having issues is a good offense. Meaning, keep the bike tuned and carbs clean so it fires up easily and you do not need to crank and crank on it. But again, this is not a common issue.

And for my own personal experience, I have yet to change oil viscosity over the winter, and I have yet to find this to be an issue. But I also do not ride below 40 degrees, and store by bikes in an unheated garage, but it is attached and insulated.

[CRXSi90]

Okay, cool. That's great that it's not a huge problem on these bikes.

It seems like people have more frequent trouble with starter clutches on Kawasaki's, based on what I see in the used market. I was considering trading my truck for a Kawasaki ZX6E with starter issues...I wonder how often their problems are also due to oil viscosity.

[LoHo]

+1 on the Kawasaki issue. On one rescue bike, the ZX750, the spring that pushes one of the rollers crimped against the passage in the small metal cap that is supposed to contain it, so one roller never engaged, and the starter clutch would spin, but not the engine. On another, the metal cracked within the two cover disks and it could only occasionally apply enough pressure to turn the engine. My XS has not yet failed in that regard, so I have something else to look forward to.

[TopCatGr58]

I received a little blip from a fellow xsive a few years ago regarding the starter clutch, just never got around to posting it. Here it is.

Just to tell you about something I tried,my starter clutch packed up completely,and I couldn`t get one anywhere,so I put my old one in my lathe, and polished it on the bearing surface.

Well, it`s working perfect,so I`m stoked.

regards,

Lionel
ProPropellor

So..I'm thinking that the starter shaft had some rough spots on it so the starter clutch rollers couldn't grab it, too rough, rollers bouncing due to the rough spots, so they couldn't pinch/squeeze/grab the shaft. He apparently turned the starter shaft smooth on his lathe, then reassembled it all and worked well.

Rebuild kits are available... www.partsnmore.com .

Fits: XS1100 (78-81)
Starter Clutch Repair Kit



#24-5003 | Yamaha XS1100 (1978-1981)

Starter Clutch Repair Kit US$ 28.00

T.C.